2025.08.07 Hyundai Motor Company
Pushing the Limits with Hyundai N
Over the past decade, Hyundai N has relentlessly taken on challenges on a global stage. And here is someone taking on a challenge of his own—together with his N.
What does it mean to take on a challenge? According to the dictionary, it means to confront something head-on. Broadening that definition, it can also mean trying something no one has attempted before, or overcoming difficulties in pursuit of something meaningful.
Hyundai Motor’s high-performance brand N has been on a continuous journey of challenge since its launch in 2015. Entering top-tier motorsport arenas such as WRC and TCR—long dominated by competitors—it achieved meaningful results and successfully secured its place in the global high-performance car market. Now, in the era of electrification, Hyundai N is once again turning heads with a lineup of high-performance EVs that combine outstanding driving capabilities with genuine driving pleasure.
This bold trajectory has earned Hyundai N a loyal following among car enthusiasts not only in Korea but around the world. One of them is Cho Sungu, the head of “Dspec”—a motorsports team and tuning shop based in Gyeonggi Province. For him, N is more than just a high-performance automotive brand—it is a true companion in his pursuit of limitless challenges.
Here Comes a New Challenger
Cho has had a deep passion for cars since childhood, even dreaming of becoming a professional racing driver. As an adult, he competed as a drift racer in both Korea and Japan. At the same time, he developed a strong interest in car maintenance and modification from an early age.
“My goal was clear: to race with a car I built myself. It took me a little longer than most due to personal circumstances, but I believe I achieved that dream by enjoying track days and connecting with others who shared the same passion. Dspec started as a casual gathering with the people I met back then. At first, it felt like a hobby club, but I wanted to share my knowledge of car modification and driving techniques with more people—so it naturally grew into a business.”
Throughout his racing career, Cho has experienced a wide range of high-performance vehicles—giving him a particularly discerning standard when it comes to driving performance and enjoyment. It leads to a natural question: what was his first impression of Hyundai N?
“High-performance cars are usually difficult to approach—they tend to be cramped, uncomfortable, and offer a harsh ride. But Hyundai N has significantly lowered that barrier. It has made outstanding driving performance and pure driving fun more accessible to a wider range of people at a reasonable price point. What impressed me most was how well it balances everyday usability with track-ready capabilities. Features like the ability to record and analyze lap times or G-force data come built-in. You do not often see this level of track-readiness in a car straight from the factory.”
Cho’s Elantra N features a distinctive livery—custom exterior graphics that reflect his team identity—built upon Hyundai’s signature Performance Blue. Surprisingly, the car is not competing on Korean tracks, but in Japan. Each year, it takes part in Attack Tsukuba, one of Japan’s most renowned time attack competitions, held at the Tsukuba Circuit in early spring. Unlike traditional races, this event challenges drivers to set their best lap times individually, rather than competing head-to-head. Naturally, the question arose: why choose the Elantra N for this stage?
Cho’s team began competing in Attack Tsukuba in 2023. Initially, they entered the event with a vehicle from another manufacturer. While it delivered strong performance, the philosophy behind the car did not align with the team’s goals. Later, they had the opportunity to test the Elantra N and were impressed by both its overall completeness and its strong tuning potential. Confident that it could deliver faster lap times, they decided to return the following year with the Hyundai model. They also hoped to raise Hyundai’s profile in Japanese motorsports.
To compete in Attack Tsukuba, Cho personally shipped the car to Japan, accompanied by his team who shared his vision. After arriving, he worked closely with local engineers to fine-tune the setup in detail, making meticulous adjustments right up until race day.
“I retired from driving in 2022, so I no longer compete myself. But I still use the experience I gained as a racer—sharing feedback with the driver and discussing race strategy. I also take part in setting up the car and constantly talk with my team about how to shape our approach on the track.”
Tsukuba Circuit, home to the Attack Tsukuba event, is a compact track measuring just over 2 kilometers. Its technical layout—combining tight low-speed corners with high-speed sections—makes it a particularly demanding course to master. Setting a competitive lap time here demands top-level performance from both the machine and the driver.
“At Tsukuba, one minute is the threshold that defines a competitive lap,” Cho Sungu explained. “To earn that recognition, your lap time must be under a minute. The cars competing in this event come in all shapes and setups, but they all share the same goal—striving to break the one-minute mark and surpass their limits.” His explanation revealed the intensity shared by the teams pushing boundaries at Attack Tsukuba.
To get straight to the point, Dspec’s Elantra N recorded a lap time of 1:01.7 at the 2024 event and improved to 1:00.3 at this year’s competition. Although the team came just short of the one-minute mark, Cho shared his thoughts: “We’re getting closer to our goal, shaving off time little by little—it’s a rewarding process.” With the sub-one-minute barrier now within reach, Dspec is preparing thoroughly for the 2026 Attack Tsukuba event to turn that goal into reality.
“The important thing is, the Elantra N is currently tuned only at a street level—comfortable enough for everyday driving,” explained Cho. “Even without reaching its full potential, it has already posted faster lap times than Japanese high-performance cars in the same class. I’m excited to see how much more we can improve once we enter full-scale tuning specifically for time attack performance.”
Cho and his team are now taking on the challenge of high-performance electric vehicles. This year, Dspec competed in the Attack Tsukuba event not only with the Elantra N but also with the IONIQ 5 N. With only basic modifications—focused on suspension and braking—the team’s IONIQ 5 N recorded a lap time of 59.8 seconds, drawing significant attention at the track. For reference, Hyundai’s N division also participated in the event with the IONIQ 5 N TA (Time Attack) spec, setting a new EV record with a lap time of 57.446 seconds.
“Our original plan was to compete with the IONIQ 5 N starting from last year’s event,” Cho explained. “As with the Elantra N, we intended to ship the car directly from Korea. However, due to shipping regulations at the time, it was difficult to transport electric vehicles by sea, and we ultimately couldn’t bring it to Japan. Instead, we purchased an IONIQ 5 N locally and used it to compete in the event. Like with the Elantra N, we aimed to break the one-minute barrier, and I’m proud that we achieved a strong result right away.”
Together with Hyundai N
Cho Sungu’s ongoing efforts have also led to direct collaboration with Hyundai N. In preparation for the global launch of the IONIQ 5 N, the N division held a competitive bidding process for the “IONIQ 5 N Drift Spec” show car project—designed to capture customer interest through bold drift performance. Inspired by Hyundai N’s push into new territory, Cho and the Dspec team joined the project and were ultimately selected as the final team to build the show car.
“I was immediately drawn to the idea of drifting with an electric vehicle,” Cho recalled. “And I was deeply impressed by Hyundai N’s boldness in exploring uncharted territory. After learning about the vehicle’s development direction and ultimate goals, I felt strongly that I wanted to be part of the project and contribute to something truly groundbreaking.”
Under Hyundai N’s direction, Cho Sungu and the Dspec team brought their proven expertise in drift car development to the project, working in collaboration with the High-Performance Marketing Team and the Namyang R&D Center to complete the IONIQ 5 N Drift Spec. Cho took it a step further—drawing on his years of racing experience to serve as the car’s driver. Behind the wheel of the Drift Spec, he delivered high-impact drift runs at major Hyundai N events around the world, including the global debut of the IONIQ 5 N at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, as well as official showcases in Japan, Australia, and Germany.
Two years after the debut of the IONIQ 5 N, Hyundai N made a return to Goodwood this year in celebration of the brand’s 10th anniversary. At this event, Hyundai N unveiled its second high-performance EV model, the IONIQ 6 N, for the first time. Once again, Cho took part—delivering dynamic drift runs in front of fans from around the world with the “IONIQ 6 N Drift Spec,” a show car he helped build in collaboration with Hyundai N.
“When I heard from Hyundai N that we would be building a Drift Spec for the IONIQ 6 N following the IONIQ 5 N, I was thrilled at the opportunity,” Cho recalled. “From design to performance, the objectives were clear. The aim was to build a higher-level drift car, and we were ready for the challenge. Of course, it was not all smooth sailing—the timeline was tight. But the thought of taking on another exhilarating project with Hyundai N kept us going day and night. In the end, we completed a car that can stand proudly alongside some of the best drift machines in the world.”
Cho Sungu recalled being genuinely surprised the first time he encountered the IONIQ 6 N for the drift show car project. “I was blown away by how precisely the drift could be controlled,” he said. “Thanks to the next-generation suspension geometry, both cornering performance and high-limit handling have been significantly enhanced. The improved Drift Optimizer also allows for detailed, individual parameter adjustments. For the IONIQ 6 N Drift Spec, the front drive shafts were removed during tuning to eliminate front motor intervention—converting the car to full rear-wheel drive. A dedicated steering angle kit was also installed at the front, enabling up to 66 degrees of steering angle. It felt as though the car had been reborn for drifting.”
As Cho described, the IONIQ 6 N Drift Spec underwent major modifications in preparation for its latest show run. Disabling the front motor was no simple task. Cho went on to explain the steps behind its development in more detail.
“Since electric vehicles allow for fewer external modifications, outside teams have limited freedom to make changes independently. That’s why collaboration with the R&D center is essential. This time, there were numerous specific requests aimed at achieving more precise drift performance. I was genuinely impressed to see that, after extensive research and testing, the Namyang R&D Center was able to deliver on every one of them. It made me realize how genuinely passionate Hyundai N is about its cars. This project gave me new energy and motivation—and it’s the reason we were able to deliver a more complete drift performance than we did two years ago.”
Cho Sungu went on to say that it was not just the car that had changed over the past two years. “The crowd’s reaction was completely different this time. You could hear the applause and cheers for the IONIQ 6 N Drift Spec from far away—the atmosphere was electric, and the energy in the air was incredible. Even after the run, many spectators came by to ask questions about the car and share words of support and appreciation. It really made me feel just how much Hyundai N’s global fanbase has grown.”
In fact, Cho was not initially enthusiastic about electric vehicles. He believed they could never deliver the emotion and driving excitement of internal combustion cars. But the IONIQ 5 N—and later, the IONIQ 6 N—completely overturned those preconceptions.
“Hyundai N’s electrified models take full advantage of what makes electric vehicles unique to elevate the thrill of driving,” Cho said. “In some ways, they’re even more fun than high-performance internal combustion cars. As the technology continues to evolve, I look forward to seeing how EV dynamics develop—and just how far that sense of excitement can go. In that sense, I think Hyundai never stops challenging itself. It’s inspiring to see the company leading the charge in electrification, pushing boundaries, and creating new forms of value.”
Breaking Limits Every Day
Hearing his story made it clear just how deeply the word “challenge” resonates with him—and raised a natural question about what drives his continued pursuit of it. Cho shared the following insight.
“I had the opportunity to compete as a driver in Japan starting in 2016, thanks to a local team I connected with through work,” Cho said. “It was a tough journey from the start. I had to adapt to a new car, adjust to a different racing culture, and push myself to keep pace with top-tier drivers. Every step of that process was a challenge. In 2018, I finally achieved my first victory in an official competition. That win was especially meaningful—it came after overcoming so many obstacles. Since then, taking on challenges and overcoming adversity has become a powerful source of motivation.”
Cho describes himself as someone for whom challenge is a part of everyday life—a source of constant motivation and drive.
“I am not in it for any special reward. I simply set a goal, work relentlessly to achieve it, and then move on to the next. That is how I continue to find purpose and energy in my life. For me, there are no limits. Although I retired from racing to focus on my business, there is still much I want to accomplish under my own name. Competing in time attack events with the Elantra N is one of them. Being part of Hyundai N’s high-performance EV development is also deeply meaningful—an opportunity to stand alongside Hyundai as it embraces the challenges of a new era.”
Every challenge begins with purpose. For Cho Sungu, the pursuit of new challenges is how he continues to fuel his passion for automobiles. Hyundai N’s journey in global motorsports follows a similar path—driven by a commitment to delivering exhilarating driving experiences and distinct value to enthusiasts worldwide. As Cho reminds us, a true challenge knows no limits. It is this shared spirit of relentless progress that propels both Cho and Hyundai N forward.
Words: Choi Hyunjin
Photos: Cho Hyuksu
