641bhp Hyundai Ioniq 6 N on sale for nearly £25k less than a BMW M3
Hyundai’s all-electric M3 challenger does 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds, has 740Nm of torque on tap and offers a 302-mile range
The electrifying new Hyundai Ioniq 6 N is now available to order, with prices for this 641bhp saloon starting from £65,800. That’s exactly the same price as its sibling, the Ioniq 5 N hot hatch, but more importantly it’s around £25,000 cheaper than the genre-defining BMW M3.
The Tesla Model 3 Performance is close to £6,000 less expensive than the Hyundai, but it produces nearly 200bhp less and doesn’t have anything like the same level of driver-focused technology. The Ioniq 6 N comes with a virtual gearbox system and ‘N Active Sound’ to replicate some of the sensations of a performance car with a petrol engine.
There’s no endless options list like you have to deal with when buying a M3 either. The only options for the Ioniq 6 N are a selection of six paint colours, including Performance Blue pearl, Gravity Gold matte and Nocturne Grey matte, plus you can add a tilting and sliding sunroof for an extra £1,250.
Otherwise, the Ioniq 6 N comes equipped with all the bells and whistles as standard, from a 641bhp dual-motor powertrain and adaptive dampers, to a set of 12.3-inch displays and bucket seats upholstered in Alcantara suede and leather. A set of 20-inch lightweight alloy wheels wrapped in exclusive Pirelli P Zero tyres are also included, along with that whopper of a ducktail spoiler.
Design and chassis upgrades
The Ioniq 6 N is follow-up to the thrilling Ioniq 5 N, which many critics (including us) have identified as the current benchmark for performance electric cars. The Ioniq 5 N might have the same list price but you can save more than £8,000 on one right now via our Buy A Car service.
We can also expect more from Hyundai N’s performance EVs in future. Joon Park, Vice President of the firm’s N Management Group, told Auto Express the 5 N “was just the first lap. We are at the starting line,” pledging that the new car would move things on despite the 5’s impressive abilities.
The Ioniq 6 N gets much of the same tech, cloaked in a lower, sleeker body, with the addition of lightweight alloy wheels and that huge rear wing. Hyundai’s head of design, Simon Loasby, previously told Auto Express: “With the Ioniq 6 N we had the chance to widen the fenders front and rear, which we couldn’t do on the 5 N. Who doesn’t like a wide body?”
As such, the 6 N has been widened by 60mm versus the standard car, with bulging wheelarches wrapped around new 20-inch rims and bespoke Pirelli P-Zero 5 tyres. Based on the recently-facelifted Ioniq 6, the N gets split headlights and daytime running lights, plus a longer, lower nose and plenty of trick aero and cooling features nestled within a new front bumper. There’s lots of red detailing to the side, while at the rear a black mask gives the flagship its own look. The firm’s recognisable pixel LEDs are present and correct across the back end, of course.
Power, specs and battery
Under the metal, the Ioniq 6 N features the same dual-motor powertrain as its 5 N sibling, mated to an identical 84kWh battery. Combined output stands at 641bhp – almost 100bhp more than BMW’s M3 CS – with 779Nm of torque and motors that can spin at up to 21,000rpm. The 6’s slippery shape results in a drag coefficient of 0.274Cd and cuts the 0-62mph time to 3.2 seconds using the car’s N Launch Control function. Top speed is capped at 160mph.
Park told us the 6 N is “for all N-thusiast drivers”, claiming the swept-back saloon is more focused than the 5N, thanks to its reengineered chassis and fully-redesigned suspension geometry with semi-active dampers. Along with the saloon’s lower roll centre, this apparently “enhances track performance while preserving the ride comfort expected in daily driving”. We can certainly vouch for the former, following our recent drive in a prototype model in South Korea. Hyundai also claims the 6 N delivers “greater high-speed stability and improved cornering grip, making it a versatile performer on both the street and the circuit”.
As well as tweaks to the suspension and transmission, Hyundai has developed a new battery-conditioning system that optimises performance depending on how the car is being used. There are different set-ups for drag, sprint and endurance racing – with the latter designed for “long-lasting performance”. An improved ‘N e-Shift’ system is said to “minimise performance loss” compared with the same set-up in the Ioniq 5.
Hyundai N Active Sound
Elsewhere, the 6 sees the debut of Hyundai’s ‘Active Sound +’ set-up, which the firm said delivers “greater driver feedback”, making each journey “aurally immersive”. The three modes span ‘Ignition’, ‘Evolution’ and ‘Lightspeed’, with each offering a “captivating auditory experience”.
As before, the car’s ‘N Grin Boost’ function delivers maximum power via a red button on the steering wheel for up to 10 seconds, with senior engineer Sven Risch explaining how the system makes the “full power more reachable; the limit is more reachable”.
Elsewhere, the updated ‘N Drift Optimiser’ offers three levels of regen-activated torque oversteer, allowing owners to customise parameters for things like angle and wheel slip depending on skill level and driving style. Park told us this is just one example of how Hyundai is “listening to fans” to make its cars more engaging.
The front brakes measure 400mm with four-piston callipers, with an adjustable regen system capable of harnessing up to 0.6G of energy that would otherwise be lost. As in all Hyundai EVs, the strength of recuperation can be tweaked via paddles on the N-branded steering wheel.
Interior and tech
The 6 N’s cabin will feel familiar to anyone who’s sat in or driven an Ioniq 5 N, featuring hard-backed bucket seats with illuminated N logos, ambient lighting and a dual-screen infotainment system with built-in nav, wireless phone connectivity and bespoke N menus.
One such menu is the ‘N Track Manager’, which allows drivers to analyse and compare track times on well-known circuits, as well as create custom routes in order to monitor speed data and performance. It can even offer Gran Turismo-style ghost-car visuals.
What the Ioniq 6 N lacks in range – this is a near-650bhp, M3-rivalling super-saloon, remember – it more than makes up for with its 800-volt electrical architecture and ultra-rapid charging speeds of up to 260kW. That means it should be able to replenish 80 per cent of its 302-mile range in 18 minutes; on par with the standard Ioniq 6 models.
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