There’s a hot electric hatch-slash-crossover undergoing testing at the Nurburgring, and it seems to be the much anticipated Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.
If it is, this car is likely to be an early-stage test mule for the drivetrain and chassis.
Visual differences are currently limited to the lower ride height, unique alloy wheels, and wider and stickier tyres.
The engineers have added very subtle extensions to the rear wheel arch protectors, indicating the Ioniq 5 N will have a slightly wider track.
It will be interesting to see how Hyundai amps up the Ioniq 5’s styling given the cooling needs for hot EVs aren’t too different from that of their more pedestrian siblings.
Details about the Ioniq 5 N’s drivetrain have yet to be confirmed at this stage.
When the Ioniq 5 arrives Down Under at the end of 2021, the range will top out with a dual-motor all-wheel drive model boasting 225kW and 605Nm.
We know the E-GMP chassis that the Ioniq 5 rides on is capable of handling more power and torque, as the Kia EV6, its twin-under-the-skin, has a range-topping dual-motor drivetrain with an eye-popping 430kW and 740Nm.
The EV6 GT has a 0-100km/h time of just 3.5 seconds, making it significantly brisker than the most powerful Ioniq 5, which needs 5.1 seconds to hit the tonne.
It’s possible the Ioniq 5 N could employ this drivetrain.
Documents CarExpert viewed last month indicate the first electric N model will go into production from March 2024.
Hyundai has already confirmed it’s working on its first all-electric N model on the E-GMP platform.
It has said the N treatment will still work for an electric vehicle, so long as it’s a “corner rascal”, an “everyday sports car”, and boasts track capability.
