Lamborghini Looks to Be Benchmarking the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

It’s not the least bit uncommon for automakers to check out the competition. But a recent video from Varryx begs the question: are Lamborghini and Hyundai really competitors?

Camped outside Lamborghini’s headquarters in Sant’Agata Bolognese for some car spotting, the shooter for this video presents the normal cavalcade of camo-wrapped supercars entering and exiting a secured, gated driveway. We’ve seen such a parade of Lamborghinis from this location many times, occasionally joined by Ferraris or other supercars. So it was a shock to see an Ioniq 5 N emerge from the gate and silently pass by the camera. And it wasn’t a one-time thing—the same Performance Blue Hyundai returned to the driveway later in the video.

It’s certainly possible this Ioniq 5 N could simply belong to someone at the facility, but frankly, Lamborghini has every reason to benchmark this EV. Its 641-horsepower dual-motor powertrain is comparable to the Urus, but the way Hyundai delivers that power to the ground borders on witchcraft. The plucky crossover sticks when you want it to, or drifts at will for the sheer fun of it. Several Motor1 staffers have sampled the Ioniq both on the street and track and it’s never failed to elicit grins. We even did our own Lambo-Hyundai comparo in the Cool Car Cup, and it nearly won.

That’s not to say the Ioniq 5 N will influence the bonkers V-12 hybrid Revuelto. But the Italian brand could certainly do worse than benchmark Hyundai for its first EV, now slated to arrive in 2029. Previewed by the Lanzador concept in 2023, it will be a crossover with space for four passengers. The concept was announced with a staggering 1,341 hp, but as is often the case with concepts, few details on the powertrain were revealed. We wouldn’t be surprised if the production EV has such an output—this is Lamborghini after all.

But as Hyundai showed us with the Ioniq 5 N, power and poise can make a fun performance machine something special. That’s why we aren’t the least bit surprised to see this car prowling Lamborghini’s neighborhood.