Pour one out for Hyundai’s gasoline fun cars in Europe. In a statement made to Motor1 Deutschland, a spokesperson for the company’s German division confirmed production of N models that feed on gasoline on the Old Continent will end during the first half of 2024. It effectively means the i20 N, i30 N, and the lesser-known i30 N Fastback are being axed. However, if you hurry, there might be a few available in stock.
“Hyundai Motor has decided to cease production of ICE N models for the European market during the first half of the year. This follows the brand’s commitment to offer European customers a zero-emission product range by 2035 and to be 100 percent carbon neutral in all phases of car production and operation by 2045. In Germany, the versions of the i20 N and i30 N are still shown in the configurator on hyundai.de and will continue to be available in dealerships this year (until probably the end of the year depending on the numbers available in stock).”
Europeans never got the latest Veloster N or the Elantra N for that matter. The new-generation Kona has yet to receive the N treatment as the range currently tops out with the N-Line model. High-performance N models are not going away in other markets considering Hyundai has already confirmed plans for a new Elantra N sedan, possibly with a bigger engine. The demise of sporty ICE models in Europe won’t spell the end for N since there’s now a fully electric Ioniq 5 N, with a Ioniq 6 N rumored to arrive in the foreseeable future.
With emissions regulations getting stricter and taxation on gasoline cars increasing basically every year, it’s no wonder Hyundai Europe is pulling the plug on conventionally powered N cars. These models haven’t even been around for a long time taking into account the i30 N first came out in 2017, followed in 2018 by the i30 N Fastback and in 2020 by the i20 N.
The days of affordable ICE performance cars in Europe are sadly numbered. Volkswagen has already killed the up! GTI and Polo GTI while the latest Golf GTI doesn’t have a manual gearbox anymore. The days of Opel’s OPC cars and Peugeot’s GTi models are long gone. In addition, Ford killed the Fiesta ST in 2023 and will also axe the Focus ST in 2025.
Europeans also had diesel performance cars from mainstream brands, but the Golf GTD and the oil-burner Octavia RS have recently been canned.
