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Recently, "Automotive Industry concern" obtained relevant information about Hyundai's high-performance N brand plans to enter China from relevant channels. It is understood that the Hyundai N brand will hold a "China N Day" at the 2023 Shanghai International Auto Show at the earliest, followed by a series of test driving and offline activities, while the first model of the brand is expected to be launched in the fourth quarter, and the first model to be introduced is expected to be Elantra N, but the exact time has not been announced.

Data show that Hyundai N brand is a high-performance automobile brand of Hyundai Automobile, which is equivalent to AMG of Mercedes-Benz, M of BMW and RS of Audi, all of which belong to high-performance division. The brand was born in Nanyang, South Korea in 2015. The brand name "N" comes from the initials of Namyang, Hyundai's global research and development center, and Nurburgring, where Hyundai's driving performance testing center is located. It is understood that at present, there are i30 N, i30 Fastback N, Veloster NJournal i20 N, KONA N, Elantra N and other models on sale.

Earlier, the market has heard that Elantra N will be domestic, but from the existing information, the possibility of domestic production is not great. It is understood that the new generation of Elantra N was officially released on July 14, 2021. The new car carries out a series of sports enhancements on the basis of Elantra models, with a more sporty appearance and interior. In terms of power, the Elantra N will be equipped with a 2.0T turbocharged engine with a maximum power of 280hp and a peak torque of 392N ·m. The transmission system will match an 8-speed wet double clutch gearbox with a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 5.3s.

As a performance car, the black decoration of the front face of the Elantra N presents an X-like shape, with a modern "N" series logo in the larger and more ferocious intake grille, and a large number of air kinematics kits on both sides of the bumper. Embellished with red front lips at the same time. From the side, the new car has a stronger waistline design and a redesigned side skirt, with 19-inch spoke rims and N-series exclusive red calipers, the overall recognition is not low. In the rear part of the car, the new car uses a fixed rear spoiler and exaggerated bilateral double exhaust, black fixed tail wing, bottom diffuser and N-series exclusive inverted triangle reflector, all bring a good sense of freshness to this car.

In terms of interior decoration, Elantra N uses a black layout, and the curved duplex screen with integrated LCD dashboard and central control screen emphasizes the sense of science and technology. At the same time, the red exclusive buttons on the steering wheel and the flipped fur material of the seats and door panels also highlight the sense of movement. In addition, there is also an "N" series exclusive logo under the seat headrest, which is also the positioning of the performance car.

Another model that could be introduced is the KONA N, the first high-performance SUV under the Hyundai N brand. It is understood that KONA N is based on KONA (domestic Onchino), and also carries out a series of sports enhancements on the basis of native models, with a 2.0T turbocharged engine with a maximum power of 276hp and a peak torque of 392Nm, matched with an 8-speed wet double-clutch gearbox.

In terms of appearance, the addition of various sports suites makes the KON N look more sporty than the KONA, but much more low-key than the Elantra N. Specifically, the highly recognizable split headlamps are retained, the black honeycomb mouth formed by several trigeminal stars is matched with a grille with a larger opening below, and the interior of the grille also retains the modern "N" brand logo. greatly enhance the sports atmosphere of the car. In addition, LED daytime traffic lights between the three diversion grooves, red line decoration of the front shovel and wind knife and other blackened decoration to create a strong sense of aggression of the front face shape.

The side of the car body, the overall shape is more like a "big steel gun", 19-inch black double five-spoke sports rims with large-size brake discs and red sports calipers, the overall sense of movement. The rear part, the overall style and taillight style are similar to the ordinary version, but are upgraded in details, such as the replacement of two-stage top tail wings and triangular high brake lights. In addition, the bilateral exhaust layout of the tail and the rebuilt diffuser are also effectively distinguished from ordinary models.

In terms of interior decoration, KONA N adopts the unique design style of the N brand, and the physical buttons are flexibly used as atmosphere lights, creating a delicate atmosphere with blue seat stitches. The dual 10-inch screen supports high customization, and drivers can display data such as tire pressure and steering G value through multi-function steering wheel settings and adjust Eco, Normal, Sport, N and customer driving modes according to their preferences. In addition, the new car also has a variety of intelligent configurations such as head-up display.

At present, Hyundai does not have a strong sense of existence in the domestic market. According to the insurance figures, the cumulative sales of Hyundai in Beijing in 2022 was 260390, down 31.96% from the same period last year. According to sales figures released by Beijing Hyundai, the Elantra is Beijing Hyundai's best-selling model, with retail sales of 100718 vehicles in 2022, accounting for 38 per cent of Beijing Hyundai's total sales. According to the data, the seventh generation Elantra went on the market on October 25th, 2020, with an official guidance price of 9.98-141800 yuan, providing 1.5L+CVT and 1.4T+7 speed dual clutch gearbox powertrain.

At present, if Elantra N is to be introduced into China, its pricing is particularly important, with reference to Volkswagen Golf GTI (22.98-234200 yuan) and Lecker 03 + (19.88-256800 yuan). However, the imported Elantra N is expected to sell at a high price, starting at $32650, or about 225000 yuan, in the United States. In addition, even if the Hyundai N brand enters China, it is impossible to sell well. after all, it belongs to a minority market. The monthly sales of Golf GTI and Lecker 03+ are basically less than 1,000 vehicles, while in Hyundai brands with relatively weak brand strength, the challenge is still relatively great.

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