Hyundai N targets Golf GTI, BMW M4
Broad ranging high performance N sub-brand has big aspirations for Hyundai.
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Hyundai's performance sub-brand, N, will focus on "balanced performance" rather than race track specials, with the first model likely to break cover some time in 2016.
The much-hyped N brand will cover everything from small hatchbacks such as the i30 all the way to the soon-to-arrive Genesis luxury brand.
"It's going to be focused on balanced performance, not just the best horsepower … or the best 0-100 kilometre per hour time," said Hyundai North America vice president of product planning Mike O'Brien.
"It's going to be more about a combination of great acceleration and performance and great driving dynamics as well."
O'Brien said the benchmark Golf GTI was a car Hyundai was taking particular notice of in developing its N brand.
"Certainly GTI has been one of the things we've looked at very closely … as being a good target."
Hyundai America president and CEO David Zuchowski added that the N brand was a crucial part of the rollout of the planned five-model Genesis luxury brand over the next five years.
"To play in that segment I think that becomes really important," said Zuchowski, who added that he wanted a car to compete with the likes of the BMW M3 and M4.
"It's important because we really never have established a performance image in this market."
Hyundai poached former BMW M engineering boss Albert Biermann to develop the N brand.
"Our first step with Albert is a clear step that second best is not going to be acceptable for us," said O'Brien.
"We want to make sure we have the very best and brightest folks working on this."
He said the N brand was "about clearly demonstrating our technical capability".
Hyundai will shed more light on its N brand within weeks, with an announcement expected soon about some of the crucial new models and details of when they are likely to arrive in dealerships.
"There's a lot of projects that we're working on right now, you're going to see some announcements very soon," said O'Brien.