Hyundai iMax N Drift Bus: this is the 408 hp van capable of drifting

Tired of an increasingly monotonous car industry, Hyundai arrives to inject a high dose of personality and diversity with the iMax N Drift Bus. This name is undoubtedly already very suggestive in itself, but you are surely wondering what on earth the Korean brand is up to. The truth is that this name conceals a most unusual van, a label it earns thanks to its status as a prototype and the engine hidden in its depths. Because Hyundai has managed to create a genuine drifting machine from its N division.

The Korean brand sells a model in Australia known as the iMax, an eight-seat van designed to travel with an unprecedented level of comfort. However, the engineers at Hyundai wanted to apply the formula used to develop the i30 and Veloster N to the iMax N, a vehicle that takes the concept much further.

Aesthetically, we are looking at a van that sets aside its original philosophy to embrace a radical, sporty doctrine. The first thing that catches our eye is an aggressive splitter dominating the front, various red details, the same wheels as those on the i30 N, an imposing spoiler over the boot and a specific diffuser alongside a twin exhaust outlet that already hints this is no ordinary vehicle.

As standard, the iMax hides under its skin a much more sensible and suitable 2.5-litre diesel engine producing 170 hp. But given this telling styling, you would assume the powerplant fitted to this variant is not that more modest diesel. To be more specific, Hyundai has opted for a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 that is much more in keeping with the N badge.

That heart is set to deliver 408 hp and 555 Nm of torque , figures that go straight to the rear axle and are capable of taking the 0-100 km/h sprint in under five seconds. Not surprisingly, and despite these eye-catching figures, the most impressive thing is the iMax N’s ability to slide from side to side with an ease one would never expect from a van.

Unfortunately, Hyundai has no plans to produce this variant of its van, but it is undoubtedly a clear example of the brand’s ability to build radical and unusual vehicles. However, the use of this V6 engine may serve as an incentive to consider that it could be applied to production vehicles in the not-too-distant future.