We knew it was coming as early as last year. Now, here's your first official look at the sixth and latest addition to Hyundai's high-performance N range, the Elantra N. 

Like its sporty brethren, the Elantra N's 'racecar look' is evident in the bright red accents running along the lower edges of the car. Hyundai claims that the aggressive side sills actually boost performance by improving airflow. They also create the 'effect of a lower chassis' – it does seem to sit a lot closer to the ground than the standard CN7 saloon we're used to in Malaysia.

We can also see a set of snazzy 19-inch alloys wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S rubbers, with massive N-badged (also red) brake calipers lurking behind the spokes. Over in the back, an N-exclusive rear spoiler will give tuner fans who love the goalposts on things like the Subaru WRX STI, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo and Civic Type R some food for thought. Hyundai says this bit of wing 'counteracts lift by preventing airflow from tumbling over the rear edge', all in the name of improved high-speed stability. There's a huge exhaust tip at the bottom of the bumper too. Let's hope it sounds as good as it looks. 

Although not officially confirmed at time of writing, the Elantra N will likely derive its powertrain from the Kona N, which gets 276bhp and 392Nm of twist from the Korean carmaker's most powerful two-litre turbo to date. This should be paired to an eight-speed DCT that sends power exclusively to the front wheels, which doesn't sound particularly convincing on paper. But let's not forget that the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Civic Type R are front-driven too – we'll have to see if Honda sticks to the same formula with the 11th-generation Civic. 

What do you think; does N have what it takes to be the new R/GTI?