Why an Audi R8 and Supercharged M3 Owner Traded His Garage for a 641-HP Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

An owner whose past garage included a supercharged E90 BMW M3, a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 8, a Subaru WRX STi, and an Audi R8 recently made a swap that would sound like blasphemy to traditional car guys: he sold his gas performance setup for a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, calling it faster than his R8. For years, the formula for true driving engagement relied on high-revving internal combustion engines, manual or dual-clutch transmissions, and lightweight chassis design. Then Hyundai’s N division launched the 641-horsepower Ioniq 5 N, and conversion stories started flooding in from former owners of screaming V8s, turbocharged rally icons, and mid-engine supercars. For the 2026 model year, Hyundai dropped the starting MSRP of the Ioniq 5 N to $59,900—representing a $6,300 price reduction from previous years—and added a factory-installed native NACS charging port for direct access to Tesla Superchargers. To understand why the Ioniq 5 N resonates so deeply with former BMW M and Audi RS owners, you have to look at Albert Biermann, the former Head of BMW’s M Division who spearheaded its development. Biermann brought his chassis-first philosophy to Hyundai, tuning the chassis, suspension geometry, and electronic limited-slip differential (e-LSD) to behave like a true rear-biased sports car. Furthermore, Hyundai’s N e-Shift software simulates an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission by interrupting electric motor torque and bouncing off a virtual redline. While purists initially mocked it as a gimmick, converts report that artificial torque jolts and synthetic mechanical noise restore driver spatial awareness and rhythmic sensory cues for cornering entry. After 15,000+ miles of heavy daily driving and track runs, long-term owners report zero drivetrain maintenance downtime, while acknowledging heavy 4,860 lb tire wear and real-world highway range trade-offs.