According to Hyundai officials, the Elantra N will return for a second generation with a new gas engine, while international markets will lose the feisty i30 N. The latter will be replaced with the upcoming Ioniq 5 N, which is shaping up to be a 600-horsepower hot hatch of note.

Hyundai has become a significant player in the go-faster segment in a relatively short time. Its range of sporty N cars offers impressive performance at a fairly reasonable price and easily compares with more established players. The big turning point was Dr. Albert Biermann, who Hyundai poached from BMW's M department in 2014. Biermann has since retired but is still very much involved in an advisory role.

In a recent conversation with Biermann, Australian motoring publication CarExpert got the inside scoop on which N cars will be making it and what the future holds for the N brand as a whole. According to Biermann, the Hyundai Elantra N, known in Australia as the I30 N Sedan, will get to stretch its legs for another generation.

"The i30 N is quite safe, at least the sedan version, so we will see the next-generation car with a new petrol engine, as it's already in our long-range plans," said Biermann. Although Biermann does not detail which markets would be getting the second-generation Elantra N, it would be safe to assume that North America, one of Hyundai's largest markets, would be at the receiving end.

Unfortunately, tightening Euro 7 emissions restrictions means that our European brothers and sisters will not be receiving another ICE-powered N car, which opens up the door for the Ioniq 5 N or even a fully-electric i30 N hatchback.

"If we're talking EVs, then we could very well see an all-electric i30 N in a hatch body with our B- and C-segment plans, but it might take some time to get there, to get it right. So there is definitely a future for an i30 N hatch as an EV," said Biermann.

The Elantra N currently features a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that produces up to 276 horsepower and a 0-60 mph sprint time of only five seconds. Priced at just over $32,000, this car is an excellent bargain in a class dominated by established players such as the Honda Civic Type R and Volkswagen Golf R.

There is no word on what performance specs we can expect from the next-generation car, but since the Elantra N only made its debut in the US earlier this year, a replacement is still a few years away.