Hyundai Ioniq 5 N cited as development benchmark for AMG and Ferrari performance EVs
MotorTrend reports the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N was used as a test and development reference during work on the Mercedes-AMG GT 4 Door Coupe and the Ferrari Luce EV, crediting the Hyundai's software-based driver-engagement systems with shaping rival performance-EV thinking.
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A Hyundai as an AMG and Ferrari development reference
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N has been used as a test and development benchmark by both Mercedes-AMG and Ferrari, according to reporting by MotorTrend. The publication's long-time contributor Angus MacKenzie writes that he learned recently that both automakers had tested Ioniq 5 Ns during development of their new Mercedes-AMG GT 4 Door Coupe and Ferrari Luce EVs, after previously discussing the Hyundai's driver-engagement ideas with Mercedes-AMG CEO Michael Schiebe and Ferrari development test driver Raffaele de Simone. 1
MotorTrend frames the finding as evidence of a shift in performance-EV development priorities, arguing the Ioniq 5 N helped shape key ideas underpinning what it calls Version 2.0 halo EVs for the two brands. Until recently, the outlet notes, the idea of a Hyundai serving as a development reference for AMG and Ferrari would have been unthinkable. This is MotorTrend's account of the engineering connection; it does not claim either manufacturer adopted the Hyundai's systems wholesale. 1
What rivals are said to have taken from the Ioniq 5 N
According to MotorTrend, Mercedes-AMG's electric powertrain in the GT 4 Door Coupe wraps its performance modes in internal-combustion stylings, including a V-8 soundtrack digitised from recordings of actual AMG engines and fake gearshifts replicating the feel and duration of the AMG Speedshift nine-speed wet-clutch automated manual. The publication describes this as a clear adaptation of the Ioniq 5 N driver-engagement template. 1
On the Ferrari side, MotorTrend reports that Ferrari engineers admit the Ioniq 5 N informed development of the Luce's paddle-controlled regenerative braking and torque-limitation system. The core idea in both cases traces back to the Hyundai's software-defined approach, which MotorTrend credits under the direction of former BMW M boss Albert Biermann with giving enthusiastic drivers a toolkit to change not only how the car performs but how it can be driven, even if it may ultimately be slower over a given stretch of road. 1
The systems behind the driver-engagement template
The features at the centre of the story are Hyundai's own: MotorTrend's contributor recalls driving an Ioniq 5 N prototype on snow and ice in Arjeplog, Sweden, in early 2023 and encountering simulated engine noise and gearshifts in the car's special N mode, along with software allowing drivers to set the powertrain for drifting and to manually adjust a 50/50 front/rear torque split. He describes it as the first EV that felt like a serious driver's car. 1
Hyundai Australia's product page sets out the same technology in its local-market form: N e-shift with an 8-speed N DCT-style virtual gearshift, N Active Sound + driving sounds, N Torque Distribution for front/rear power delivery, N Drift Optimiser, N Pedal, N Launch Control, N Battery Preconditioning with Drag and Track modes, and N Race sprint and endurance modes with N Track Maps timing. The page also lists a 10-second N Grin Boost power surge. 2
Specifications and Australian pricing
In Australia, Hyundai's website lists the IONIQ 5 N with maximum power of 448 kW, rising to 478 kW with N Grin Boost activated, a 0-100km/h time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 260km/h. These are maximum vehicle capability figures as stated by Hyundai. The company also states the car can recharge from 10 to 80 per cent in 18 minutes when connected to an 800V ultra-rapid charger, with charging times dependent on charger specifications, battery condition and ambient temperature. 2
Hyundai Australia prices the IONIQ 5 N from $121,275 without matte paint and the vision roof, with a listed drive-away estimate including registration, compulsory third party insurance, stamp duty, entered options and other statutory charges. Hyundai notes prices vary from state to state and that on-road costs vary according to individual circumstances, so the drive-away figure should be treated as an estimate rather than a fixed list price. 2
Awards and local standing
The IONIQ 5 N's local standing is well established. Hyundai Australia's page records the car as the Wheels Car of the Year 2024-25 winner, quoting Wheels COTY editor Andy Enright on blending EV performance with the involvement of a combustion-engined sports car, and as a 2024 Australian Good Design Awards winner in the Automotive and Transport category. These are accolades named on the manufacturer's own page rather than independently re-verified here. 2
That Australian track record gives extra context to MotorTrend's international claim. A car that a major motoring publication now describes as the world's most influential EV, and that AMG and Ferrari engineers reportedly benchmarked, has also been sold, awarded and supported in Australia since its launch, with Hyundai offering its standard 7-year unlimited-kilometre warranty conditions and N-owner community events locally. 2
What the claim does and does not establish
The comparison between Hyundai's approach and its rivals' should be read on like-for-like terms. MotorTrend's reporting establishes that the Ioniq 5 N was tested during the development of two rival performance EVs and that its ideas informed specific systems, not that the competing cars share Hyundai hardware, software or capability. The AMG's digitised V-8 soundtrack and the Ferrari's paddle-controlled braking system are each car-specific implementations, and MotorTrend stops short of claiming identical systems across the three vehicles. 1
For buyers, the significance is the direction of travel the reporting describes: performance-EV development increasingly values customisable, software-defined driver engagement over raw acceleration alone. Hyundai's Australian specifications and pricing stand on their own evidence, and the influence claim rests on the reporting of the named outlets and engineers rather than on any shared product platform. 12
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Cited in 7 paragraphs: A Hyundai as an AMG and Ferrari development reference; What rivals are said to have taken from the Ioniq 5 N; The systems behind the driver-engagement template; What the claim does and does not establish.
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Why these labels?IONIQ 5 N | Electric Sports Car | Eco | Hyundai Australia
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