Hyundai has yet to give the green light to a second-generation i20 N but the man behind the original says he is pushing hard for it to live on.
Former boss of the N division and Hyundai’s current executive technical advisor Albert Biermann states that the car’s future remains uncertain given the shrinking hot hatch market and the continued shift towards SUVs and crossovers. Furthermore, electrification remains a key area of discussion about the future of the i20 N.
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“A successor has not been decided yet, it’s a tough one,” Biermann acknowledged during an interview with Drive in Australia. “The (hot hatch) market is shrinking globally, but the i20 N market is very important in Europe. The challenge in Europe, many people are dreaming about EVs (electric vehicles). Already I’m fighting for a (next-generation petrol-powered i20 N) for quite some time. I have not been successful yet.”
Biermann noted that the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder of the current i20 N will comply with Euro 7 emissions regulations but said he is open to the idea of an all-electric version of the pint-sized hot hatch also being offered to customers, potentially alongside a second-gen combustion-powered model.
“Why not? At this point I cannot imagine we can bring the smaller (electric) N car to a price point where an i20 N can be. I still see some (price) gap,” he said. “But (an electric Hyundai i20 N) could still be a charming vehicle (with) significantly lower cost than an Ioniq 5 N (Hyundai N’s first electric vehicle). We have to bring electrification also in the price range where (Hyundai i20 N) is today.”
The i20 N has proven to be a hit among buyers, particularly in Australia and Europe where waiting times for it have stretched out to two years. While no decision has been made on a second-generation model, a mid-life facelift is in the works.
