Albert Biermann, the long-time head honcho of BMW’s M division, whose switch to Hyundai has spawned a Golf GTI competitor, the i30N, sure hopes that you’d believe so.
The former BMW guru who now spearheads Hyundai’s performance subdivision, ironically called the N Division, has seen his i30N praised and lauded by foreign journalists but over here, we’ve only been caressed by the “Biermann touch” in the form of a Hyundai Elantra Turbo.
If you’ve followed Hyundai’s developments from the early 2000’s, the Elantra name would not be one to raise hairs or even induce the slightest bit of excitement. While the current 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated model still needs a kick in the rear end to feel alive, the Elantra Turbo on the other hand, has been a heck of a surprise package.
And now at just a whisker over RM 120,000 after the 0% GST effect, it’s a more compelling package for a performance sedan; capable of replicating the image that Biermann’s former company has built for the BMW 3-series – but even cheaper, if we’re not over-exaggerating.
