Hyundai Motor Company announced on the 8th (local time) that it will participate in the ‘2023 TCR China Championship’ with eight high-performance race cars, the Elantra N TCR (domestic name: Avante N TCR).

The launch ceremony was held alongside a ‘Track Day’ event, allowing Chinese customers to experience the performance of the N brand vehicles directly on the track. The Elantra N TCR, showcasing Hyundai’s high-performance technology, captivated the audience present at the event.

The TCR China Championship is structured similarly to the global top-tier touring car series ‘TCR World Tour’, where direct manufacturer participation is prohibited. Instead, professional racing teams purchase the manufacturer’s race cars for the customer racing program.

This year, two teams, ‘Hyundai N’ and ‘Z. Speed N’, featuring renowned Chinese professional drivers like Martin Gao, Andy Yan, Rainy He, Zhang Qiandong, and Yang Xiaowei, will compete in the Elantra N TCR, promising thrilling races ahead.

The 2023 TCR China Championship will kick off its first round from May 12 (Friday) to May 14 (Sunday) at the Shanghai International Circuit, followed by rounds in Zhejiang Province (2nd round, June 23-25), Zhuhai (3rd round, July 14-16), Shanghai (4th round, September 8-10), Chengdu (5th round, October 20-22), and Macau (6th round, November 17-19).

Til Battenberg, Senior Vice President of Hyundai’s N Brand and Motorsport Division, stated, “The Elantra N TCR is a representative model of Hyundai’s high-performance racing cars that showcased excellent driving performance and marketability, contributing to the overall championship victory in both driver and team categories at last year’s FIA WTCR. This year, we aim to support the Elantra N TCR in achieving great results in the TCR China Championship, enhancing the competitiveness of the Hyundai brand in China and solidifying the N brand fandom.”

Additionally, Hyundai debuted the design of ‘The New Elantra N’ for the first time in the world at the ‘2023 Shanghai International Auto Show’ in April, formally announcing its entry into the Chinese high-performance N brand market.

Hyundai plans to continue launching high-performance N models, starting with the introduction of ‘The New Elantra N’ in the second half of this year in China, followed by the first electrified model of the N brand, ‘Ioniq 5 N’, next year.

Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr