Albert Biermann says Hyundai’s high-performance N division has enjoyed early success because it has focused on “good dynamic response” rather than outright speed, which he describes as “just boring”.
Speaking to Autocar, the head of the Hyundai Motor Group’s vehicle test and high-performance development division said that fun-to-drive cars were about more than merely impressive power figures.
“Speed is just boring. It’s about the corners,” Biermann told the British publication.
Hyundai’s high-performance range already includes the i30 N and Veloster N, with the i30 Fastback N set to join the line-up after its official reveal at the Paris Motor Show in October 2018.
The former BMW M boss went on to say that Hyundai N doesn’t need a high-powered halo car “right now”, despite rumours suggesting that one was already in the works.
“We have to get in a routine with N cars, and not just hit a peak. This is the stage we have to bring consistency to this. We need to be careful with this initial success and with whatever we do next. We should not create any expectations we cannot fulfil; this i30 N was exactly the opposite to this,” he said.
Biermann added that the i30 N hot hatch was effectively already “one of the strongest halo cars we’ve ever had”.
“This is a halo car that can make [Hyundai] money, so what better halo can we get? We’re just starting with N, and we’re getting a whole new breed of customer in Hyundai showrooms.”
