Hyundai Elantra N could form basis for a race series within the U.S.

Hyundai might bring its five-year-old one-make racing series to the U.S. next 12 months. In 2019, Hyundai inaugurated the N Festival in its home South Korean market, a series of six events that included single-model racing that is since turn into the most important of its kind within the country. The initial classes for amateurs counted the Veloster N Cup and Avante N Line Cup, the Avante being our Elantra N Line. In 2022, Hyundai added the Avante N Cup that put 15 skilled drivers amongst 15 amateurs. Korean Automobile Blog reported the automaker recently debuted its updated Avante N Cup automotive, the brand’s head of motorsport, Til Wartenberg, saying, “This 12 months, athletes from various regions resembling Europe, Korea, and america participated within the [Nurburgring 24-hour Race], and got good results. We plan to announce Hyundai Motor’s excellence within the One-Make Race, which is scheduled to be held in various regions resembling China and america. We’ll proceed to strive to offer an environment where more people can enjoy motor sports culture in various regions.”

Hyundai’s N division engineered the competition sedan by itself, making much sharper mods in comparison with the amateur-only Veloster N and Avante N Line cars. On the debut model, the production automotive’s 2.0-liter engine and eight-speed dual-clutch are mechanically unchanged, but remapped software delivers a ten% bump in horsepower and torque. A brand new KW Competition suspension with 16 pillow balls as an alternative of rubber bushings improves power application and handling feedback. Adjustable shocks could be customized further with 4 decisions of spring and a small window of camber change. The 19-inch racing rims wear 240-section Hankook tires and conceal Alcon six-piston brakes back and front that clamp larger discs. Drivers can select amongst five brake pad compounds specially developed for the varied N Festival circuits and race types, either sprint or time trial. Extra intake ducts shove more air to the stoppers, vents on the FRP hood clear engine heat, and a CFRP swan-neck rear spoiler boosts downforce. 

It is a race automotive inside, every thing stripped but a driver’s seat, six-point roll cage, racing wheel, digital dash, and spec telematics device. The gutting and polycarbonate within the glasshouse cut 408 kilos from the production Avante N’s curb weight.

The updated automotive for the 2024 season puts on wider fenders and latest bumpers for higher aerodynamics, and a set of wider tires promising higher cornering speeds. 

We all know the 2024 N Festival will travel to 6 stops in Korea next 12 months; we haven’t got information on U.S. stops yet. Hyundai’s already got Elantra Ns running a few series here: Five Elantra N TCR cars campaigned in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (IMPC) this 12 months, and two Elantra N TC cars fought for the title within the TC America Series Powered by Skip Barber Racing School championship. Hyundai teams finished IMPC first and second, Jeff Ricca’s Ricca Autosport took the team title in TC America. Ricca also made a guest appearance at the ultimate N Festival event this 12 months, we might expect he’ll make some sort of appearance in or across the one-make series when it launches in 2024.