Waving away the tire smoke, two of the most powerful men in the automobile world emerged from a Toyota Yaris WRC and stepped up onto the stage. Akio Toyoda grinned, took a breath and delivered a single word that said it all.
“Saranghaeyo!”
To the thousands of Koreans standing before him it meant one thing. “I love you.”
Those feelings were reciprocated. And then some.
Sunday’s inaugural Hyundai N x Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival was both the first of its kind and the latest in a long line of such initiatives. Hyundai has been hosting these kind of events for two decades now, but never with its Sea of Japan neighbor with it.
Jaws dropped with the IONIQ 5 N Drift Spec, then fell further with a seemingly endless stream of sideways Rally1 and Rally2 cars finally hit the floor, when Hyundai stars Thierry Neuville, Andreas Mikkelsen and Dani Sordo took the wheel of a Toyota GR86 and Toyota men Takamoto Katsuta (and his dad, nine-time Japanese champion Norihiko) and Jari-Matti Latvala climbed aboard the Hyundai Avante N for a gymkhana-style competition.
Toyota's drivers got to sample Hyundai machinery, as the Hyundai drivers tried Toyotas
But this wasn’t just a day for fans and folk to come along and look. They played their part. Some were given hot laps in World Rally Cars, while others joined a 66-strong line up for a parade lap of the Yongin Speedway in N and GR metal.
It was a sight to behold. And Sunday was a lesson in just what can be achieved when manufacturer worlds collide.
Hyundai Motor group executive chair Euisun Chung said: “When I met with [Toyota Motor Corporation] chairman Akio Toyoda earlier this year, we discovered our mutual passion for racing, and I was delighted that we could hold this event. Chairman Toyoda is someone in the automotive industry that I respect deeply, and it’s an honor to be here with him today,”
Toyoda reflected that warmth, saying: “Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of meeting with executive chair Chung in Japan, where this wonderful idea took shape. And here we are, just 10 months later, making this incredible event a reality!
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who helped bring this event to life. Together, Toyota and Hyundai are joining hands to create a better society and shape the future of mobility.”
Fans were a big part of the festival which Hyundai and Toyota used to declare their shared vision for mobility
For rally fans, arguably the most encouraging words came from Chung. While the Korean brand still leads the chase for both World Rally Championship titles, it can’t shake the rumors of a potential departure from the series at the end of next season.
Sunday was no day for big group policy statements, but Chung certainly caught the attention of the watching masses when he said: “With our high-performance N brand, we’re committed to delivering excitement and satisfying all car enthusiasts. We’ll continue to push forward in motorsport alongside Toyota so that more people can enjoy the thrill of driving.”
Now, if you’re a cynic, you’d point out that Hyundai could easily push forward alongside Toyota in the World Endurance Championship. But if you’d seen the reception rallying gave Chung and Toyoda on Sunday, you could only imagine a very bright future for these two Far Eastern giants of the stage.
Whether Sunday was about turning tides or not, the Hyundai N x Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival couldn’t have turned more heads. If ever there was a demonstration of how to run a rally roadshow, Sunday was it.
Chung and Toyoda, our world salutes you. And thanks you.
