While no one will ever agree on which iteration of Batman on film is the best, everyone at least has their favorites, and the same goes for people and their favorite Batmobiles. We’ve seen our caped crusader drive everything from comic book fantasies to modified vintage Chargers and actual tanks. Now a new car has been revealed that I think should be Batman’s next ride, at least in my dream movie: the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N “NPX1" concept, which just debuted at the Tokyo Auto Salon.
If the three gas-powered N models and the apparently phenomenal Ioniq 5 N didn’t already convince you that Hyundai is serious about building enthusiast-focused performance cars, especially in the electric era, then the NPX1 will. Hyundai says it previews parts that will be actually available for customers to purchase globally through the N Performance Parts catalog “in the near future,” so even you will be able to look like Batman.
There’s a new front bumper with a more horizontal design that makes the Ioniq 5 N‘s front end look even more robotic, with a more aggressive carbon-fiber splitter, larger intakes and new canard elements that connect to the front fenders. The deeper side skirts are also carbon, and the new rear bumper is essentially all diffuser — it looks like it came straight off a race car, and there’s no more fake vent along the upper edge. The NPX1 also has a massive carbon-fiber rear wing that sits on top of the existing spoiler. Hyundai doesn’t say, but it also looks like the fender flares are slightly wider, and the rear flare has no intake at the leading edge.
All of the badges are blacked out, of course, and the NPX1 has an extremely cool “ghost” stripe along the flank. The pinstriping along the edges of the body kit is the N brand’s signature Performance Blue color, which I much prefer to the standard Ioniq 5 N’s orange edges. But the NPX1 isn’t just about cosmetics. It’s also fitted with lowering springs, high-performance brake pads and “lightweight hybrid carbon wheels,” which have a bit of an aero ring style to them. No interior photos have been released yet, but the NPX1 also has racing bucket seats and more Alcantara trim.
Hyundai says the NPX1's prototype parts will continue to be developed, and they will be available in 2024. The Ioniq 5 N will be hitting dealers in March, but Hyundai still hasn’t said how much it will cost. In the release for the NPX1, vice president of the N brand management group Joon Park talked about Hyundai’s commitment to tuning parts, also announcing that the brand would offer OTA performance updates:
In 2024, Hyundai Motor Company will take a step forward as a leader in new tuning parts suitable for the high-performance EV era as demonstrated with the ‘NPX1’ concept model. Not limited to tuning parts, we are also developing software customization such as sound and vehicle calibration by OTA updates which will open a completely new category of EV customization for an exciting future ahead for the tuning community.
Batman doesn’t really have super powers per se; he’s a silly detective that uses a mix of technology, cunning, skill and style to beat the bad guys. In a way, I think that’s exactly what the Ioniq 5 N does, too. While yes, the Ioniq 5 N has a number of major mechanical performance enhancements, all of its best tricks are thanks to software and the EV platform. It has a mode that simulates a dual-clutch transmission, a simulated clutch-kick feature, variable torque distribution with a drift mode, a boost button and different modes for drag racing or track driving. There are even different sound themes that range from replicating actual engine noise to futuristic spaceship sounds.
As for my Batman movie, I’m thinking it would be an A24 production, with the tone and art style like the Joel Schumacher films (my favorites by far) and the realism a little closer to the Matt Reeves films (which I enjoy). I’m envisioning Jonathan Bailey as gay Batman, some hottie newcomer actor as his boyfriend Robin, Ayo Edibiri as his bff Catwoman, and a Charli XCX soundtrack. All that the NPX1 would need to fit perfectly into my Batman movie is underglow. For those of you saying that underglow isn’t coming back — it already has, baby.
In the climax of my film, Batman will sacrifice his NPX1 to defeat the baddie in some spectacular way, and the final scene would be Pennyworth (Nathan Lane, duh) presenting him with his next Batmobile: the Hyundai N Vision 74. That’s the only worthy choice for what Batman would drive in my sequel, obviously.
