Hyundai Shows Off Modified Veloster N And Ioniq Electric With Performance Upgrades

SEMA is still over a month away, but that hasn’t stopped Hyundai from unveiling modified versions of the Veloster N and Ioniq Electric.

Created to compete in Optima Batteries’ 2018 Search for the Ultimate Street Car, the one-off models have been created in a way that mirrors what a “typical enthusiast” would do to the cars.

In the case of the Veloster N, the model has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that has been equipped with a cat-back exhaust system, a cold-air intake and a high capacity charge-air cooler. Other upgrades include a Remus Powerizer (which modifies the engine mapping) and a Remus Responder which improves throttle response.

The car has also been equipped with a roll cage, adjustable sway bars and a Wilwood Endurance race-spec braking system. Elsewhere, Hyundai installed a strut tower brace and subframe supports from Pierce Motorsports.

On the styling front, the car has a new front splitter and side skirts as well as H&R lowering spring which reduce the ride height by 1.1 inches (30 mm). The model has also been outfitted with 19-inch BBS LM-R wheels which are wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R tires.

Moving into the cabin, there’s an upgraded audio system and Recaro seats featuring six-point harnesses. The car also has “performance blue trim.”

The Ioniq Electric is the more interesting of the two as it features an upgraded powertrain with a more powerful motor sourced from the Kona Electric. As a result, the car now has 201 hp (150 kW / 204 PS) and 291 lb-ft (394 Nm) of torque – an increase of 83 hp (62 kW / 84 PS) and 73 lb-ft (99 Nm). Thanks to the extra power, the model accelerates from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 8.0 seconds and has a top speed of 115 mph (185 km/h).

Besides the new electric motor, the Ioniq has been equipped with a limited slip differential and a Wilwood braking system. Other upgrades include lowering springs, cooling upgrades and 18-inch Volk Racing Wheels with Bridgestone tires.

The cars will compete in the last two Ultimate Street Car events and Hyundai says the vehicles will be used to “collect data on multiple tracks across the country to aid in development and validation.” The automaker is also studying the models to see how they react to the performance upgrades.