The twenty first century has been significantly sort to the Hyundai Motor Company, although this was hardly a matter of likelihood. Originally identified within the West for offering cut price vehicles that had been surprisingly competent, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than the South Korean model was giving Japanese mainstays stiff competitors. By the early 2000s, Hyundai was working onerous to distinguish itself from the just lately acquired Kia and opted to make its merchandise extra luxurious and noticed huge good points within the U.S. market which have more-or-less continued till right now.
Now, Hyundai arguably has a few of the best-looking vehicles of their respective segments and has muscled in on Kia (which it technically owns) by providing professional efficiency variants by way of its “N Brand.” While this was initially restricted to gasoline-powered fashions, the corporate has begun providing good-looking EVs that it will additionally like to show into sporting fashions utilizing the fourteenth letter of the alphabet. It even showcased a few ideas at “N Day 2022,” one in all which appears to be like like one thing Giorgetto Giugiaro may need whipped up throughout an erotic fever dream — the N Vision 74 idea.
Inspired by the Hyundai Pony — South Korea’s very first mass-produced car — the idea really appears to be like just like the offspring of these superb, wedge-shaped ideas from the late Seventies and a few of the best-looking manufacturing imports from the Eighties. We’re detecting hints of Lancia 037, DMC DeLorean, Nissan Silvia S12, Lotus Esprit, Ferrari Testarossa, Mitsubishi Starion, and nearly each different sporting mannequin from that period with angular bodywork that makes the automobile appear like it’s going 200 mph when standing nonetheless. Meanwhile, its Hyundai DNA appears restricted to the 1974 Pony Coupe Concept that was drafted (like a few of the different fashions talked about above) by Italdesign-founder Giorgetto Giugiaro.
Sadly, it doesn’t look as if we’ll be capable to purchase one.
While Hyundai has confirmed angular whips can nonetheless be mass produced in 2022 with the Ioniq 5 EV, designs with edges this sharp will most likely stumble upon regulatory points relating to pedestrian security on a great deal of markets that already killed pop-up headlights for a similar motive. The N Vision 74 idea can be most likely not fairly as aerodynamic as its form would lead one to imagine. However, it’s the powertrain that’s most probably to maintain this child off the streets.
The two-seat, rear-drive sports activities automobile comes with a hydrogen fuel-cell/electrical hybrid powerplant. That successfully limits its H fueling to Japan, Western Europe, the State of California, and small pockets of its native South Korea. It’s additionally powered by electrical motors on both aspect of the car’s rear finish, fairly than having them mounted centrally on the entrance and/or rear axles. Combined, the duo produces a lofty 671 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque and works in tandem with new objects for Hyundai to mess around with. The firm says the Vision N 74 boasts an ultra-precise torque vectoring system to make this work, along with the 62.4 kWh battery pack with 800-volt functionality, 85 kW fuel-cell stack with a 4.2 kg tank capability, three-channel cooling system, and the power to run the automobile solely on battery energy if you’re making an attempt to scale back your hydrogen price range.
The gas cell stack is mounted below the hood, whereas the battery pack is a T-shaped design that runs the place you’d anticipate to see the driveshaft. Dual electrical motors are positioned inside the rear wheels and are cooled by the huge air inlets alongside the 74’s haunches. Additional cooling is routed to the battery. Twin hydrogen tanks are additionally situated within the automobile’s again half, simply above the motors.
Hyundai sees the mannequin as a check mattress for brand new efficiency applied sciences and has stated the automobile is able to hitting 60 mph in lower than 4 seconds. Considering the claimed numbers being put out by the 74, it sounds just like the car could also be a little bit of a pig due to the compulsory battery pack. But there’s a variety of wiggle room within the below-four-second vary and this nonetheless makes for a severely quick car. The goal vary is claimed to be 600 kilometers utilizing the WLTP testing cycle Europeans discover acceptable. So that’s going to work out to lower than 315 miles as soon as the EPA has deployed its personal math.
But the N Vision 74 wasn’t the one car introduced in Hyundai’s annual celebration of acceleration. The automaker additionally let unfastened the N model of the Ioniq 5 it says will grow to be its very first high-performance EV. Coming in 2023, the producer gave nothing concerning the car away. However, we will safely assume it’ll be primarily based on the prevailing Ioniq 5 (one of many model’s best-looking fashions) and include an array of enhancements.
N Day additionally included the RN22e, which occurs to be one other check mattress. But this one relies immediately on the Ioniq 6 sedan and is much less experimental that the N Vision 74. The E-GMP dual-motor platform has been retained and gives up 577 horsepower and 546 pound-feet of torque due to some critical tweaking on the manufacturing facility.
Unlike the idea 74, the RN22e is a transparent try to probe the boundaries of E-GMP and should foreshadow an N variant of the upcoming Ioniq 6. Both are all-wheel drive and the RN makes use of the identical 77.4-kWh battery — simply with a great deal of modifications.
Electric motors have been beefed as much as surpass the usual 6’s collective 321 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque. Hyundai has additionally tapped dual-clutch torque vectoring to higher wrangle the RN22e’s upgraded 577 horsepower and 546 pound-feet within the corners, tossing in some further regenerative braking as well.
The styling can be noticeably completely different. While a lot of our readers discovered the usual Ioniq 6 to be fairly good-looking, I joked about it ushering a return to egg-shaped vehicles. However, the GT-style rear wing, opened grille, widened fenders, rear diffuser, and lowered stance have actually accomplished the mannequin a variety of favors. Even a skeptic like me has begun to see the sunshine, and that’s earlier than I realized concerning the 275/35ZR-21 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, four-piston monoblock calipers, 15.7-inch two-piece ventilated rotors (entrance solely), and vastly upgraded suspension.
Even in case you’re not an ardent EV supporter, these vehicles certain do make Hyundai’s growth group appear like they’re on the proper path. The Vision N 74 is such a horny car that I’d wager individuals would scoop it up no matter powertrain and the RN22e is showcasing what the corporate can do with expertise it already has at its disposal. Still, it’s vital to keep in mind that the Ioniq 5 N is the one mannequin that’s slated for manufacturing and most of the people dwelling within the U.S. nonetheless want vehicles with combustion engines — for now.
[Images: Hyundai]
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Source: www.thetruthaboutcars.com