The Hyundai Elantra has just received a facelift, but the Korean brand is already working on the next generation. The fate of the N-branded performance flagship of the sedan is still undecided, but the new model will be compatible with a larger displacement petrol engine.
Albert Biermann, former Hyundai N boss and current Senior Technical Advisor, spoke to Australian media revealing a few things about the future of the Elantra which is sold as the i30 Sedan Down Under. Biermann said that before he left South Korea he “made sure” that the next-gen model “can go with the 2.5-liter turbo”.
According to the engineering boss veteran, a new Elantra N is technically possible, as the larger engine could be tuned to comply with stricter emission regulations and still offer great performance: “I think we can still have some good level of power, maybe the same level like today. That engine first needs the N treatment, but that’s no problem”.
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The turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine in question is fitted in the Hyundai Sonata N Line where it produces 286 hp (213 kW / 289 PS) and 422 Nm (311 lb-ft) of torque. The smaller turbocharged 2.0-liter engine in the current Hyundai Elantra N matches the power output number with the help of a 20-second overboost function, but its torque figure is 30 Nm (22 lb-ft) lower. Still, the larger displacement engine has greater potential for tuning and could possibly surpass those numbers.
Hyundai has not given us a date for the next-gen Elantra but is known for following 3-year cycles between facelifts and 6-year cycles for new generations. The current seventh-gen Elantra debuted in 2020 and got facelifted in 2023, meaning that the eighth-gen model could arrive in 2026.
As reported by Drive.com.au, Biermann revealed that the final decision about the next generation of the Hyundai Elantra N will be taken by the end of 2023. If it gets approved, the performance sedan could be one of the last ICE-powered models from the Hyundai N division before the inevitable EV future.
What About The i30 N?
The Hyundai Elantra / i30 Sedan shares its underpinnings with the i30 Hatchback and Fastback models, raising questions about their future as well. Spy shots from Europe have proven that both the i30 N and i30 Fastback N will survive the upcoming facelift in 2024, but it is not clear if the hot versions will be offered past the current generation due to Europe’s stricter emission regulations. However, the Elantra / i30 Sedan is not available in Europe, meaning that an N can easily survive with a cleaner larger-displacement engine in less emission-restrictive markets like the US, South Korea, and Australia.
Speaking about the future of ICE-powered vehicles in general, Bierman said: “Australia is safe, the US would be safe, but somebody needs to make a decision. Markets other than that, forget it”. The Senior Technical Advisor said that their European division is “dreaming” in the EV clouds and “doesn’t care” for petrol-powered cars anymore. This makes us believe that Hyundai could take a different road when it comes to the EU-spec version of the i30 N hot hatch.
