A High-Performance Hyundai Inster Concept Is Coming

The Hyundai Inster is a car you can’t help but look at and go ‘awwwww!’ It’s like a little digital electric puppy, but now it’s getting ready to properly bare its teeth, because Hyundai is prepping a very serious-looking performance concept version of its baby EV.

In some of the best punning we’ve seen from the car industry, it’s set to be called the Insteroid. That’s an appropriate name because, based on the teaser pics Hyundai’s released, this thing looks swole AF.

We can see some properly outrageous flared wheelarches, a spoiler that looks like it’s been taken straight from one of Hyundai’s WRC cars, and some supremely cool 21-inch turbofan wheel covers. We can’t quite work out what that big lever that says ‘GO! GO!’ on it is for, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed it’s a drift handbrake. The aesthetics, Hyundai says, are inspired by the world of racing games.

Hyundai’s keeping other details close to its chest for now, but this isn’t the first inkling we’ve had of this project. Last year, we saw the RN24, a skeletal prototype that blended the 641bhp powertrain from the superb Ioniq 5 N with WRC chassis kit and a silhouette with more than a hint of Inster about it.

If the Insteroid is indeed a development of this, then we suspect it’ll keep that same powertrain, which remains the only EV setup that we reckon is on par with a really good combustion powertrain.

That, in something as compact as an Inster and complete with those outrageous rally stage escapee looks is something we’re very much behind. The Insteroid, which is set for a full unveiling early next month, is set to remain just a concept car for now. We really hope Hyundai finds a way to build it, because let’s face it – the Renault 5 Turbo 3E shouldn’t have the retro rally-inspired smoke-pouring electric mega-hatch game all to itself.