Hyundai News:Hyundai's N Performance Division is Working On A Halo Model

[William Maley]

Hyundai's N performance division is beginning to make itself known with the i30 N for Europe and the Veloster N for North America. But the group has its eyes set on something bigger.

“I can tell you Albert Biermann [Hyundai engineering boss] and myself are interested in hot things and have some ideas in the pipeline for a halo model - rest assured we are coming up with something,” said Thomas Schemera, vice president of Hyundai's high-performance and motorsport.

Schemera wouldn't spill any details about the vehicle, only saying that more information would be revealed soon. According to Auto Express, there is an internal debate going on as to what the 'halo' model will look like - a two-seater coupe and a four-door sedan are in the discussions.

Source: Auto Express, Roadshow

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[David]

I am willing to put my money on a 4 door sedan. The days of popular big selling 2 door coupes are over except in niche markets of luxury lines.

[riviera74]

1 hour ago, dfelt said:

I am willing to put my money on a 4 door sedan. The days of popular big selling 2 door coupes are over except in niche markets of luxury lines.

Yeah. The 1970s called: they want their personal luxury coupes back.

[smk4565]

Here is the problem with the N performance brand (besides the general public having no clue what it is), any high power Hyundai is going to be less than a Genesis, or end up with the same engine for the same money as a Genesis.  What is Hyundai going to do, make a sedan with a 5.0 liter V8 and charge $50k for it?  They tried that and it doesn't sell even with an upscale badge on it. 

Plus the whole Hyundai line is front drive cars, so you can't do anything with much performance on those, a turbo 4 basically maxes out what those chassis can handle.  They could do a coupe version of the G70/Stinger but those probably aren't hot sellers so how poorly will a more expensive coupe sell?   

The beancounters know all this, that is why nothing good will ever get off the ground.  Notice there isn't a twin turbo version of the 5.0 liter V8 making 600+ hp in the Stinger,  G80 and G70 sedans, why not?  Beancounters.  

[David]

39 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Here is the problem with the N performance brand (besides the general public having no clue what it is), any high power Hyundai is going to be less than a Genesis, or end up with the same engine for the same money as a Genesis.  What is Hyundai going to do, make a sedan with a 5.0 liter V8 and charge $50k for it?  They tried that and it doesn't sell even with an upscale badge on it. 

Plus the whole Hyundai line is front drive cars, so you can't do anything with much performance on those, a turbo 4 basically maxes out what those chassis can handle.  They could do a coupe version of the G70/Stinger but those probably aren't hot sellers so how poorly will a more expensive coupe sell?   

The beancounters know all this, that is why nothing good will ever get off the ground.  Notice there isn't a twin turbo version of the 5.0 liter V8 making 600+ hp in the Stinger,  G80 and G70 sedans, why not?  Beancounters.  

So then why does Mercedes-Benz make low end AMG versions of their cars if performance FWD appliances do not sell? 🤷‍♂️

[smk4565]

2 hours ago, dfelt said:

So then why does Mercedes-Benz make low end AMG versions of their cars if performance FWD appliances do not sell? 🤷‍♂️

I never said FWD cars don't sell, they sell well in fact.  I said the Genesis cars don't sell, so what is a Hyundai N model going to be?  Are they going to take Genesis engines and chassis and put it in a car for $50k but use the Hyundai name instead?  That will sell worse than the Genesis G80.

[David]

20 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

I never said FWD cars don't sell, they sell well in fact.  I said the Genesis cars don't sell, so what is a Hyundai N model going to be?  Are they going to take Genesis engines and chassis and put it in a car for $50k but use the Hyundai name instead?  That will sell worse than the Genesis G80.

And Mercedes did not begin this way?

Every auto company has to start some place in an attempt to build performance and luxury auto's and over time change customer perception of what they build.

Just look at the garbage MB made and eventually replaced to be the now so called leader in luxury auto's by selling millions of E-class taxis.