Not many of us were found laughing.
Korean marque Hyundai have been igniting the imagination of driving enthusiasts the world over since its i30 N debuted to an overwhelmingly-warm reception, followed by the similarly-appealing Veloster N. Now with its sights set on SUVs like the Tucson to bring the ’N’ badge and appeal to an even wider audience, Hyundai’s nascent performance arm is set to stay for the long run.
So when they ‘announced’ on April 1st that they were looking in the direction of a small drop-top sports car, in roughly the same vane as the Mazda MX-5, we were certainly caught by surprise. Many were, in fact. But we sure as hell weren’t laughing.
While Toyota went the route of absurdity with its PieAce van, Hyundai’s N Roadster was perhaps too nuanced for the majority (us included) to understand. Or perhaps it was just too awesomely pretty to just dismiss as a form of humour. With classic roadster proportions, a two-piece hardtop, (presumably) rear-wheel drive and not a lot of room in the middle, it looked sensational.
The big 6-point grille up front was present and correct, replete with a chrome bar linking the two full-LED headlights. A similar case was presented at the rear, to get to which you must first pass enormous gills and aerodynamically-shaped doors, where you’ll find full-width taillights and a cute little spoiler. A big diffuser was also put in place, and sharp alloys filled the wheelarches.
Even looking at it now, we have to say, that’s bloody awesome.
Thing is, as we’re sure you’d have guessed by now, this is merely an April Fool’s joke. The highly-trained accountants at Hyundai will likely never permit the company to make a car like the N Roadster, given the niche appeal of such models. But that doesn’t mean we don’t solidly wish we could have one of these sweet little Korean numbers in our garage.
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