Hyundai has recently been going through some big changes in its N performance vehicle lineup, having axed the i20N first in Europe and most recently Australia, while the i30N went off sale in Europe last year too.
The overseas demise of both hot hatches was attributed to stricter emissions regulations in Europe, though Hyundai has previously vowed it’ll sell more than seven N models by 2030.
Since then, Hyundai has remained coy on what other models will join its lineup, though at least one of the upcoming N cars is expected to be a hotter Tucson.
Questions have remained about what powertrains will be in future Hyundai N cars, with the current model range split between turbocharged petrol engines (i20N, i30N) and full EVs (Ioniq 5 N and 6 N).
However, Hyundai N boss Joon Park has told the UK’s evo magazine the performance brand has no intention of walking away from petrol power, with a new engine currently under development.
According to Park – who was not directly quoted in the report – Hyundai’s future N models could offer pure petrol power, as well as be offered as plug-in hybrids, providing some context to comments the executive made last year when he simply said hybrids were on the table.
A new engine prototype is reportedly already running and is likely to be making its debut at the Nurburgring 24 Hour endurance race in May, a similar approach Hyundai took in 2016 with the turbocharged 2.0-litre engine which currently powers the i30N.
No additional details of the engine have been reported, however last year Hyundai confirmed it was developing a mid-rear (MR) engined platform, which would be a logical addition to the N brand.
“We’re currently developing the MR engine. The MR engine is a completely new engine, and its design and configuration is quite different from any other engine,” Daehee Kim, a researcher from Hyundai Motor Group’s engine design team, said.
“It’s a high-speed, high-performance engine, so we’re facing a lot of challenges. However, we are gradually establishing a direction with our seniors (researchers/engineers).
“Our team’s goal is to develop an engine that meets the performance requirements of the market, and mass produce it without problems. This requires a disciplined approach to not overlooking even the smallest details.”
Hyundai CEO José Muñoz has also previously suggested a small hybrid model could also join the N lineup, most likely the i20N.
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