Can’t wait for the Grand Theft Auto VI? You’re not alone, because Hyundai just dropped its own version of the crime-focused video game franchise with a short video that is – dare we say – criminally funny.
It’s clear Hyundai’s 2024 WRC teams aren’t hurting for a sense of humor. WRC champion Ott Tanak and teammate Thierry Neuville are the “partners” in this short spoof, which mirrors the trailer for GTA VI right down to the music, voices, and to some degree, the scenes. No, you won’t see a woman twerking atop a car on the highway, but you will see Tanak’s co-driver Martin Jarveoja striking a picturesque pose, albeit without flowing blonde hair or bikini.
The GTA VI trailer currently has almost 170 million views on YouTube, so if you’re looking for a video catchy enough to spoof, it’s certainly a good choice. And as we see above (for better or worse) it’s not just a series of existing jump cuts showing Hyundai rally cars in action. Okay, it’s mostly that, but then we get that tender scene between Tanak and Neuville at the end, pledging trust to each other before busting through doors with power tools at the ready. Curiously, Tanak’s voice is considerably deeper than it was at the beginning, but that’s not the point. We’re talking comedy, after all. And this video makes us smile.
We give Hyundai credit for thinking outside the box. With the 2024 WRC season kicking off at the end of January, this is a clever way to get some pre-race attention. The teams of Tanak and Jarveoja along with Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe will drive the i20 N Rally1 Hybrid for the full season. But Hyundai isn’t necessarily preparing for a dominating run in the WRC. While a championship would certainly be nice, Hyundai Motorsport said in a statement that the team “views the upcoming season as another important step towards its goal for 2025 and 2026 – to be the manufacturer to beat in WRC.”
And if that doesn’t work out, there are always opportunities in Vice City.
