Hyundai heats up: the Korean brand will bet on an Elantra N

Happy days for sports saloons, a segment that, against all odds, is blossoming more strongly than ever. And it is that several brands have already joined the frenetic revival of a class of vehicles that, unfortunately, many believed was dead. After the strong rise of SUVs, brands like Hyundai are able to understand that peaceful and logical coexistence with saloons is possible, which is why we will very soon witness something as sensational as the Elantra N.

The Korean brand has been gaining a lot of momentum over the last few years, momentum that has allowed it to create a performance vehicle division under the N name. To date, that badge had only made sense on the i30, a model that took it upon itself to subdue those European sporty compacts that dared to underestimate it.

However, Hyundai is thirsty for revenge, which is why the N designation will embrace more vehicles under its wing. Everything pointed to the i20 and the Kona being the only ones to succumb to the charms of this division, but the Elantra has also wanted to join the adventure to try to tame some of its most direct rivals, such as the recently presented Volkswagen Arteon R.

For now, the South Korean house has made no statement regarding this variant, but various test mules confirm that it will become a tangible reality very soon. In addition to a spicier and more suggestive styling, the engineers at Hyundai will squeeze every last drop of sportiness from the Elantra with a powertrain worthy of the name it will now carry at its rear.

Although large-displacement engines were once used to power sports saloons, today turbocharged four-cylinders are the ones bringing them to life. With this premise, it is easy to assume that the same four-cylinder engine that powers the i30 N will sit under the hood of the Elantra, only this time developing an output that could exceed the 300 CV barrier.

Be that as it may, Hyundai continues to put pressure on its titanic rivals, who have been ruling unchallenged from the old continent. But Korean hegemony is starting to show its teeth with vehemence, and the N division of Hyundai will personally ensure that its launch is more effective than one might imagine.