Hyundai Is Bringing Carbon Fiber Wheels to Its N Cars

Dymag Wheels has announced a partnership with Hyundai to produce carbon hybrid wheels for their line of N performance cars. The wheels would have a carbon fiber outer rim and a metallic centerpiece, potentially cutting weight by 50 percent over cast aluminum wheels.

Although final production plans for a carbon-wheeled Hyundai have not been shared, a prototype wheel was displayed alongside the Ioniq 5 N at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. The placement seems to indicate that the offering of carbon wheels on Hyundais is imminent.

Carbon wheels are a rare option typically reserved only for performance cars, but they can currently be specced on both the upcoming Mustang Dark Horse and C8-generation Corvette Z06. In both of those cases, the wheels are an expensive option for a sports car already geared primarily toward serious track use. Hyundai's choice to find a partner that can produce a similar hybrid carbon wheel fits with a long-term commitment to building their N brand into a serious player in the performance car world, even if it marks a fairly serious deviation from a long history of selling affordable cars.

The brand's near-future plans include a few cars that could benefit from the option. The Ioniq 5 N was revealed just a few weeks ago, but it is already a favorite here at Road & Track and its performance bona fides make it a natural fit for an option. An expected Ioniq 6 N that looks something like the RN22e concept could also receive the weight-saving wheels. Hyundai currently sells two N cars powered by internal combustion, the Elantra N and the Kona N, but their relatively low price point and established position on the market make costly carbon wheels an unlikely option in the near future.

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