Hyundai finally took off the covers of its enticing Elantra N, a sports sedan offering a lot of bang for your bucks!
The Elantra N will be hauled by a 2.0 turbocharged ‘flat power’ i4 engine producing an impressive 276 hp and 289 lb-ft of torque. Much to the delight of ‘Nthusiasts,’ buyers can choose between a 6-speed stick shift with rev-matching or an 8-speed DCT with exclusive N-specific features, including N-Grin Shift raising the boost for a few seconds, dialing up the power to 286 hp for easier takeovers.
An electronic front limited-slip differential is also thrown into the mix to optimize grip depending on road conditions. And if that wasn’t enough, Hyundai also included a Linear Variable Exhaust System with controllable valves for those crackles and pop sessions all day long.
But the Elantra N’s main point of interest lies in the underpinnings of the car. Indeed, Hyundai has bestowed the car with technology trickled down from its rally machinery, including a four-point strut bar and an integrated drive axle shaving off 3.7 lb. Along with weight savings, this brings about the union of the electronic suspension and bodywork to increase stiffness, which significantly improves cornering abilities. Furthermore, an H-shaped multijointed rear stiff bar increases the Elantra N’s rigidity by 29 percent. Keeping the car in contact with the road is a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber while stopping duties are taken care of by 360 mm ventilated brake discs with high friction pads.
Moving on to the design itself, the Elantra N boasts aggressive lines and a racy character. The front fascia gets a blacked-out grille with an aggressive front splitter highlighted by a red stripe extending throughout the car’s body. The edgy theme continues on the sides as well, with pointy side skirts and razor-sharp lines that go all the way to the back-end. Completing the picture, a three-bridged spoiler and a taillight strip dominate the trunk, finished off with a rear diffuser.
The racing pedigree is carried forward in the cabin as well. Optional racing N-bucket seats lower the seating height by 10mm, allowing the driver to get a better feel of the sedan. All the creature comfort features are also present, including an infotainment touchscreen that connects to the Hyundai N app, providing telemetry on lap timing, brake pressure, throttle response, and a comparison chart with other drivers (unfortunately, only available in South Korea at the moment).
Unfortunately, Hyundai hasn’t provided an official launch date yet, but sources say it could make its way here by the end of the year.
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