Hyundai’s commitment to N brand pays off with over 100,000 car sales
Il-Gue Kim
Jul 16, 2023 (Gmt+09:00)
Hyundai Motor Co.'s commitment to high-performance vehicles has paid off with sales of such vehicles exceeding 100,000 units six years after the launch of the N brand.
The top South Korean automaker posted cumulative sales of 103,947 N performance cars at the end of June.
The sales results include vehicles such as the i30N, its first model of the N lineup in 2017, the Veloster N, the i20 N, the Kona N, and the Avante N, also known in some countries as the Elantra N.
Hyundai’s dedication to high-performance cars culminated in the launch last week of the IONIQ 5 N, the carmaker’s first all-electric high-performance vehicle under its N brand.
In 2012, Hyundai declared its first participation in the World Rally Championship (WRC), the world's top motorsport event, and established Hyundai Motorsport the following year.
In WRC, Hyundai Motorsport established a strong reputation when it took victory in its 2014 debut season. The team finished as a runner-up in the manufacturers’ championship on three consecutive occasions between 2016 and 2018 before claiming its first title in 2019.
The Avante N and the Veloster N have also scored big in the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) and the Electric Touring Car Racing (ETCR), respectively, promoting Hyundai’s high-performance N brand globally.
In 2018, Hyundai expanded its N brand team to a division in charge of high-performance vehicles and hired related experts.
“Under Chairman Chung’s leadership, we’re writing a new history in Korea’s high-performance car industry,” said a Hyundai Motor official.
During the world premiere of the IONIQ 5 N at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun said he aims to make the latest model a game-changer for "driving fun" among motorsport enthusiasts.
At the event, Chang Jae-hoon, Hyundai’s chief executive, said: “The N brand’s winning combination of technological know-how and motorsport experience is pushing the limits of vehicle performance.”