fr.jpg?scaledown=450)
With consumers moving in ever-growing numbers away from cars and towards SUVs, it’s not surprising to see manufacturers making some wholesale changes to their product offerings. And one trend we’re seeing is the development of high-performance variants of utility models.
Not long ago this was a market segment reserved for cars. But there are fewer of those being offered every year, so we’re witnessing a shift in strategy at several auto manufacturers. Ford, for example, is introducing an ST version of its Edge SUV. The ST designation was once the purview of cars only.
At Hyundai, the lineup continues to features a full range of cars, but the company is nonetheless preparing a first foray into performance SUVs. According to a report by British website Auto Express, which cites an anonymous inside source, Hyundai is working on an N performance version of its Tucson.
The source adds a tantalizing morsel of inside info: "We are going to take our time with this one - because when it appears it will blow everything else away in its sector."
.jpg?scaledown=450)
There’s no word on the mechanics that would power the model, but it would deliver a minimum of 340 hp and be able to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in under 6 seconds. All-wheel drive would be a standard piece of equipment.
The Tucson N would get its own suspension and brake systems, as well as a unique body kit that would improve the vehicle’s aerodynamics and, presumably, make it somewhat meaner-looking.
Hyundai wants to have its Tucson N in dealerships by the end of 2020 as a 2021 model. At launch, it would become the poshest model produced by the company’s N division.
Stay tuned for this and other N-badged models from the dynamic Korean automaker.