Hyundai Canada is celebrating its wins in the TCR series by releasing a special Elantra N. The Hyundai Elantra N TCR Edition can only be ordered through a special process. It has a bigger wing and better brakes. The Elantra N TCR Edition faces few obstacles in potentially entering the US market. Hyundai entered the North American market in 1983 with its first vehicle, a compact four-door hatchback named the Pony, which featured a 70-horsepower engine. Japan’s Honda used Canada as a test market for the S600 in the 1960s, long before the N600 came to the US. Mazda did the same with the rotary-powered R100. The US and Canadian car markets are pretty much the same, but in Canada, automakers sometimes take a small step into the market before making a bigger move. If Hyundai Canada’s latest product is any indication, a special offer for car enthusiasts may be on the horizon for the southern part of the country. The Elantra N TCR Edition lives up to its name, serving as Hyundai’s answer to the 911 GT3. Hyundai has added forged wheels and four-piston monoblock calipers to the front brakes of the already great Elantra N. The very large swan-neck changeable rear wing is another feature that stands out. On the inside of the TCR, there are periwinkle blue seatbelts, Alcantara touch points, and other visual improvements. You can still choose between a six-speed manual or a dual-clutch automatic transmission, and the outside comes in four colors (two fewer than the standard Elantra N). However, it is only available in limited numbers and needs to be ordered in advance from Hyundai Canada. Furthermore, the TCR Edition runs on a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that generates 286 horsepower in overboost mode—identical to the output of the standard Elantra N. That power is more than sufficient, as Hyundai’s primary focus with its N models is to provide drivers with precision handling that fully harnesses the potential of a turbocharged four-cylinder. Enhanced brakes and slightly reduced aerodynamic drag also position this Elantra variant to achieve faster lap times. Hyundai won its seventh TCR class race last month, coming in first and second place in the Nurburgring 24-Hour race. Canadian racer Robert Wickens, a former DTM and IndyCar driver who survived a terrible accident at Pocono Raceway in 2018 and has since returned to professional motorsports even though he is paralyzed, was part of the try. Like the Yugo in the US, the first Hyundai Pony was a bad car that made people laugh across the line. Even though it got off to a rough start, Hyundai has become a world-class brand in both areas. The release of the TCR Edition Elantra in Canada reflects the company’s growing confidence in its performance lineup. The TCR Edition, which costs about $3500 more than the regular Elantra N, seems like a good deal for speed that is based on motorsports. If Hyundai’s US businesses wanted to do the same thing, they could, since the cars can only be ordered in advance, and dealers wouldn’t need to be pushed to have them. Hyundai USA will definitely keep an eye on how well the TCR Edition does in the United States.
