Typically, vehicle developments in development see the camouflage come off as the debut date draws near. However, in this case it seems that things are going backwards. Our spy photographer in Germany captured this Hyundai Ioniq 5 N wearing a full-body camo wrap, where before there was a much simpler wrap with lots of exposed area. Before that, we saw cars with no camouflage at all. What gives, Hyundai?
The initial appearance of the black Ioniq 5 N test vehicle is that of a mule, although in this case, there isn’t much difference between the mule and the production car. After all, the Ioniq 5 N is still the Ioniq 5, but now, we’re seeing the actual N model in public versus the standard edition Ioniq 5s with bigger brakes and a juicer battery pack. It seems that even recent sightings of the Ioniq 5 N is a standard car sporting a plaid wrap as opposed to a proper N model.
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So, what can we see in this disguised Hyundai? We’re still talking about a rather basic wrap, and that hides a more aggressive front fascia compared to what we’ve seen before. There are protruding corner vents, presumably to help cool those bulky front brakes. The middle intake is bigger too, and the whole face looks a little more chiseled. We see more of that at the rear, and if you look closely, you can almost see the ribs for the rear diffuser. It had felt absent until now.
Of course, a lot has been said about the upgraded brakes and bigger wheels with sticky tires. The same goes for the Ioniq 5’s powertrain, which should mirror the Kia EV6 GT’s 577-horsepower (431-kilowatt) all-wheel-drive powertrain. It will hit 60 mph in under four seconds, but our sources also say Hyundai is also working hard to strengthen the chassis and tweak the suspension for better handling.
Despite seeing the camouflage level increase from previous sightings, we know Hyundai is moving closer to a proper debut. It must happen before the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Motor1.com editors cover a large number of high-performance electric and combustion-powered vehicles in a special issue Chatting About Cars podcast, available below.
