The first regional heat of the 2016 China Car Performance Challenge (CCPC) wrapped up Karamay, the well-known oil city of Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region on Sept 18.

The event gathered together hundreds of petrol heads from 37 auto companies in China, who battled it out through extreme road and weather conditions.

The three-day heat, the penultimate of the competition, was co-hosted by the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, China General Administration of Sports and the Karamay government.

The event is widely recognized as China’s “car Olympics” and pits drivers against each other in Karamay’s excellent racing conditions. The Karamay leg of the competition is considered a barometer of a driver’s skills and an ideal place to put cars through their paces.

Cars were divided into three groups consisting of traditional oil-powered automobiles, new energy vehicles and a public challenge group. A 300 km long-distance testing race was the most difficult challenge, requiring cars to navigate a variety of testing urban and off road terrain and passing through the so-called ‘Ghost City’ in Urho district.

The new energy vehicle group was the new face of the competition this year and featured the likes of BYD’s EV300 and BAIC’s EU260 electric vehicle models, among others. Recently released new energy vehicles were given a thorough performance test and pushed to the limit under tough conditions.

This was the first time the CCPC has been held in Karamay. The drivers will travel next to Dafeng city in Jiangsu province for the final regional heat, before travelling to the final in Hulunbuir in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region in December.

A database will be built based on result of the competition and different tests on auto performance. It will be available on CCPC’s official website to help prospective car buyers make an informed decision on their next purchase.

A 4x4 model of Chinese automobile manufacturer Soueast takes part in a road race at the regional heat of the 2016 China Car Performance Challenge in Karamay. [Photo/kelamayi.com.cn]

An SUV races across a water section of a tough off road course in Karamay. [Photo/kelamayi.com.cn]

A Karamay driver negotiates a tricky track course during the competition. [Photo/kelamayi.com.cn]

Edited by Jacob Hooson