Hyundai Motor today announced its partnership of MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) for the coming three seasons. The company sees this partnership as a great opportunity to showcase its high performance N Brand to fans of motorcycle racing and high performance cars.
“We are very excited to announce our partnership with WorldSBK because we share the same DNA. All N cars are corner rascals, and the essence of motorcycle racing is cornering. WorldSBK is the fastest production bike race, and all N cars are race track capable whilst providing sports car performance in everyday driving,” said Thomas Schemera, Executive Vice President and Head of High Performance Vehicle & Motorsport Division at Hyundai. “From our brand experience to driving experience, we will make this partnership a global platform for fans to ‘Feel the Feeling’ of N.”
Marc Saurina, WorldSBK Commerical and Marketing Director added, “I’m so happy to announce this news. We are thrilled to welcome Hyundai and its N performance division into WorldSBK. Hyundai is a global brand with great quality and performance, of which a similar definition could be applied to us. Our WorldSBK Official Safety Car drivers are already excited to drive the Hyundai N performance vehicles.”
Throughout this partnership, Hyundai will provide its i30 Fastback N as the Official Safety Car for WorldSBK races. The i30 Fastback N is the third Hyundai N high performance vehicle following i30 N and Veloster N, and will make its debut at the Paris Motor Show this October.
The partnership allows visitors to experience the N Brand models through on-site test drives, using race tracks and external circuits. The company will activate local markets through its regional offices and offer hospitality and various experiences to customers at each race. Through the WorldSBK’s infrastructure, it can efficiently build a global test drive platform that appeals to potential customers.
Hyundai Motorsport was first established to demonstrate the high performance capabilities of Hyundai vehicles, but has since successfully participated in a number of rally and racing events, including the FIA World Rally Championship, Nürburgring 24 Hours and TCR. Its high performance technology was redirected to passenger vehicles, giving birth to the N Brand. As a result, the Hyundai N Brand was first announced in 2015, followed by the launch of its first mass-produced vehicle, i30 N in 2017.
