N Brand, which led the popularization of high‒performance automobiles, held a birthday party with customers. Here’s how they spent their day.
On October 27, Hyundai Motor Company’s high‒performance brand ‘N’ held its special birthday party. Their customers enjoyed the pleasure of driving at the Inje Speedium Circuit in Inje‒gun, Gangwon‒do. At the event, the N brand as a ‘lifestyle brand’ offered various pleasures that can be enjoyed with high‒performance cars, not just the fun of driving.
The birthday of the N brand began on September 15, 2015, when Hyundai Motor Company unveiled its high‒performance brand N for the first time in the world at the 2015 IAA (Internationale Automobil‒Ausstellung) held in Frankfurt, Germany. N Brand announced its debut to the world in Germany, the home of high‒performance car technology development.
At the time, Hyundai Motor Company also unveiled the world’s first concept car, ‘N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo’. In addition, the automaker said, “We will use the experience and technology gained from motorsports to develop a car that brings the most thrilling driving pleasure to car lovers.” It was the promised future that would unfold.
Now, seven years later, N Brand has kept its promise. The appearance of the Veloster N, Kona N, and Avante N greatly changed the landscape of the domestic high‒performance automobile market. It can be said that it led to the popularization of sports driving culture in Korea. Now, you can easily find the N model at circuits all over the country. From this point of view, it is only natural for N Brand to throw a birthday party at the circuit. It is natural for a brand born to bring the fun of driving to those who love cars to find a circuit that can maximize the pleasure of driving.
On this day, about 120 N brand owners who visited Inje Speedium had an exciting day with their cars. Of course, there was a special time to celebrate N Brand’s birthday before running the circuit. While the 120 N models that the event participants rode took their seats on the track, a cake cutting ceremony was held, and all participants celebrated the birthday of the N brand. And a parade lap was held in which 120 N models went around the Inje Speedium track.
There was also a congratulatory speech from a Hyundai Motor Company officials: “The N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo, which marked the beginning of the N brand, was a high‒performance concept car that runs on hydrogen energy. Now, seven years later, the age of hydrogen energy that we dreamed of is approaching. The RN22e and N Vision 74 are the future for you. We are all doing our best to give you a thrill in the future. We will work hard so that N owners can enjoy the car life in a fun way.”
Then the real event began; Participants in each group started with a mini drag race and a slalom course before the circuit race. In particular, the atmosphere in the slalom race was hotter because it started on separate courses with the same structure at the same time. It was safe because each competed in a separate space, but it was more competitive because they could check each other’s speed while looking at each other. The race was very thrilling.
There was also a special experience for N Brand customers ‒ the RN22e on a mini drag course. You could experience it in the passenger seat, or you could compete with the RN22e in your own N. RN22e is a ‘rolling lab’ created by Hyundai Motor Company to use the technology and know‒how accumulated in motorsports for the N model. In other words, this car reflects future N models. The RN22e is the N brand’s first four‒wheel drive model, and the electric motors housed one at the front and rear produce a maximum output of 580 horsepower.
Also, the N Vision 74 displayed next to the RN22e presented the future of the N brand. The N Vision 74 features a hydrogen‒electric hybrid drive system that is different from a typical hydrogen fuel cell vehicle or battery‒based electric vehicle. It houses a hydrogen fuel cell with a capacity of 85 kW and a driving battery with a capacity of 62.4 kWh, but its basic power source is the hydrogen fuel cell, and the rest is from the battery. Thanks to this, it boasts a maximum output of 680 horsepower, 0→100km/h acceleration in less than 4 seconds, and offers a long mileage of more than 600km while boasting amazing performance.
The RN22e and N Vision 74 were unveiled and experienced by N brand customers. It was a declaration that the pleasure provided by the current N‒brand internal combustion engines would continue in the EV era. N Brand promised its customers another future with its birthday party.
The final ceremony was track driving. Driving in groups, participants went through the circuit at their own pace. Unlike the circuit experience in general events, there was no pace car in the lead, so all participants could fully enjoy the fun of driving while driving the circuit in their own way. The repetitive track driving finally came to an end in the dark of the night.
N Brand’s birthday party was special. The N brand, which started for the driving pleasure of high‒performance cars, is now starting to create its own culture. The automaker did not simply manufacture cars that were fun to drive, but presented various cultures that could be enjoyed in N. The future prepared for fans who love the brand was also impressive. Many believe that the N brand will keep its word that the fun of driving will continue even in the age of EVs and hydrogen‒powered vehicles.
Photography by Hyuk‒soo Jo