Following the two executives’ show runs, the Hyundai N brand treated fans to dynamic show runs featuring its i20 N Rally 1 Hybrid, two i20 N Rally 2 competition cars for customer motorsport, the mass-produced high-performance N lineup – including IONIQ 5 N and ELANTRA N – and the IONIQ 5 N Drift Spec.Hyundai N’s show run drivers included Thierry Neuville, who is currently leading the 2024 WRC drivers’ championship, Dani Sordo, Andreas Mikkelsen, and Mikel Azcona, the 2022 World Touring Car Cup champion.Toyota demonstrated its high-performance lineup with dynamic show runs that featured the brand’s GR YARIS Rally 1 HYBRID, GR Yaris Rally 2, GR Supra and GR86.The drivers included current Toyota WRC driver Takamoto Katsuta, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally team principal Jari-Matti Latvala, and Norihiko Katsuta, a nine-time Japanese Rally champion and the father of Takamoto Katsuta.The festival included a variety of participatory programs to give customers firsthand experience, including a track day event that saw 30 Hyundai N-model owners and 30 owners of TOYOTA GR vehicles drive their own high-performance vehicles on the Yongin Speedway circuit. This allowed them to directly experience the performance of their cars on a professional-level circuit.Other immersive programs included the ‘WRC Taxi’, where customers got the opportunity to ride in a full WRC racing car to witness impressive rally-style maneuvers, and the ‘WRC Circuit Taxi’, where drivers from both companies – including master driver ‘Morizo’ himself – took passengers on a high-speed tour of the track, showcasing the full capabilities of each brand’s WRC vehicles.The event also featured a ‘Gymkhana Competition’, where professional drivers from Hyundai N and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing teamed up with customers to race in Hyundai’s Avante N and Toyota’s GR86. Additionally, the ‘Show & Shine’ corner of the event showcased participants’ customized vehicles, celebrating the tuning culture surrounding both brands.The event culminated in a ‘Parade Lap’ featuring 66 Hyundai N and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing vehicles driven by customers. Executive Chair Chung and Chairman Toyoda led the way. Hyundai Motor and Toyota Motor Corporation also showcased their respective next-generation high-performance vehicles at their respective brand booths during the event.At the Hyundai N booth, the company displayed two ‘Rolling Labs’: the RN24, a new test vehicle that embodies Hyundai N’s new vision of high performance, and the N Vision 74, a hydrogen fuel cell hybrid that underscores Hyundai Motor’s commitment to hydrogen innovation. The IONIQ 5 N TA Spec that conquered Pikes Peak and fan favorite the ELANTRA N were also exhibited.At the Toyota booth, several innovative models were showcased. These included the ORC ROOKIE GR Corolla H2 Concept, the AE86 H2 concept – a hydrogen internal combustion engine powered vehicle based on the Toyota Sprinter Trueno. Alongside these, concept cars from the high-performance lineup, including the GR Supra and the GR86, were also on display.Other attractions included the ‘WRC Game Zone’, where attendees could virtually drive Hyundai N and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing vehicles through the racing simulator. This was joined by the ‘Racing Car Service Park’ where festival goers could watch the competition race car being serviced in prepared for events exactly as they would in WRC stage.At the event, Hyundai Motor and Toyota Motor Corporation announced that they will donate all proceeds from ticket sales to the Korea Automobile Racing Association (KARA) to contribute to the development of domestic car culture and the expansion of motorsport.

Automobile Magazine – NEWS

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR