Hyundai Storms Detroit with Wild 350-HP Veloster N Race Car, Elantra GT N Line
Hyundai has brought two spritely hot hatches to the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week: One that’s well suited for everyday driving duties and another that’s not even road legal.
Let’s address the one without a license plate first, because we’re fun like that. The Hyundai Veloster N TCR is heavily related to the Hyundai i30 N TCR race car and will replace it in markets where the i30 N is not sold. That means you can catch the 350-hp 2.0-liter turbo Veloster N TCR racing in various series in the United States in coming years, starting with the 2019 IMSA Pilot Challenge and 2019 Blancpain GT World Challenge.
SEE ALSO: 2019 Veloster N Review
Race teams, or Hyundai fans with a ton of money to blow on a track day toy, can buy the Veloster N TCR for $155,000 USD before taxes from Bryan Herta Autosport in Indianapolis – the only US Hyundai Motorsport retailer. Deliveries are set to begin in March 2019.
The Elantra GT N Line, meanwhile, is a much more tame offering from Hyundai. The first N Line badged model in the U.S., the Elantra GT N Line is a bit more approachable and affordable than the 275-hp Veloster N and features performance-inspired parts.
This model is the only way to get Hyundai’s 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the Elantra GT, which is rated at 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. Two transmissions are on offer, a six-speed manual or optional seven-speed dual-clutch, which send power to the front wheels. Also setting the N Line apart from the standard Elantra GT are its N front and rear fascias and N alloy wheels.
There are some small interior enhancements as well, such as a sport steering wheel, red interior stitching, and an N gear knob.
U.S. pricing for the 2019 Hyundai Elantra GT N Line will start at $23,300 for the six-speed manual model and $24,400 for the 7-speed DCT.
SEE ALSO: Hyundai Kona N Development Confirmed
Hyundai says the Elantra GT and the new N Line trim “are poised to compete head-on with hatchback competitors and provide a fun-to-drive alternative to small CUVs.” Now that’s a message we can get behind.
The 2019 Elantra GT N Line is on sale in the U.S. now.
Discuss this story on our Hyundai Performance Forum