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Hyundai wowed new car show audiences last year with the N Vision 74. The concept car looks super retro-futuristic cool. Then, it looked like we may get a production version of this cool Hyundai electric sports car. Now, Hyundai is saying “nope.”

Is Hyundai making a sports car?

Hyundai N Vision 74 and the original Hyundai Pony compared
Hyundai N Vision 74 and Hyundai Pony | Hyundai

According to Australia’s Drive, Hyundai will not launch a production version of the N Vision 74 called the Pony Coupe on May 27. Reports had said Hyundai would call May 27 Pony Day in honor of the Pony, which is also the name of the first coupe to carry a Hyundai badge.

Hyundai and its corporate twin Kia dove into the deep end producing electric cars, and an EV sports car would certainly seem like the next move. The Kia EV6 and new EV9, as well as the Hyundai sub-brand of electric cars called Ioniq are gaining fans and sales. Whether the new car will be branded as an Ioniq or a Hyundai is unclear. But it is clear that Hyundai needs a sports car in its lineup. The Genesis Coupe was killed several years ago and Hyundai has had an all-sedan, truck, and SUV lineup since.

Will the Hyundai Pony Coupe be electric?

The Hyundia N Vision 74 concept got a hydrogen/electric powertrain. Hydrogen is gaining in popularity as an alternative fuel source that doesn’t pollute. However, hydrogen cars are still mainly in the test phase. Hyundai, however, has a new platform under the Ioniq 5 that could power a sports car, and very well at that. The N Vision 74 concept makes 671 horsepower from its electric hydrogen hybrid drive.

The Ioniq 5 can be had with a 320-horsepower all-wheel drive setup that launches it to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds. Those are sports car numbers for sure. The Kia EV6 GT, however, can catapult to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds with its 576-horsepower setup.

What are the chances of a new Hyundai electric sports car?

The original Pony Coupe design
The original Pony concept | Hyundai

Car and Driver reported in February that one of Hyundai’s executives wants to build the vehicle. But wanting to build a car and investing millions in the tooling to do it are two different things. But the buzz around the N Vision 74 has been gargantuan, and Hyundai did think it was possible earlier this year.

The N Vision 74 gets it retro styling from a the Pony Coupe design by legendary Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro from the 1970s. Giugiaro designed the DMC Delorean, De Tomasso Mangusta and the original Maserati Ghibli and Bora. He also designed the Volkswagen Scirocco, and you can see some of that design language in the N Vision 74.

Many of Hyundai’s new electric cars like the Ioniq 5 have 1980s-inspired lines with broad shoulders at the front and square headlights.

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Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.