In another example of life imitating art, a new real-world racing series in the United Kingdom will offer up a really rather unusual prize to the overall champion: a 22-year old, first generation Mazda Demio.
The series goes by the name of Turismo X, and is a replacement for the MSVT SuperCup, run by the MotorSport Vision brand which owns a significant number of the UK’s famous racing circuits.
Reminiscent of Gran Turismo’s Clubman Cup, the series is open to any production or production-based sedan, hatchback, or sports car, with a minimum weight of 600kg (1,350lb) and no more than 300hp/tonne. Four- and all-wheel drive cars aren’t allowed, and there’s a mandatory tire, but otherwise entrants can drive pretty much anything.
The calendar will see the cars heading to Anglesey, Brands Hatch, Donington Park, Oulton Park, Snetterton, and Silverstone, with two 20-minute races at each in a 12-race series running from April to November.
As well as a drive in a round of the 2023 EnduroKA series for each of the four class winners, Turismo X will offer the 2000 Mazda Demio to the overall series champion. It’s the first time the series or its predecessors have given a car as a prize.
Unsurprisingly, it’s inspired by Gran Turismo, with the game series celebrating its 25th anniversary this year as well as the launch of Gran Turismo 7. Long-term series fans will recall that the Demio was of the cars you could buy to start the original game, as well as being a prize car for the entry level Sunday Cup in “hot” A-Spec form.
The car, plucked from classified ads for around £1,000 ($1,350), will be prepared and serviced by series sponsor Darkside Developments, ordinarily a specialist Volkswagen tuner and the UK’s official dealer for the KTM X-Bow, before being delivered to the lucky winner in November.
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