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Hyundai CRATER Concept Joins The Crew Motorfest, Bringing XRT Off-Road Vision to Gaming

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Hyundai is taking its off-road ambitions into the digital world with the debut of the Hyundai CRATER Concept in The Crew Motorfest, Ubisoft Ivory Tower’s open-world racing game. The compact electric SUV concept, developed by Hyundai America Technical Center (HATCI) in Irvine, California, has arrived as part of the game’s Season 11 off-road-themed update.

The collaboration gives players around the world the opportunity to experience the adventurous character of the CRATER Concept while exploring the virtual landscapes of The Crew Motorfest. More importantly, it provides Hyundai with another platform to showcase the design direction behind its growing XRT off-road lineup.

Hyundai CRATER Concept brings XRT design to The Crew Motorfest

The CRATER Concept was created as a compact off-road electric SUV with a clear focus on exploration, rugged capability and adventure. Designed at Hyundai’s American technical center, the concept represents the next evolution of the brand’s XRT design philosophy.

Hyundai originally introduced the XRT trim in the U.S. market as its dedicated off-road-oriented specification. The XRT and more capable XRT PRO versions combine distinctive styling with enhanced capability and a more rugged character.

The company is now looking to expand the XRT concept across additional models and markets. The recently unveiled Hyundai TUCSON XRT PRO is the latest production vehicle to demonstrate how the philosophy is evolving.

CRATER takes that idea further by imagining what a future compact electric SUV with an XRT identity could look like.

According to Hyundai, the concept was developed around three key attributes: confidence, control and comfort in demanding off-road environments. Its digital debut therefore serves as more than a virtual vehicle launch—it is intended to introduce players to the broader design and lifestyle values behind Hyundai’s future XRT products.

A new way to experience the Hyundai CRATER Concept

The Crew Motorfest provides Hyundai with a particularly appropriate environment for the CRATER Concept. Ubisoft’s open-world racing game is built around automotive culture, exploration and vehicle customization, allowing players to experience vehicles in a much more interactive environment than a traditional digital advertisement.

The Hyundai CRATER Concept can be driven across the game’s varied environments, while players can also personalize the vehicle to create their own interpretation of an off-road build.

One of the most notable additions is a new Winch feature. Players can use the winch to negotiate difficult terrain, recover the vehicle from obstacles and even pull objects out of their path.

That functionality reinforces the concept’s intended character as an exploration-focused off-road vehicle rather than simply another performance machine in the game’s extensive garage.

Players can also display their creations through Custom Show, The Crew Motorfest’s community-focused feature, while TrackForge allows them to design and share custom racing and off-road courses.

Influencers will put CRATER through its virtual paces

Hyundai and Ubisoft Ivory Tower are also extending the collaboration beyond the game itself through a series of activities involving gaming influencers.

The program includes in-game vehicle reviews focused on the CRATER Concept’s off-road design, a dedicated off-road course created specifically for the vehicle using TrackForge, and live races in which players can compete alongside influencers.

The approach gives Hyundai an opportunity to turn the CRATER Concept into an interactive experience rather than simply placing it inside the game.

It also fits with The Crew Motorfest’s emphasis on community participation, allowing players to explore, modify and race the Hyundai concept in ways that would not be possible with a conventional automotive marketing campaign.

Hyundai expands its presence in gaming

The CRATER Concept’s arrival in The Crew Motorfest is part of a much larger digital strategy for Hyundai.

The automaker has increasingly used gaming platforms to reach younger and more digitally engaged audiences, recognizing that games have become important environments for discovering automotive brands and products.

Hyundai first launched an official experience on Roblox in 2021, becoming the first global automaker to do so. Since then, the company has expanded its gaming presence through platforms and titles including Fortnite, Rocket League, Top Eleven and Asphalt Legends.

The Crew Motorfest represents another step in that strategy, but with a particularly strong emphasis on vehicle culture and off-road exploration.

Hyundai Global Chief Marketing Officer Sungwon Jee said the partnership reflects the changing way consumers experience automotive brands, with gaming ecosystems becoming an increasingly important part of that relationship.

The company sees the CRATER Concept as a way to introduce both the vehicle and the future direction of its XRT family to a global gaming audience.

The Crew Motorfest becomes a new showroom for Hyundai

The Crew Motorfest has established itself as one of Ubisoft’s flagship open-world racing games, combining a large virtual environment with a strong focus on automotive culture. The game has attracted a substantial audience, particularly in North America and Europe, making it an appealing platform for an international automotive brand.

For Hyundai, the partnership also creates an opportunity to introduce design concepts that may not yet exist as production vehicles.

The CRATER Concept is not simply another virtual car. It provides an early look at how Hyundai could translate its rugged XRT identity into the electric SUV era, combining the growing popularity of EVs with an increasingly adventure-focused design language.

That combination could become particularly significant as Hyundai expands its electric SUV portfolio and continues developing differentiated lifestyle-oriented models.

More Hyundai vehicles are coming

The CRATER Concept is only the beginning of Hyundai’s involvement with The Crew Motorfest.

Following the concept’s introduction, Hyundai says additional vehicles from its lineup will be added to the game through a phased rollout. The automaker also plans to introduce a broader selection of vehicles and brand experiences in future seasons.

That suggests Hyundai’s partnership with Ubisoft Ivory Tower is intended to become a long-term digital platform rather than a one-off promotional campaign.

For players, it means more Hyundai models to discover and customize. For Hyundai, it provides another way to establish a connection between its physical vehicles, future concepts and the increasingly influential world of gaming.

Hyundai CRATER Concept points toward the future of XRT

The arrival of the Hyundai CRATER Concept in The Crew Motorfest is significant because it connects several of Hyundai’s current priorities: electric mobility, rugged SUV design, XRT branding and digital customer engagement.

While the CRATER remains a concept, its role in the game gives players a chance to experience the design philosophy Hyundai is developing around future off-road-oriented vehicles.

With the XRT and XRT PRO families expanding and more Hyundai vehicles scheduled to enter The Crew Motorfest, the CRATER Concept could prove to be an early indication of how Hyundai intends to combine electric mobility and off-road adventure in its next generation of SUVs.

For now, the CRATER’s most accessible playground is digital. But its appearance in The Crew Motorfest makes one thing clear: Hyundai’s XRT adventure is increasingly moving beyond conventional showrooms and into entirely new automotive environments.

Source: Hyundai

NEW CARS

Nissan Frontier Pro / Navara Pro Goes Global: New PHEV Pickup Leads Nissan’s Next Growth Push

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Nissan is taking a major step in its global product strategy with the international rollout of the new Frontier Pro and Navara Pro pickup, a model designed to combine traditional pickup toughness with electrification, advanced technology and everyday usability.

Developed and manufactured in China by Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile Co., Ltd., the new pickup represents a significant milestone for Nissan. It is the first Nissan model developed and produced in China specifically for global export, marking a new phase in the company’s use of China as a center for vehicle development, engineering and manufacturing.

The Nissan Frontier Pro will make its global debut in Mexico in October 2026, before expanding into other Latin American markets. The same vehicle will be sold as the Nissan Navara Pro in the Philippines and Middle Eastern markets, with Australia and New Zealand scheduled to receive it in 2027.

Nissan Frontier Pro Brings Electrification to the Pickup Segment

One of the biggest developments behind the new Frontier Pro / Navara Pro is Nissan’s decision to offer electrified powertrains alongside conventional internal-combustion technology.

The pickup has been developed with 1.5-liter and 2.0-liter plug-in hybrid powertrains, as well as a conventional petrol/diesel internal-combustion engine option, depending on the market.

The PHEV version is particularly significant because it becomes Nissan’s first electrified pickup truck.

Nissan says powertrain availability will be tailored to individual markets. The plug-in hybrid version is planned for Latin America, ASEAN and Oceania, while the internal-combustion version will be offered in the Middle East.

That approach allows Nissan to introduce electrification where customer demand and infrastructure support it, while continuing to offer conventional powertrains in markets where combustion engines remain the preferred solution.

The PHEV model also gains Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability, allowing the pickup to supply electrical power to external equipment. For customers using the vehicle for work, outdoor activities or remote applications, that feature could make the Frontier Pro more than simply a means of transportation.

A New Global Nissan Pickup Developed in China

The Frontier Pro / Navara Pro is also important because of where it was developed.

Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile Co., Ltd., Nissan’s joint venture in China, is responsible for the vehicle’s development and manufacturing. The company says the pickup is built to Nissan’s global standards for quality and durability.

This makes the Frontier Pro / Navara Pro the first Nissan model developed and produced in China for global export.

China has increasingly become an important development and manufacturing hub for global automakers, and Nissan is now using that capability as part of its international growth strategy.

The company says China will play an increasingly important role in product innovation, engineering and manufacturing, helping Nissan respond more quickly to changing customer requirements around the world.

The strategy extends beyond the new pickup. Nissan has also announced plans to export its N7 electrified sedan, developed in China, to markets including ASEAN and Latin America.

Frontier Pro Targets Work, Family and Everyday Driving

While electrification is one of its defining characteristics, Nissan says the Frontier Pro / Navara Pro has been designed around a broader objective: creating a pickup that can serve multiple roles.

The new model combines a rugged exterior with a spacious five-seat cabin and a more refined interior designed for everyday use.

That means Nissan is targeting customers who may use their pickup for work during the week but also expect it to function as a family vehicle, long-distance cruiser or recreational machine.

The combination of durability, comfort and technology is increasingly important in the global pickup market, where buyers expect trucks to offer significantly more refinement than previous generations.

Nissan is positioning the Frontier Pro / Navara Pro around precisely that balance.

More Than 90 Years of Nissan Pickup Heritage

Nissan is also emphasizing its long history in the pickup segment.

The company introduced the Type 13 truck in 1934, beginning a pickup lineage that now stretches across more than nine decades.

According to Nissan, the company has sold more than 15 million pickups in more than 140 markets since that original truck was introduced.

That experience forms a major part of the new Frontier Pro / Navara Pro’s identity.

Rather than abandoning the characteristics that have traditionally defined Nissan pickups, the new model combines those qualities with newer technologies, electrified powertrains and a more sophisticated cabin.

The result is intended to be a pickup capable of handling demanding conditions while remaining comfortable enough for daily driving.

Frontier Pro and Navara Pro: One Pickup, Different Markets

Nissan will use different names and powertrain strategies depending on the region.

In Mexico, the vehicle will be sold as the Frontier Pro, while the Navara Pro name will be used in markets including the Philippines and the Middle East.

Mexico will be the first market outside China to receive the new pickup, with sales beginning in October 2026. The choice is significant because Mexico is one of Nissan’s most important global markets and the company is the country’s automotive market leader.

The Philippines follows in November 2026, while the Middle East and additional Latin American markets will receive the pickup by the end of 2026.

The rollout will then expand into right-hand-drive markets, with Australia and New Zealand scheduled for 2027.

Nissan Frontier Pro / Navara Pro Global Launch Timeline

  • Mexico: October 2026
  • Philippines: November 2026
  • Middle East: 2026
  • Other Latin American markets: By the end of 2026
  • Australia: 2027
  • New Zealand: 2027

Nissan’s PHEV Pickup Could Become a Key Global Model

The arrival of the Frontier Pro / Navara Pro comes at an important time for the pickup market.

Manufacturers are increasingly looking for ways to reduce emissions without sacrificing the towing, utility and long-distance capabilities that customers expect from trucks. Plug-in hybrid technology offers one possible solution by combining electric driving capability with the flexibility of an internal-combustion engine.

Nissan’s decision to introduce its first electrified pickup through the Frontier Pro / Navara Pro therefore represents more than a new model launch. It signals how the company intends to approach electrification in markets where fully electric pickups may not yet provide the range, infrastructure or operating flexibility that customers require.

The PHEV’s V2L functionality also adds another layer of practicality, potentially making the truck useful as a mobile power source for tools, equipment and outdoor applications.

Nissan Expands Its Global Product Strategy

Guillaume Cartier, Nissan’s Chief Performance Officer, says the Frontier Pro / Navara Pro demonstrates how Nissan is combining innovation with practical capability.

The company’s strategy is increasingly focused on using regional expertise and partnerships to develop vehicles that can be adapted for global markets.

The new pickup is a clear example of that approach. China provides the development and manufacturing base, Nissan contributes its global engineering, quality and durability standards, while individual markets receive powertrain configurations designed around local customer requirements.

This could allow Nissan to shorten development cycles and expand its product portfolio more efficiently.

What the Nissan Frontier Pro Means for the Navara

The new Frontier Pro / Navara Pro also signals a potentially important evolution of Nissan’s pickup strategy.

The Navara name has traditionally been associated with ruggedness, reliability and off-road capability. The new Pro model adds electrification and a more technology-focused approach to that formula.

With plug-in hybrid power, V2L capability, a five-seat cabin and global-market development, Nissan is clearly looking beyond the traditional workhorse pickup.

The Frontier Pro / Navara Pro is being positioned as a vehicle capable of moving between professional duties, family transportation and leisure activities without requiring customers to compromise on durability.

Source: Nissan

NEW CARS

Opel GSE 27FE Revealed in Final Formula E Livery Ahead of 2026 Debut

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Opel has officially unveiled the final race livery of the Opel GSE 27FE, marking another major milestone in the German manufacturer’s preparations for its debut in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The all-electric GEN4 race car will make its public appearance in its definitive colours at the Paris Motor Show on October 12, 2026, just weeks before Opel begins its first Formula E campaign.

The new livery transforms the aggressive prototype design used during testing into a distinctive visual statement for Opel’s return to top-level electric motorsport. Finished in a combination of black, metallic silver and Opel GSE Yellow, the GSE 27FE combines references to Opel’s motorsport heritage with a design language intended to communicate speed, energy and efficiency.

Alongside factory drivers Mitch Evans and Théo Pourchaire, Opel will use the Paris reveal to introduce its Formula E challenger to the public for the first time in final specification. Test and development driver Sophia Flörsch will also play a role in the programme.

Opel Takes GSE Performance Into Formula E

The GSE 27FE represents the beginning of a new chapter for Opel’s performance brand. GSE, which has increasingly become associated with Opel’s high-performance electric models, is now being transferred from road cars to the highly competitive world of Formula E.

“GSE stands for performance born in motorsport, engineered for the road and experienced far beyond it,” said Opel Vice President Marketing Rebecca Reinermann. “With Formula E, our performance brand is now entering the world’s fastest all-electric racing championship, at precisely the moment a new era begins with the GEN4 generation.”

For Opel, the timing is significant. The manufacturer is entering Formula E as the championship moves into its GEN4 era, bringing a new generation of electric racing technology and an opportunity for the brand to establish itself from the beginning of a new technical cycle.

The company says the final GSE 27FE livery reflects its ambition to become an important competitor rather than simply participating in the championship.

Black, Silver and Yellow Define the Opel GSE 27FE

Designed by Opel’s Global Brand Design team in Rüsselsheim, the GSE 27FE’s final appearance is based around three principal colours: black, silver and yellow.

The combination deliberately recalls some of Opel’s most recognisable historic motorsport designs, while giving those visual cues a distinctly modern and electric interpretation.

The graphics are not simply decorative. Opel says the design was created to represent three fundamental elements of Formula E: airflow, energy and efficiency.

“Airflow becomes linework, energy becomes colour and efficiency becomes precision,” explained Pierre-Olivier Garcia, Opel Global Brand Design Manager.

The result is a series of flowing graphic elements that follow the contours of the GEN4 car. Rather than covering the aerodynamic surfaces with excessive graphics, the design uses lines and colour blocks to emphasise the car’s proportions.

That should also make the GSE 27FE highly recognisable at speed, whether viewed from trackside, in the pit lane or through television and digital coverage.

New Silver Spine Becomes a Signature Element

One of the most significant additions to the final Formula E livery is a metallic silver spine running along the centre of the car.

Opel describes the feature as the visual backbone of the GSE 27FE. Beyond its aesthetic purpose, the silver element is intended to symbolise the relationship between driver and machine — combining human instinct with the precision of electric racing technology.

The philosophy extends to the smallest details.

A discreet “Designed in Germany” signature reinforces Opel’s German engineering identity, while the “Opel GSE 27FE” designation identifies the manufacturer’s first Formula E machine.

According to Garcia, every element has been deliberately positioned rather than added simply for visual effect.

“Every graphic element has a clear position, a clear function and a clear reason to exist,” he said.

That philosophy fits particularly well with Formula E, where aerodynamic efficiency, energy management, software and data are just as important as outright power.

GSE Yellow Represents Electric Energy

The most dramatic element of the design is undoubtedly Opel GSE Yellow.

The bright yellow graphic sections cut through areas of exposed carbon fibre, giving the GSE 27FE a strong visual identity while connecting it directly to Opel’s growing GSE performance family.

“In Formula E, energy decides the race – and for Opel, energy has a colour: GSE Yellow,” Garcia said.

The colour is intended to communicate movement and energy without making the car look unnecessarily aggressive. Opel’s designers have instead used yellow as a precise visual accent against the darker carbon and metallic surfaces.

The effect is particularly important for a Formula E car, where distinctive liveries need to remain recognisable despite the high speed of racing and extensive television coverage.

Lightspeed Stripes Bring Electric Technology to Life

Another important part of the design is Opel’s Pixelated Lightspeed Stripes.

The stripes sweep across the bodywork and are intended to visualise something that normally remains invisible: the movement of energy, data and software through an electric racing car.

The concept builds on the design language Opel introduced with the Mokka GSE Rally in 2025, but the Formula E application takes the idea into a much more technologically advanced environment.

In this interpretation, the pixelated graphics represent the instantaneous response of an electric powertrain and the digital character of modern motorsport.

It is a fitting visual theme for a championship where success increasingly depends on software, energy strategy and sophisticated control systems as much as traditional mechanical engineering.

Mitch Evans Says the Opel GSE 27FE “Looks Fast”

Opel’s factory drivers have already seen the car extensively during its testing programme, but the final livery has made a strong impression.

Mitch Evans, one of Formula E’s most accomplished drivers, believes the finished car successfully develops the prototype design.

“I think the final design looks fantastic,” Evans said. “It builds on our concept and testing livery in a more refined way, while still feeling unmistakably Opel.”

The addition of silver is particularly important to the overall appearance, according to the New Zealander.

“The additional silver gives it a sharp and sophisticated appearance – and, most importantly, it looks fast.”

That is no small endorsement from Evans. With 16 Formula E victories, he is the most successful driver in the championship’s history and brings considerable experience to Opel’s new factory programme.

Evans will share the Opel GSE Formula E Team’s race seat with French driver Théo Pourchaire, while Sophia Flörsch takes on the role of test and development driver.

Opel Connects Formula E With Its Road Cars

The Formula E programme is not being presented as an isolated motorsport project.

At the Paris Motor Show, Opel will place the GSE 27FE alongside the new Opel Corsa GSE, which is already available to order. The pairing is designed to demonstrate the relationship between Opel’s electric racing programme and its growing range of high-performance road cars.

The Corsa GSE effectively brings the GSE philosophy to the road, while the GSE 27FE demonstrates how that performance identity can be expressed at the highest level of electric competition.

Opel is also using the same design language throughout its Paris Motor Show stand. The Lightspeed Stripes and broader GSE visual identity will influence the exhibition design, creating a direct connection between the race car and production models.

Opel Formula E Debut Set for December 2026

The unveiling of the final livery comes as Opel moves into the final stages of preparation for its first Formula E season.

Since announcing its Formula E entry in March 2026, the team has conducted private testing alongside extensive simulator and test-bench development. The programme will intensify with the official Formula E test week scheduled for mid-November at Jarama in Spain.

The real test comes shortly afterwards.

Opel will make its competitive Formula E debut at a double-header in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on December 18 and 19, 2026.

Its first World Championship campaign will consist of 21 races across 13 cities and four continents, providing the new Opel GSE Formula E Team with an extensive international test of its car, drivers and technical operation.

The team’s home event will come later in the season, with the Berlin E-Prix scheduled for May 8 and 9, 2027.

For Opel, that race should carry particular significance as the German manufacturer competes in front of its home fans.

A New Motorsport Identity for Opel

The GSE 27FE is more than Opel’s first Formula E car. It is the clearest expression yet of where the company’s performance strategy is heading in the electric era.

The black, silver and yellow livery deliberately combines Opel’s motorsport heritage with a futuristic interpretation of electric racing. The Lightspeed Stripes, silver spine and GSE Yellow accents all serve the same purpose: making energy, speed and precision visible.

Opel’s Formula E debut will ultimately be judged by results rather than graphics, but the manufacturer has made its intentions clear. Entering Formula E at the beginning of the GEN4 era gives Opel the opportunity to build its programme around the latest generation of electric racing technology from day one.

With Mitch Evans and Théo Pourchaire behind the wheel, Sophia Flörsch supporting development, and 21 races ahead, the Opel GSE 27FE is about to move from design statement to genuine championship contender.

The first chapter begins in Jeddah in December.

Source: Opel