BY PETER BARNWELL AND MATT BROGAN

IT USED to be that 500 horsepower (375 kilowatts) was considered a baseline for muscle cars and supercars.

And once you have felt what the big 500 feels like, you get a keen appreciation of real power and performance.

But all that has gone out the window with the advent of multiple engine EVs some of which boast up to 1000kW (1340hp) and beyond.

We can only imagine what that must feel like, but excessive weight would no doubt affect the power to weight ratio, potentially slowing the beast…. Even if just a tad.

Even the “lesser” performance EVs are nipping at the heels of 500kW which means power car punters don’t need a supercar budget to access this extreme power (and torque).

Hyundai’s forthcoming Ioniq 5 N model is a good example as it gets you 448 all wheel kilowatts which is an amount of power that would seriously pin back your ears at full throttle.

The all-electric sports car was on hand at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed tantalising patrons with joy rides and representing what Hyundai says is the N brand’s electrification future and “a new way for high-performance enthusiasts to electrify their passion for driving on road and track”.

Built on the brands new E-GMP dedicated electric vehicle platform, the Ioniq 5 N boasts a high level of technology that is utilised to create a vehicle capable of delivering the same performance and handling attributes recognised across its ICE-powered N range, and then some.

Hyundai boss, Jaehoon Change, said the Ioniq 5 N is the first of many to come, and one that spearheads the brand’s goal of increasing its overall competitiveness in the electrified age.

“Hyundai N spearheads the technological leadership of Hyundai Motor Company,” he said.

“The N brand’s winning combination of technological know-how and motorsport experience is pushing the limits of vehicle performance, which has most recently resulted in Ioniq 5 N, a game changer for electric high performance.

“Key developments around this vehicle will further strengthen the competitiveness of all Hyundai models going forward. This is why N brand exists.”

Leveraging lessons from “rolling labs” including the RM20e, RN22e and N Vision 74, the Ioniq 5 N uses motorsport-bred technologies to ensure it meets the N brand’s three performance pillars: ‘Corner Rascal,’ ‘Racetrack Capability’ and ‘Everyday Sportscar’.

“The Ioniq 5 N was developed to take driving fun to a new level by utilising the latest technologies available,” explained Hyundai Motor Company vice president and head of N brand and motorsport, Till Wartenberg.

“To accomplish this, we’ve closely monitored the voices of our N fans in order to fine-tune our first all-electric N with the goal of electrifying the driving passion of our most demanding N-thusiasts.”

If you take a closer look at the new N model specifics and compare it with the garden variety Ioniq 5 on which it’s based you’ll find the body-in-white of the N model features 42 additional welding points and some 2100mm of additional adhesives.

The motor and battery mounting are reinforced while front and rear sub-frames are enhanced for lateral rigidity.

Integrated drive axles inspired by Hyundai’s participation in the World Rally Championship are applied both front and rear to endure stronger electric motor torque while reducing unsprung mass.

Enhanced steering response and feedback is down to the N’s steering column that has been strengthened for improved rigidity and the vehicle features a specially tuned N R-MDPS (Rack-Mounted Motor-Driven Power Steering) system with a quicker steering ratio and enhanced torque feedback.

Hyundai says these enhancements “result in a more direct and communicative steering experience that will instil greater confidence in drivers”.

An intelligent software function dubbed N Pedal is said to help “provide instant turn-in behaviour and enhanced throttle sensitivity” by utilising the transfer of weight to improve corner entry characteristics.

Hyundai says the system may be used in tandem with the N Drift Optimiser function to help maintain the vehicle’s drift angle – an integrated Torque Kick Drift function allowing the driver to simulate the clutch kick action of rear-wheel-driven ICE vehicles for driving scenarios that “require more immediate drift initiation”.

Ha, we like that one…

On top of that the N Torque Distribution provides “fully variable front and rear torque distribution that can be adjusted to 11 levels”.

An e-LSD (electronic limited slip differential) at the rear axle optimises cornering performance and control, while additional wheel sensors and “broader damping capacity” widens the performance range of the electronically controlled suspension.

The Ioniq 5 N’s powertrain features a 21,000rpm redline providing 478kW/770Nm with N Grin Boost mode engaged.

Hyundai says the added oomph comes from the use of a more efficient two-stage inverter that can better utilise power from the Ioniq 5 N’s new 84kWh battery.

N Grin Boost mode and N Launch Control are used elsewhere in Hyundai’s N lineup include ICE models but the Ioniq 5 N has an EV-specific Track SOC (state-of-charge) mode that automatically calculates battery consumption per lap.

Improving track performance further, more specifically, battery performance, the Ioniq 5 N offers a thermal management system with an increased cooling area, better motor oil cooler and battery chiller.

The independent radiators for the battery and motor are said to maximise the Ioniq 5 N’s resistance to performance degradation before and during intense track driving.

Before driving, the driver can utilise N battery pre-conditioning to optimise the battery cells to the most power-efficient temperature by choosing between ‘Drag’ mode for a short burst of full power or ‘Track’ mode that optimises the lowest possible battery temperature for more laps.

An N Race feature further optimises the EV’s endurance on the circuit, giving drivers more direct control over the car’s energy usage. It offers two “strategic” choices, Endurance or Sprint, said to “help drivers accurately manage their energy strategy and create an ideal performance window to achieve their driving performance targets”.

The model rolls on forged 21-inch aluminium wheels wearing high-grip 275/35 Pirelli P-Zero tyres while stopping duties are carried out by the most powerful braking system Hyundai has yet offered in a production car.

That means 400mm front rotors with four-piston monobloc callipers and 360mm rear discs. The brakes are constructed from “new, lightweight materials and include a regenerative system to act not only as a primary braking force, but to also return charge to the battery.

The system can deliver up to 0.6G of decelerative force and remains engaged when the anti-lock braking system is in use. It also allows left-foot braking, making it ideal for track use.

On top of these functional systems, the Ioniq 5 N also includes “feeling and emotional” technologies aimed at improving driver engagement. These include N e-shift, which simulates the gear shift action of an ICE-powered car, and N Active Sound +, which delivers ICE-like exhaust sounds, replete with pops and crackles.

Visually, the Ioniq 5 N is differentiated by “performance-enhancing design elements, such as contrasting black trim parts and a wing-type rear spoiler, which emphasise the sporty aspects of the standard model and maximize its circuit driving potential”.

It is lower (-20mm), wider (+50mm) and longer (+80mm) than the derivative model, and sports an N Mask graphic fascia with functional mesh and air curtains to meet the model’s additional cooling demands.

A lip spoiler runs across the lower part of the bumper to “emphasise the model’s slow-slung stance and convey its performance intent”. At the rear, “the prominent, N-only wing-type spoiler helps control airflow to support optimal aerodynamic performance”.

Inside are a number of N-specific elements including the steering wheel, seats, door scuff panels and metal pedals.

The newly designed steering wheel prominently features the N logo for the first time, flanked by N buttons that set the desired drive mode, arranged to suit the driver’s preference. Driving modes can be customised and matched to each button in various combinations to maximise the vehicle’s performance.

The centre console is likewise optimised for track driving with knee pads and shin support, while the N seats have reinforced bolsters, and sit 20mm lower than those of the standard model.

Hyundai is set to offer more details of the Ioniq 5 N, including local specifications and pricing, closer to the model’s launch later this year.

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