Photo: Hyundai
In addition to the 2020 Ioniq and a futuristic concept previewing the 2021 Tucson, the Hyundai stand at the L.A. Auto Show comes full circle with the RM19 mid-engined prototype. As the headline implies, the N performance brand looks forward to turning the one-off into a production car for the road as well as the track.
First things first, “the RM platform is a versatile engineering testbed.” Those are the words of Albert Biermann, head of research and development and previous big shot at BMW M. Bang in the middle, you’ll find a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with “approximately 390 horsepower.” Because the weight distribution favors the rear end of the car, the RM19 is able to hit 60 miles per hour in “under 4.0 seconds.”
N doesn’t plan to stop there, though. Biermann and his team are aware that Hyundai is at the forefront of electrification, and thanks to a strategic partnership with Rimac Automobili, the South Koreans are much obliged to roll out a high-performance EV and FCEV in the coming years. The potential for the electrified future of the RM19, however, remains a bit of a mystery for the time being. Oh, and by the way, the six-speed sequential transmission from the Veloster N TCR isn’t intended for road-going applications.
“Throughout the evolution of the RM series, our engineers have gained tremendous hands-on knowledge of high-performance vehicle dynamics with various front-to-rear weight distributions coupled with the effects of a fully-weighted, high-strength body structure on vehicle performance,” added Biermann. All told, Hyundai N has a future classic on its hands.
Mid-engined hatchbacks became a thing in 1980 with the Renault 5 Turbo, stylized by Marcello Gandini at Bertone and manufactured at the Alpine plant in Dieppe, France. Two decades later, the Clio V6 entered the scene with 252 horsepower (255 PS) from 2.9 liters of displacement. Except for Hyundai N, nobody else is developing a spiritual successor for these two models for the time being, not even the mad peeps at Renault Sport.
N doesn’t plan to stop there, though. Biermann and his team are aware that Hyundai is at the forefront of electrification, and thanks to a strategic partnership with Rimac Automobili, the South Koreans are much obliged to roll out a high-performance EV and FCEV in the coming years. The potential for the electrified future of the RM19, however, remains a bit of a mystery for the time being. Oh, and by the way, the six-speed sequential transmission from the Veloster N TCR isn’t intended for road-going applications.
“Throughout the evolution of the RM series, our engineers have gained tremendous hands-on knowledge of high-performance vehicle dynamics with various front-to-rear weight distributions coupled with the effects of a fully-weighted, high-strength body structure on vehicle performance,” added Biermann. All told, Hyundai N has a future classic on its hands.
Mid-engined hatchbacks became a thing in 1980 with the Renault 5 Turbo, stylized by Marcello Gandini at Bertone and manufactured at the Alpine plant in Dieppe, France. Two decades later, the Clio V6 entered the scene with 252 horsepower (255 PS) from 2.9 liters of displacement. Except for Hyundai N, nobody else is developing a spiritual successor for these two models for the time being, not even the mad peeps at Renault Sport.
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