Think 'N Light': Hyundai's Veloster Won't Be the Lineup's Only Mean Model

BMW has M, Mercedes-Benz has AMG, Cadillac has V, Lexus has F, Volkswagen and Honda share R, and Hyundai now has ownership of the letter N for its performance sub-brand.

The second-generation Hyundai Veloster, bowing for the 2019 model year, gains a hot, 275-horsepower N variant later this year, but it won’t be the only Hyundai model with that letter affixed to its sheetmetal. While the automaker hopes to use the Veloster N’s athleticism to brawn up the lineup’s image, don’t expect any additional N models just yet.

Expect N Sport.

Speaking to Car and Driver, company performance boss Albert Biermann said the N Sport badge is something that could be applied to any model in Hyundai’s lineup.

It’s certainly a lineup that, historically speaking, hasn’t exactly stirred the soul of spirited drivers. However, with maturity comes respect. The automaker is busy adding a new corporate face to its vehicles, revamping its crossover lineup, and generally trying to keep things as fresh as possible. Even its car lineup, which boasts a new Accent, Elantra GT, and refreshed Sonata, appears remarkably youthful.

It’s clearly time to appeal to a new crop of buyers, hence the Veloster N.

As for lesser N Sports, such models won’t gain a “different engine, bigger brakes, or a whole new suspension or axles,” Biermann said, but buyers can expect “a more sporty driving experience.” Outsized rubber might make up part of the package, he added. What the N Sport badge amounts to is a modest improvement in the model’s handling dynamics, paired with a shot of visual athleticism.

Offered alongside the company’s lineup will be a line of N-branded performance accessories, though exactly what add-ons Hyundai plans to offer remains to be seen.

Asked about the possibility of additional full-on N models, Biermann wouldn’t budge on the subject. Public demand for the Veloster N will surely guide the company’s decision-making.

[Image: Hyundai]