The teaser campaign for the Ioniq 5 N is in full swing, which means the official premiere is inching closer. Hyundai has now confirmed the high-performance electric crossover will celebrate its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed scheduled to take place between July 13 and 16. It’s unclear whether the appearance in the UK will be preceded by an online debut, but the wait is nearly over after more than a few previews of the silent N.
Speaking with Autocar, Hyundai UK managing director Ashley Andrew described the Ioniq 5 N as being one of the “vehicles that differentiate car companies – and being able to show it off for the first time at Goodwood will be incredibly special.” He went on to mention it’ll boast that “sort of character that we will all recognize from great performance cars of the past.”
The first electric N-badged model from Hyundai has already been confirmed to feature all-wheel drive from two motors making somewhere in the region of 600 horsepower. Logic tells us it’ll outpunch the EV6 GT, which has 576 hp and 564 lb-ft (740 Nm). Kia’s hot crossover is already properly quick as real tests have shown a 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) sprint in a little over three seconds. It won’t be all about bonkers power and acceleration as Hyundai has promised the Ioniq 5 N will be fun to drive.
One of the gizmos will be the ability to artificially change gears through a so-called Virtual Grin Shift (VGN) mode that will mimic the experience you get in an i30 N equipped with the dual-clutch transmission. Hyundai will also fit the Ioniq 5 N with something called N Sound Plus to pump fake engine sound in the cabin. It’ll also feature a drift mode for tail-happy adventures.
Additional N-specific upgrades will include a stiffer suspension setup, new 21-inch wheels with Pirelli tires, an e-LSD, and extra body welds to toughen up the body. Another novelty but unrelated to the car’s performance will be a rear wiper (finally!) that Hyundai says will be offered on the lesser Ioniq 5 versions as well.
No word about the price just yet, but you’ll likely have to pay more than the $61,600 Kia is charging for the 2023 EV6 GT.
