Ollie Kew of Top Gear Magazine says that in the big book of automotive history that the Koreans have been writing the latest chapter. Hyundai, for its part, has been pushing the envelope in some of the most unexpected ways in the process. The N Vision 74 and RN22e concept cars are a part of that unconventional thinking and Kew says that they’re even more impressive on track than he expected.
These two cars came out back to back during Hyundai’s recent N day. The N Vision 74 is an engineering test bed of massive proportions. Not only does it feature a super-retro silhouette but that shape is juxtaposed by a very unique hydrogen-electric powertrain that pumps out 670 horsepower (499 kW). The details are somewhat mind-boggling and you can read a deep dive into them here.
Around the track, Kew says that not only is it very tail happy but that it’s also very confidence inspiring too. In fact, it’s so engaging and fast that he specifically says that the folks at AMG and BMW M better watch out. The only problem is that because it’s all-electric, it’s hard to hear exactly when you’re on the edge until you actually get to it. Thankfully, the RN22e actually addresses that concern.
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Unlike the N Vision 74, the RN22e is a conventional battery-electric vehicle and the likelihood of it making it to production is considerably higher. Additionally, it makes a lot more noise. Not only is the electric motor louder but the RN22e also pipes in fake noise. It also provides paddle shifters that change through fake gears to provide a more visceral and traditional driving experience.
Kew says that it’s actually helpful in terms of understanding what’s going on at the road surface and that “downshifting” with the intent of engine braking into a corner feels intuitive and easy to use. It even allows him to make mistakes and he loves that. It engages on a different level than most EVs.
It seems quite clear that Hyundai is, itself, on a different level than other EV manufacturers with regard to these concepts. They’re not just daring, but they seem to be more driver-focused. We’ll toast to that any day.