What happened to Hyundai's N mid-engine supercar. Know here

  • A skyhigh asking price was the reason behind Hyundai's closure of the supercar project.
Hyundai Prophecy concept EV photo for representational purpose.
Hyundai Prophecy concept EV photo for representational purpose.

Do you know Hyundai, at one point, was working on an N-badged supercar with a mid-engine layout? Yes, you read that right. The South Korean auto major was indeed working on a mid-engine supercar that would have been its halo model. However, the auto company decided to ditch the project in the middle of the development phase and focused on more attainable performance cars such as the Kona N, i20 N, and the Veloster N, claims a report by Top Gear.

Also Read : Hyundai has no plans to ditch internal combustion engines

Back in 2017, Hyundai revealed its i30 N revealing its sporty intentions. However, the initial plan was to introduce a far more exciting product than just a compact hot hatch, claims the report. It was the supercar that was internally known as ‘The Chairman’s Car'. Albert Biermann, the former chief of Hyundai's N division, was the driving force behind this supercar project. It was a similar case to BMW M, where Biermann was pushing for a supercar, which never happened either, as the German automaker focused on the plug-in i8 instead.

Also check these Cars

Find more Cars
Hyundai Kona Electric 2024 (HT Auto photo)
UPCOMING
BatteryCapacity Icon64.8 kWh Range Icon418 Km
₹ 25 Lakhs
View Details
Hyundai Alcazar Facelift (HT Auto photo)
UPCOMING
Engine Icon1499 cc FuelType IconPetrol
₹ 17 - 22 Lakhs
View Details
Hyundai Exter (HT Auto photo)
Engine Icon1197 cc FuelType IconMultiple
₹ 6 - 10.15 Lakhs
Compare
View Offers
Hyundai Creta (HT Auto photo)
Engine Icon1497 cc FuelType IconMultiple
₹ 11 - 20.15 Lakhs
Compare
View Offers
Hyundai Kona Electric (HT Auto photo)
BatteryCapacity Icon39.2 kWh Range Icon452 km
₹ 23.79 - 23.98 Lakhs
Compare
View Offers
Mg Zs Ev (HT Auto photo)
BatteryCapacity Icon50.3 kWh Range Icon419 Km
₹ 21 - 24.18 Lakhs
Compare
View Offers

The report claims that this supercar was being developed with a carbon fibre tub chassis and a petrol engine with an electric motor as part of a hybrid powertrain. The supercar's platform was claimed to have been developed to accommodate a hydrogen fuel cell as well. The reason behind scrapping the project was its absolute high price of around $150,000, which the automaker thought would have been too high for a Hyundai model. The report claims that Biermann now believes it was the right decision to scrap the project.

Meanwhile, the Hyundai N division is reportedly working on a new breed of cars. One of them would be the electric Ioniq 5 N, which is expected to hit the market sometime in 2023 with around 600 hp of peak power output. It is likely to come much faster than the i30 N and feature a dedicated drift mode as well.

First Published Date: 22 Sep 2022, 15:38 PM IST
NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS

Please provide your details to get Personalized Offers on

Choose city
+91 | Choose city
Choose city
Choose city

Want to get the best price for your existing car?

Powered by: Spinny Logo
By clicking "View Offers" you Agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy

Dear Name

Please verify your mobile number.

+91 | Choose city
Couldn't verify the OTP.
It's either expired or it's incorrect.