“The ‘N’ will officially enter the VLN race, which will take place at the Nurburgring circuit in Germany from May 26 to May 29,” Hyundai Motor announced on Thursday. While the retrofitted version of Hyundai’s Veloster or i30 participated in the race before, it was an indirect participation through private racing teams. This time, however, the automaker will put together its own team with a vehicle made of the parts of the original N. It is true that Hyundai used the experiences it have earned through various races such as the World Rally Championship (WRC) to develop the much-prized model, but this will mark the first time that Hyundai’s N will participate in a racing contest.
N’s debut in Nurburgring is certainly meaningful as the name is derived from both Namyang Institute, the research institute of the Korean carmaker, and Nurburgring, the most infamous racing circuit in the world.
Located in the central western state of Rheinland-Pfalz in Germany, Nurburgring is called the “hell ride.” The ride consists of the 5.1-km-long Grand Prix circuit and the 20.8-km course called Nordschleife. With the highest difference of elevation reaching a whopping 300 meters, Nordschleife is notorious for its extremity, boasting a maximum uphill angle at 17 percent and a maximum downhill angle at 11 percent with as many as 73 corners along the road. The place is a coveted test driving course for many automakers around the world including Hyundai Motor. Under the VNL race, the car that completes the biggest number of laps within 24 hours becomes a winner, so not only the speed but also the durability of the car is important.
On the surface, the N looks like the Veloster or the i30, which were the basis of the concept car, but the core parts of the vehicle will be adopted from the original N model. This means, the experiences and the data gathered through the race can be immediately applied to the development of the parts for a commercialized version.
World-class models, such as the Audi R, Mercedes Benz AMG, and BMW M, will also participate in the VLN race this time. Last year, the Audi R won a back-to-back championship. After the year of 2010, the honor of winning the race went to different contenders including the BMW M, Mercedes Benz AMG, and Porsche. If the N, which is still in the process of development, fails to make the grade in the competition, it could have a negative impact on Hyundai Motor.
Hyundai Motor has chosen to take the bumpy road since it has to do with the confidence about its technological advancement that has been spearheaded by Albert Biermann, vice president of Hyundai Motor’s Vehicle Test & High Performance Department, who joined the Korean carmaker in December 2014. To Hyundai Motor, the VLN race is also a rite of passage to add “values” and “stories” to the high-performance model.