What In the World Is Hyundai Teasing For 'N Day?'
Image: Hyundai
You have to give it to Hyundai: the brand sure knows how to commit to a bit. It made the Veloster N, a car everyone seemed to really like, though regrettably not enough to keep around. It then decided to put that engine in the Elantra and Kona — objectively not as cool as the Veloster but then, it’s neat that the company at least gives you a choice of how you want your turbocharged two-liter four-cylinder, like a breakfast menu at a diner.
What’s coming next for the N series, though, is a bit of a mystery. Thankfully we should know more in about 10 days, when Hyundai hosts its “N Day” — a salute to speed, not the thing I could never find in high school calculus. That’s why I’m a writer, you see. In anticipation, the company has teased a curious silhouette — a winged vehicle with a cover draped over top, in a dimly-lit garage.
Let’s take a closer look with the lights turned on, shall we?
Image: Hyundai
So right away, I’m wondering if Hyundai’s grand gesture for N Day is to reveal the C4 Corvette that campaigned the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995, a Group 5 Ford Capri Turbo or maybe an old Fox-body Mustang from the IMSA GTO days. I suppose the R30 Nissan Skyline Silhouette could also be under that sheet, or maybe a Ferrari F40. The hood looks too long for those, though.
It is unmistakably an old profile though, which may explain the caption: “Envisioning the future of N with legacy.” My colleague Steve, our earthly vessel whom Photoshop speaks through, thinks it could be this plus a snow plow for a front bumper:
Illustration: Steve DaSilva, Subaru
I’m here for it. But what’s especially strange about this mysterious winged monster is the wing itself. Enhancing the picture with our state-of-the-art Jaloptron© imaging equipment, it becomes a little more obvious that there’s a pretty dramatic shape to this spoiler, such that it either bows inward at the bridge or perhaps doesn’t have a bridge at all. Maybe those are two fins with nothing between them. (Good work Jaloptron — that’s $200 million well spent there, I’d say.)
Image: Hyundai
Whatever this is going to be, it’s hard to predict. Is Hyundai planning a throwback, fantasy GT version of its Grandeur restomod from last year? I like the sound of that, and there’s no precedent here, so I’m just going to bet on it. The brand clearly isn’t afraid of throwing everything at the wall, which is why it offers everything from the aforementioned hot compacts to the Lancia Delta-aping Ioniq 5 and whatever the Ioniq 6 is supposed to be. I don’t like the Ioniq 6, I think the Prophecy design study it was based on looked much better, but again — can’t fault Hyundai for not giving every weird idea its all.
