In Cars, Hyundai, International News, Spyshots / By Gerard Lye / 26 October 2016 6:04 pm / 4 comments

At this year’s Busan International Motor Show in South Korea, Hyundai revealed the latest evolution of its rolling test bed – the RM16 N. While we were only shown sketches of it at the time, our spy photographers have managed to spot the vehicle in the metal at the Nurburgring in Germany.

Design-wise, the camouflaged prototype seen here is nearly identical to the sketches revealed back in June. Up front, the fascia features a low-slung hood, slim headlamps, and wide air intakes, while at the rear, there’s a prominent rear wing, large intakes, and a diffuser element.

The third development car from Hyundai’s RM (Racing Mid-ship, not Ringgit Malaysia) project, like its predecessors – the RM14 and RM15 – is based on the Veloster, albeit with a myriad of modifications. Most of the internals have been stripped away to accommodate the mid-mounted Theta 2.0 litre T-GDI engine, which is positioned just ahead of the rear axle.

Generating 295 hp, the mill directs power to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox, in a car that boasts a 43:57 weight distribution, and a centre of gravity that’s less than 500 mm from the ground.

The car’s carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) body panels also feature plenty of aero trickery to help keep it planted through the corners. It also gets an electric supercharger, electronic LSD, automatic rear spoiler, electronically-variable exhaust system and sports seats with adjustable bolsters.

All these technologies will be tested with the RM16 N as a means to help Hyundai develop its own high-performance models, which will be parked under the automaker’s N sub-brand. Therefore, it is highly unlikely Hyundai will make a production version of the RM16 N.