Hyundai Teases RM16 Concept, Reminds People It's Still Planning a Performance Division

Remember the ‘N’ Division, Hyundai’s effort to bring attainable performance to its buyers? No?

Hyundai launched the division last September, three years after it created Project RM (Racing Midship) to test high-performance technology for use in future vehicles. So far, the division hasn’t yielded a production vehicle, but the automaker appears to be getting closer.

A new concept, the Veloster-based RM16, dropped at the Busan Motor Show in South Korea today, designed to hint at the characteristics of N models to come. There’s also news of a successful engine acid test at last weekend’s Nurburgring 24h Race.

Three concept cars led to the RM16, with each serving as a “rolling lab” for engineers.

“Our RM16 and Hyundai N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo concepts are inspired by the passion for performance, that you will soon see evolve into our first N model,” said Woong-chul Yang, head of Hyundai’s research and design center, in a statement.

Powering the two-seat RM16 is a mid-mounted 2.0-liter four-cylinder featuring turbocharging and direct injection, mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The body’s aluminum space frame is clad with carbon fiber-reinforced plastic body panels, and special attention was given to weight distribution.

The concept’s tuned Theta engine, which makes 295 horsepower, was given an acid test at the Nurburgring 24h Race last weekend. During its first appearance on any racetrack, the automaker said the mill “met all expectations.”

Though the test vehicle only placed 90th out of 159 cars, it recorded the fastest lap time, breaking the 10-minute barrier.

When will an N models start to appear in Hyundai showrooms? The automaker’s not saying just yet.

[Image: Hyundai Motor Company]