Hyundai i20 N Line Unveiled, India Launch Soon

New Delhi: Hyundai Motor India on Tuesday unveiled i20 N Line, its first model under the performance-oriented N Line product range in the country, as it looks to cater to the customers who yearn for sporty vehicles. The car comes with various exterior and interior changes to give it a sporty styling, inspired by motorsport. The i20 N Line is powered by a 1-litre petrol Turbo GDI engine mated with six-speed iMT (intelligent Manual transmission) and seven-speed DCT transmission options. Hyundai Drops to 6th Position in the Global EV Market in H1 2021.

"The N Line range will introduce customers to a car that truly epitomises driving passion, making sure sporty and fun driving experiences are accessible to all," Hyundai Motor India MD and CEO SS Kim told reporters. N Line is made for everyday fun of young millennials, who view the world as their playground and have a different way of doing things, he added.

Kim noted that the company would bring in additional models under the range over the next few years. Elaborating further Hyundai Motor India Director (Sales, marketing and Service) Tarun Garg told PTI that i20 already has a very strong Motorsports legacy because the i20 Coupe is the World Rally Championship (WRC) car for Hyundai.

"Even the base model of the model is equipped to have exceptional driving dynamics. The i20 N Line builds on it further, amplifying the sporty, fun experience," he noted.

The models are accessible in terms of purchase and yet they stand out in terms of driving experience, Garg said. The car comes with 120 PS of peak power, enabling it to a dash of 0-100 km per hour in less than 10 seconds. The car's exhaust has a roaring and grunting sound, the suspension is sporty enabling great handling while it also comes with four disc brakes, over 50 connectivity features, a sunroof, six airbags, among others. Garg noted that customers are now clearly becoming more and more aspirational and are looking for features and personalisation in their cars.

"So not only functionality, they want to choose cars matching their lifestyle, personality. We feel because of the changing customer the time is about right to launch this new range of cars which would really fulfil the need of such customers," he added. When asked if the company has set some sales target for the model, Garg noted: "It is a niche segment and we are not looking at volumes here, its more of giving such customers a special feel".

He further said: "Since last 2-3 years, Hyundai is trying to cater to more and more young customers. We are catering to customers who are forward-looking, modern, so we feel this range would further enhance our brand value".

Elaborating on the shift that is taking place in the domestic auto market, Garg noted that the company's accessory range has doubled to over 5,500 products from about 2,800 two years earlier.

"When we look at the preference for sunroof it used to be just 13 per cent in 2018 and now it has gone up to 30 per cent in 2021," he added. Garg said that Internet usage and e-commerce is increasing in the country, so the shift is happening everywhere. "We feel going forward when the range is established, as we plan to have more products, it would give us a unique set of customers, which would be very useful going ahead," he noted.

The company has commenced bookings of the i20 N Line from Monday, while the price is expected to be announced in the first week of September. Garg said the model would be retailed through 188 Signature outlets spread across 97 cities in the country. The company sells models like Tucson, Elantra and Signature trims of Alcazar from such outlets currently.

When asked about which models could be launched under the range, Garg said: "Going ahead, we will study the market to know customer preference…SUVs may be there as well with the way they are growing…we will explore that which other model we can bring… we have many options…".

Hyundai currently sells N Line in various regions like Europe, South Korea, the US and Russia, among others. Its first N-branded vehicle was the i30 N, which made its debut in 2017.