Hyundai, Toyota to stage GR Festival in Korea

MANILA: Hyundai Motor Company, in partnership with Toyota Motor Corporation, will stage a joint motorsport event in South Korea.

Dubbed Hyundai N x Toyota Gazoo Racing (GR) Festival, the said automotive expo will be held at the Everland Speedway in Yong-in on October 27, 2024.

Per the Seoul-headquartered carmaker, the said event aims to showcase high-performance models and racing cars from both companies, while also providing Korean fans with unparalleled opportunities to experience the thrilling world of motorsport.

“We are excited to welcome the Toyota Gazoo Racing team, our competitors in the WRC (World Rally Championship), to Korea. This event will emphasize the fierce competition and friendship that coexist in motorsport and is an opportunity to demonstrate the pure passion for cars shared by both Hyundai and Toyota, as well as our commitment to further expand motorsport culture in the future,” Hyundai Global Operations Division Executive Vice President Yeong Ho Lee stated.

The two brands will host a track day event at the Hyundai N x Toyota GR Festival where customers can immerse themselves in high-performance culture and witness Hyundai N and Toyota GR vehicles in action.

Below are the race cars — from the respective brands — that will make an appearance at the joint motorsport event:

Hyundai

• i20 N Rally 1 Hybrid
• i20 N Rally 2
• Ioniq 5 N
• Elantra N

Per Hyundai, the i20 N Rally 1 Hybrid and i20 N Rally 2 cars will be driven by Hyundai Motorsport WRC drivers Thierry Neuville, Dani Sordo, and Andreas Mikkelsen.

On the other hand, the Ioniq 5 N and Elantra N — both of which have been previewed here at the Manila International Auto Show 2024 — will be driven by Hyundai Touring Car Racing drivers Norbert Mischelis and Mikel Azcona.

Toyota

• GR Yaris Rally 1 Hybrid
• GR Yaris Rally 2
• GR Supra GR86

As for Toyota, the abovementioned cars will be driven by the marque’s current WRC drivers Takamoto Katsuta, Norihiko Katsuta (nine-time Japan Rally Champion, father of Takamoto Katsuta), and Jari-Matti Latvala (Toyota GR World Rally Team Principal).

Future-oriented prototypes — which we have listed below — will also be presented at the Hyundai N x Toyota GR Festival:

Hyundai

• Ioniq 5 N Drift Spec
• N Vision 74 (hydrogen-powered)
• Ioniq 5 N TA Spec (Pikes Peak record-holder)

Toyota

• AE86 H2 Concept (hydrogen combustion engine, based on Sprinter Trueno)
• GR Corolla (liquid hydrogen-powered)

In addition, racing cars and professional drivers from each company’s World Rally Team will showcase a thrilling demo drive, reminiscent of an actual rally.

Attendees can also experience the performance of these competition vehicles firsthand through a unique test ride.

“We’re glad that Hyundai N and Toyota Gazoo Racing, which are competitors in world motorsport, are working together to create an opportunity to enjoy car culture beyond motorsport. Toyota remains committed to furthering and strengthening motorsports culture,” Toyota Motor Korea Chief Executive Officer and President Manabu Konyama noted.

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung and Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda will attend the special event.

Toyota GR Festival in PH

Filipino motorsport fans also got a similar experience when Toyota staged a GR Fest here in the country last year.

During the said event, Toyota Motor Philippines showcased the brand’s performance-oriented models such as the Toyota GR Yaris WRC, Red Bull GR Corolla, Toyota WRC Yaris, Toyota GR Supra, Toyota GR Yaris, and Toyota GR86.

The event gathered over 6,000 spectators at the Quirino Grandstand while some 2.6 million livestream viewers witnessed the thrilling motorsports action online.

Toyoda — who races under the name Morizo — graced the event and wowed fans with his driving and drifting skills.

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