Hyundai Motor Company and Toyota’s High-Performance Car Die-Hards Unite for Gymkhana Day

[Financial News] Hyundai Motor Company and Toyota, global automakers competing for leadership in the industry, have joined forces once again on the motorsports stage. The companies brought owners of their high-performance brands, Hyundai N and Toyota GR, to the track, formed mixed teams, and arranged cross-test drives of each other’s vehicles, breaking down barriers between the brands. The alliance between the leading Korean and Japanese companies is becoming stronger as they work to broaden the high-performance car base.
Hyundai Motor Company and Toyota Motor Korea announced on the 15th that they had held the ‘Hyundai N x Toyota GR Gymkhana Day’ on the 11th at Inje Speedium in Inje County, Gangwon Province.
The event was held about two years after the companies’ first joint festival at Everland Speedway in October 2024. About 80 people attended, including 40 owner-drivers—20 from each company—who are particularly interested in high-performance cars.
The event’s centerpiece, the gymkhana race, required participants to navigate a course in the shortest possible time while avoiding obstacles and using driving techniques such as acceleration, deceleration, and cornering. After the individual competition in the morning, the afternoon team event grouped two Hyundai N drivers and two Toyota GR drivers into teams of four. The focus was on enabling customers of both companies to enjoy motorsports itself and build camaraderie, rather than simply competing for the fastest times.
The cross-test drives, which broke down the barriers between the brands, also drew attention. Hyundai N owners drove the Toyota GR86 and Toyota GR Supra, while Toyota GR owners drove the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N and Hyundai IONIQ 6 N, directly experiencing the driving feel of the other brand’s vehicles.
For attendees who did not drive themselves, a taxi-driving program was also offered. Participants rode in vehicles driven by professional instructors and experienced the dynamism of high-performance cars.
Park Joon-woo, executive director of Hyundai’s N Management Office, said, "We are pleased to have created a forum where Hyundai N and Toyota GR can come together through their shared passion and interact beyond competition." He added, "We will continue to create opportunities for the two brands and their customers to communicate and enjoy activities together."
[email protected] Kim Dong-ho Reporter