You would think that Hyundai would place its focus on the Genesis brand if it wants to try and compete against the luxury names that come from Germany, but the Hyundai team has another goal in mind. In order to reach the incredible power numbers needed to compete with some of the top SUV models on the market, the focus is being turned to the new N Division of the brand to create a performance machine that can get the job done. This will certainly make things interesting in the next couple of years.
A Two Year Mark for the Tucson
Hyundai has recently confirmed a plan that will bring a new N-tuned powertrain to the Tucson SUV within the next two years. This is expected to be a vehicle that’s not just wearing the N badge but will have actual power to give this SUV the speed and power desired on the road and at the track. The plan is to make this SUV offer us 340 horsepower from the powertrain to make it possible for the Tucson N to reach sixty mph in less than six seconds.
If you think that Hyundai should focus on working to best the brands that it competes directly with, you’d probably be on the right track, but the Hyundai team has another thought. Led by the same innovator that helped bring the M division to its lofty heights for BMW, Hyundai turns to Albert Biermann to help them create the performance models that could see the crooked H badge square off against the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi and see the Hyundai model come out in the lead of this pack of SUVs when the Tucson N is ready.
A Sprint That’s Already Proof
The current N model that we have on the market in the US is the Veloster N. This is a car that brings in 275 horsepower and has been able to reach the sixty mph mark in only 5.2 seconds. Because of this success, it should be safe to say that the Tucson, which weighs in at about 800 pounds more than the Veloster, could easily break the mark desired and reach sixty mph in less than six seconds. If this were to happen, the Tucson N would be considered one of the most powerful vehicles in the compact SUV class by far.
Compare some of the Direct Competition with the Tucson
If we look at what a pair of the competitors for the Tucson has to offer us, we see that these other models are ones that don’t come close to the 340 horsepower mark at all. The leader in this category is the Mazda CX-5 which tops out at 250 horsepower while one of the most popular models is the Toyota RAV4 which only reaches 203 horsepower. Imagine a Tucson that makes more power than some of the muscle cars that we see on the roads right now.
The new Tucson N will likely show up with the next generation of the model to be a vehicle that’s upgraded and improved to give us an impressive list of features and a dynamic drive. Hyundai is reaching for lofty goals, and hopefully, we will see this team meet or exceed them with vehicles such as the Tucson N.
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