Photo: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
While certain reports claim that the Veloster N is about to bite the dust, perhaps as early as this month, Hyundai’s N Division has been spied testing a prototype of the hot hatch with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Equipped with the mandatory ‘high-voltage’ stickers that tell firefighters that this is an electrified model in case things go south, it also features a second square filler cap, presumably to plug it in. It is mounted on the left rear quarter panel, next to the round one, whose role is to fill up the tank with gasoline.
Since it has been carefully integrated into the body by the Korean company’s engineers, who also gave it new wheels that appear to improve the aerodynamics, as well as a redesigned air intake on the lower left side of the front bumper, we cannot help but wonder whether the Veloster N PHEV (name obviously unconfirmed) will actually hit the assembly line.
Truth be told, no one outside Hyundai knows what they are planning with this tester that was spotted not far from the Nurburgring. Could they indeed be prepping an electrified variant, perhaps with all-wheel drive, to take on the likes of the Volkswagen Golf R? Was this simply an idea that has been shelved in the meantime? Or are they testing something else entirely, and we are looking at a mule of some sort?
Only time will answer these questions, though from a financial standpoint, it does make sense for the N Division to be testing the waters with a greener sporty model. Speaking of which, they have confirmed the unveiling of a new N car on July 15, and by the looks of it, it will be the Ioniq 5 N. Unless they surprise the heck out of everyone and introduce the Ioniq 6 N instead.
Since it has been carefully integrated into the body by the Korean company’s engineers, who also gave it new wheels that appear to improve the aerodynamics, as well as a redesigned air intake on the lower left side of the front bumper, we cannot help but wonder whether the Veloster N PHEV (name obviously unconfirmed) will actually hit the assembly line.
Truth be told, no one outside Hyundai knows what they are planning with this tester that was spotted not far from the Nurburgring. Could they indeed be prepping an electrified variant, perhaps with all-wheel drive, to take on the likes of the Volkswagen Golf R? Was this simply an idea that has been shelved in the meantime? Or are they testing something else entirely, and we are looking at a mule of some sort?
Only time will answer these questions, though from a financial standpoint, it does make sense for the N Division to be testing the waters with a greener sporty model. Speaking of which, they have confirmed the unveiling of a new N car on July 15, and by the looks of it, it will be the Ioniq 5 N. Unless they surprise the heck out of everyone and introduce the Ioniq 6 N instead.
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