Drift karts rock. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N rocks. Hyundai, in its infinite wisdom, decided to combine the two into this: The RN24, a tube shell with the barest bits of body wrapped around it. Oh, and the full 640 horsepower of the Ioniq 5 N.
Despite what you may think from the few body panels this isn’t just a stripped down Ioniq 5 N. Hyundai really seems to have had rallying in mind for the RN24, with some rally-inspired AWD software and a bit of fancy new battery packaging. Battery layouts may sound boring, but Hyundai claims the new layout allowed for a shorter wheelbase than the Ioniq 5 — as short as the i20 rally car.
Despite the rally mindset in its development, however, the RN24 looks like an absolute drift dream machine. I want to slide this car around a big parking lot for hours, days, possibly weeks without stopping. I’m imagining a system with a charging cable dangling down from a central point above the lot, supplying both power for the car and water for my human body. Like a sort of drift-Matrix situation, where I’m fully plugged in.
Hyundai will likely never sell the RN24, due to the whole “not being street legal” thing, but I would like it if they sold at least one. Preferably to me. Please give me this car so I can whip sick donuts through Brooklyn every day. I don’t care about the difficulties of car ownership in New York, it would be worth it for this.