Hyundai’s shock new BMW M3 challenger
More powerful than a BMW M3 CS, faster than a Porsche 911 GT3 and designed to both drift and save your fuel bill – meet the all-new Hyundai Ioniq 6 N.
Designed to meet Hyundai’s N performance division pillars of ‘Corner Rascal, Racetrack Capability and Everyday Sportscar’ the newest addition to the line-up is an all-electric sports sedan. Making its global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Ioniq 6 N is due to arrive in Australia in early 2026.
It will join the existing i20 N, i30 N, i30 Sedan N and the electric Ioniq 5 N in the Australian line-up for the brand.
This is the long-awaited production version of the RN22e concept that Hyundai revealed way back in July 2022. This was the original prototype that developed Hyundai N’s new electric powertrain, platform and technology.
While it shares the same basic underpinnings as the Ioniq 5 N, this new model applies a range of improvements, including redesigned suspension geometry, changes to the N e-Shift ‘virtual gearbox’ and the N Active Sound + system.
Performance from the dual electric motors remains the same as the 5 N, but thankfully it’s a lot of performance. The Ioniq 6 N makes 448kW of power and 770Nm of torque as standard, but with N Grin Boost pushing that to 478kW for a brief period.
For context, the BMW M3 CS makes just 405kW/650Nm from its turbocharged six-cylinder engine. It’s also more power than the Porsche 911 GT3 RS and Lamborghini Huracan STO – underlining just how far Hyundai has come from its ‘Excel days’.
With all that power and torque, transmitted through all four-wheels, the Ioniq 6 N can sprint from 0-100km/h in just 3.2 seconds, which is faster than a Porsche 911 GT3.
All the same special systems designed to make an electric performance car fun that the Ioniq 5 N pioneered, such as N e-Shift, N Active Sound+, N Grin Boost and N Drift Optimiser, are all included on the 6 N.
N e-Shift is a virtual gearbox that allows you to use steering wheel-mounted paddles to change up and down through digital gears, even though it has a single-speed transmission. N e-Shift has specifically designed “virtual shift jolts” as well as its own sound effects and even a fake ‘rev limit’ that halts acceleration unless you shift up.
N Active Sound+ is an artificial soundtrack that provides three different audio options that are connected to the speed of the car. The idea is that the sound – delivered through internal and external speakers – helps you to feel more connected to the driving experience.
“With Ioniq 6 N, Hyundai N aims to elevate its offerings, enticing drivers with electric powertrains that offer high-performance enthusiasts a thrilling new avenue to electrify their passion both on the road and the track,” said José Muñoz, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company.
