Futuristic Collaboration in Super Taikyu, Shaping the Car and Racing Industry
The Super Taikyu Series, a renowned endurance racing event from Asia, kicked off Round 2 of its 2023 season at Fuji International Speedway with a strong commitment to technological innovation and a greener future. The race, known as the NAPAC Fuji SUPER TEC 24 Hours Race, marked the 34th season of Super Taikyu and the 6th year for the Fuji 24 Hours.
At a press conference during the race, Harumi Kuwayama, head of the Super Taikyu Organization, highlighted the ST-Q class, a segment dedicated to development vehicles that have not been commercially released, often incorporating innovative technologies and fuels. The slogan "共挑" (co-challenge), displayed on each of the 6 ST-Q class cars in the 2023 race, symbolizes the manufacturers' shared determination to work together across company boundaries.
The ST-Q class has seen significant participation from major Japanese manufacturers in recent years. Notable participants in the 2025 series included Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, and Toyota, who collaborated on the development and use of low-carbon gasoline, a blend of conventional gasoline and plant-derived bioethanol. Honda also participated but chose to focus on rebuilding their team rather than joining the low-carbon gasoline project in 2025. Subaru, in particular, showcased the #61 Team SDA Engineering Subaru HiPerfX Future Concept in the 2025 Sugo race.
The Super Taikyu Series has become a platform for exploring carbon-neutral fuels and technologies. The development of low-carbon gasoline aligns with the broader goal of achieving a carbon-neutral society by reducing reliance on fossil fuels. In addition, the ST-Q class serves as a testing ground for new energy sources such as hydrogen, synthetic fuels, and biofuels.
The 2023 NAPAC Fuji SUPER TEC 24 Hours Race has also seen the introduction of newcomers to the ST-Q class, with the #271 Honda Racing CIVIC TYPE R CNF-R and the #230 Nissan Z Racing Concept from Nissan (NISMO) joining the carbon-neutral efforts. The number of carbon-neutral partners has reached new heights at this year's race.
President Sato discussed the "co-challenge" idea at a roundtable discussion during the race, emphasising the importance of the series as a platform for experimenting with technologies for a new era. The Super Taikyu Series, despite not being in the same league as Le Mans, aspires to follow in its footsteps, boosting endurance racing from Asia and contributing to the future of cars and motorsport. The race continues, with the Super Taikyu Series' ST-Q class providing an entertaining spectacle alongside its mission of technological experimentation under demanding conditions.
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- The Super Taikyu Series, a renowned racing event from Asia, witnesses collaboration among major Japanese manufacturers in the automotive industry, such as Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, Toyota, and Honda, who are jointly experimenting with low-carbon finance, like low-carbon gasoline, within the ST-Q class, highlighting their shared interest in technology and a greener future.
- In addition to carbon-neutral fuels, the ST-Q class also serves as a testing ground for alternative technologies in the transportation sector, with participants exploring hydrogen, synthetic fuels, and biofuels, thereby demonstrating the Super Taikyu Series' commitment to pushing the boundaries of technological innovation in the automotive and transportation industries.
