Hyundai Doesn't Care That the Ioniq 6 N Doesn't Make the Most Financial Sense

by Chris Teague

Published: July 15th, 2025

hyundai doesn t care that the ioniq 6 n doesn t make the most financial sense

Most new vehicles have to make financial sense before they can enter serial production, but occasionally, automakers understand that vibes are more important than the bottom line. Hyundai’s taking that approach with the new Ioniq 6 N, telling its engineers and designers to “do it,” regardless of the dollars and cents.

The head of Hyundai’s Performance Development Tech Unit, Manfred Harrer, said the car is aimed at more than turning a profit. “These are small volumes, and we also hit the limit regarding affordability for our customer base and fans face reality. We know this. Normally. You’re always running the business case first, and the investment, and the material cost, and the volume behind it. And normally in the automotive industry, you’re often very limited on this. But here, it was clear if we have the ideas to improve the car, make it faster, improve the performance, make it easier to drive, do it.”

The upcoming Ioniq 6 N gets the rowdy dual-motor setup out of the Ioniq 5 N, but the sleeker 6 promises better performance thanks to improved aerodynamics. Hyundai quotes a 0-62 mph time of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 160 mph. The car will also feature the same electronic goodies that the 5 offers, including simulated shifts, a drift mode, and temporary boost settings.

[Images: Hyundai]

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Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

More by Chris Teague

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4 of 8 comments

Zerofoo on Jul 15, 2025

I don't think Toyota made any money on the first-gen Prius. That car seemed to work out OK for them in the long-run.

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- JMII on Jul 15, 2025
  
  But the Prius was a main stream commuter type vehicle using new hybrid tech. A gamble on it was a bold move but Toyota was betting on the future, so it had to be done. The Ioniq 6 N is race tuned EV sedan which makes almost no sense, both from a market segment and financial one. Who wants such a thing - and is Hyundai making money on it? Similar to the C8 ZR1X story this appears to be a case of "we can do it, so hey why not".
  
  1
- FreedMike on Jul 15, 2025
  
  The original Lexus LS400 was a money loser, from what I understand. Toyota clearly isn't afraid of playing the long game, and neither is Hyundai. Good on them. American auto manufacturers could stand to be a lot less risk averse - if they were, we'd get a better selection of interesting cars, not just another f'ing truck.
  
  2
EBFlexing on ur mom on Jul 15, 2025

Just another boring, soulless ev

1 Reply
- Bd2 on Jul 17, 2025
  
  Not according to pretty much every review...
  
  Like

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