Toyota GR Supra Will Get V8 Energy To Take On Stiff Competitors In Australia

One of the crucial iconic sportscars to ever come out of Japan is undoubtedly Toyota’s beloved ’90s-era MkIV Supra. And far of its tuning potential attract comes from its dynamic, bulletproof twin turbo 2JZ-GTE inline-six engine. After the model discontinued the mannequin, it would not be seen once more for 17 years when, after a joint mission with BMW was unveiled, the fifth-generation Supra, which shares its platform with the topless BMW Z4, entered the market with its inherited BMW inline-six.

Now, you possibly can add yet another highly effective engine to the Supra’s badge, although this one is not one thing you possibly can supply via your native dealership. The automaker’s Australian department revealed that the GR Supra will probably be thrust into the ultra-competitive Repco Supercars Championship in 2026, and it will not be powered by a turbo six-cylinder engine in any respect. As a substitute, it’ll depend on a naturally aspirated V8, like its competitors.

What Is The Repco Supercars Championship?

Beforehand often known as the Australian Touring Automobile Championship, it was initially a single-race occasion, however has grown right into a extremely aggressive championship sequence. Usually competing in excessive situations, the occasions happen all through the biggest cities in Australia, and embrace an annual occasion in rural Bathurst. In truth, the Bathurst 1000 occasion takes place in lower than a month, on October 9-13.

As of 2023, Chevy’s Camaro has gone to battle with Ford’s Mustang, however for the 2026 season, Toyota will add 4 examples of the GR Supra to the roster, headed by two totally different groups. One has but to be revealed, whereas the opposite workforce relies on Walkinshaw Andretti United (WAU), Toyota’s homologation workforce associate, and the workforce will place seasoned drivers Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wooden on driving duties. WAU presently has different ties to Toyota, too, because it’s chargeable for changing left-hand drive North American Tundras to a right-hand drive format at its Melbourne facility.

Supra Will get Two Extra Cylinders

To even the taking part in area, all autos in competitors are restricted to a minimal weight of two,943 kilos, and all use V8 engines. Ford’s Mustang depends on an aluminum block Coyote 5.4-liter, quad-cam V8, whereas the Camaro makes use of a 5.7-liter, single-cam V8 with aluminum block, each of that are new engines debuted final yr and each are listed as producing 600 horsepower.

The GR Supra will probably be powered by a well-known face within the naturally aspirated, all-aluminum, 5.0-liter 2UR-GSE quad-cam V8 that you have seen beneath the hood of the Lexus LC500 and RC-F, for instance. It is also the identical large eight that motivated a Toyota Hilux truck to victory on the Dakar Rally in 2019. Actual specs of the Gen3 Supercars engine have not been revealed but, however anticipate comparable output to its competitors.

It is A Supra, Kind Of

In contrast to a grassroots racing mission, the GR Supra headed to do battle in Supercars is not a normal mannequin that is been modified and engine swapped. As a substitute, it is a ground-up construct based mostly round a class-specific, chromoly tubular chassis that runs all through the size and width of the automobile. The entrance and rear clips are detachable and meant to get replaced within the case of an accident or wall collision, each of that are widespread occurrences. These clips characteristic precision welding and are remarkably inflexible and permit engines, like Toyota’s 2UR-GSE V8, to be positioned precisely the place its engineers really feel it’ll carry out greatest within the automobile.

The principle chassis and its entrance and rear clips are lined by physique panels that can signify the GR Supra as greatest they will, however widths, curves, and additions are wanted to make all of it work. Even its windshield, which is a polycarbonate laminate with a heated filament that combats fogging, is used. Although you possibly can’t see them, there are additionally a number of clear plastic layers that may be peeled off as soon as they’ve change into peppered with bugs and street particles, although at the least two layers are at all times left in place for shielding the $7,000 windscreen. The dear piece is simply one of many components required to make all of it work and helps push the typical value of a brand new Gen3 Supercars construct to upwards of $600,000.

Wanting The Half

Although it is too early to see the actual factor as Toyota will probably be growing their supercar competitors platform for the following few years, they did current a clay mannequin, which is the results of C.A.D. and VR expertise used at their Altona facility, to associate with their digital renderings and provides a touch at what to anticipate. In essence, it drastically resembles that of the roadgoing model of the GR Supra at a look, however when you look carefully, there are some adjustments.

The hood options dramatic creases that result in the middle of the bumper and there is a house within the middle of the hood, close to the windscreen, that sits decrease than the remainder of the floor. The entrance bumper is decrease and accompanied by a lot bigger facet ducts in addition to a pronounced splitter, and within the rear, a big wing rests atop swooping pedestals. Lastly, a set of exhaust finishers seem slightly below the automobile’s left flank. Extreme aero was eradicated from Gen3 racers in 2023, when an overhaul of the rules was executed, together with lowering downforce by over 65% to place extra emphasis on driver talent and, in flip, provide extra possibilities for overtaking opponents.

This is not Toyota’s first rodeo as their racing efforts run deep, with the corporate having taken half within the World Endurance Championship, World Rally Championship, the beforehand talked about Dakar Rally victory, campaigning their NASCAR Camry, in addition to a slew of circuit racing, GT, and different rally efforts worldwide. This new endeavor will not be short-lived because the model has dedicated to 5 years of participation with their four-car line-up.