Toyota is set to shake up the Repco Supercars Championship by entering the iconic series with a V-8-powered Supra race car. The Japanese automaker will mark its debut in 2026, adding an exciting twist to the competition by bringing back naturally aspirated V-8 engines—a throwback to the purist approach of raw, unboosted power.
The new V-8-powered Supra will be equipped with Toyota's 2UR-GSE engine, a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8 known for its aluminum construction and reputation for delivering performance in a variety of Toyota and Lexus models. This powerplant has already proven itself in high-performance cars like the Lexus RC F, LC 500, IS 500 F Sport, and even the legendary IS F. Beyond passenger cars, it has also seen success in motorsports, most notably powering the Hilux pickup that conquered the grueling Dakar Rally in 2019.
With a rich history behind the engine, the 2UR-GSE will now find a new home in the Supra race car for the Supercars Championship. This marks a significant departure from the current Supra lineup, which features four- and six-cylinder engines sourced from BMW. Even the track-only GT4 variant sticks with the Bavarian inline-six engine. But starting in 2026, Toyota will introduce a big, homegrown V-8 under the hood of its race car, setting the stage for some thrilling track battles.
Toyota's entry into the Repco Supercars Championship will occur under the Gen3 ruleset, which was introduced in 2023. These regulations have been designed to bring the competition closer, with an emphasis on reducing costs, enhancing parity between cars, and making the racing even more exciting for fans. Toyota aims to commit to the series for at least five years, taking on key rivals like Ford and Chevrolet.
The new V-8 Supra will face off against formidable competitors such as Ford’s Mustang, which currently runs a 5.4-liter Coyote V-8 engine. Additionally, Chevrolet teams will be fielding a replacement for the Camaro, which had been equipped with a 5.7-liter V-8 before the model was discontinued at the end of 2023. Toyota’s entry into the mix promises a return to a three-manufacturer grid for the first time since 2019, when Volvo, Nissan, and Mercedes also participated in the series before exiting.
The partnership between Toyota and Walkinshaw Andretti United (WAU) will be central to Toyota’s Supercars Championship campaign. WAU, a well-established team in the series, will switch from racing Ford Mustangs to the Toyota GR Supra starting in 2026. Two of the four Supra race cars in the championship will be driven by Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood, representing WAU. The remaining two cars will be piloted by another team, yet to be announced.
The collaboration between WAU and Toyota doesn’t come as a complete surprise, as Walkinshaw Automotive Group already works with Toyota, converting Tundra trucks to right-hand drive at its facilities in Melbourne, Australia. This existing relationship could prove beneficial as the two entities work together to build and refine the race-spec Supra for its Supercars debut.
Toyota’s involvement in the Repco Supercars Championship marks a significant milestone for the series, which has long been dominated by American muscle in the form of Ford and Chevrolet. The addition of the Supra race car, powered by a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8 engine developed in-house, not only adds more variety to the grid but also showcases Toyota’s commitment to motorsport and its ability to compete at the highest levels.
With its impressive pedigree and powerful engine, the V-8 Supra promises to be a fierce competitor. Fans of the Supercars Championship can look forward to some epic showdowns between Toyota, Ford, and Chevrolet starting in 2026, as the legendary Supra takes on the established muscle car giants.
This marks an exciting new chapter for Toyota in motorsport, and its return to V-8 racing is sure to be one of the most anticipated developments in the years ahead.
Wael is an automotive content writer specializes in creating written content for Motor 283. Producing a wide range of content, including blog posts, articles, product descriptions, reviews, and technical guides related to cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other vehicles, with an unprecedented passion for cars, and motorcycles.
Nissan Formula E Team is excited to announce a four-year global partnership with Petromin Corporation, a leading mobility solutions provider in the Middle East. The partnership will be primarily focused on the company’s EV charging subsidiary, Electromin, as the business looks ahead to a wider adoption of electric mobility in the region.
The Mercedes-AMG ONE has been the fastest production car on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife since October 2022 and has been unrivalled ever since. The only rival is the ONE itself. Now Mercedes AMG brand ambassador and DTM driver Maro Engel has once again significantly improved the lap time he set. With an officially measured and notarised time of 6:29.090 minutes for the 20.832-kilometre track, the hypercar with Formula 1™ technology beat its own record for production vehicles by over five seconds. This makes the Mercedes AMG ONE the first road car to beat the magic mark of 6:30 minutes. It is also the only series hybrid hypercar to date to have taken on the world's most demanding racetrack and is the undisputed leader in the super-sports-car class. In order to achieve the lofty goals they had set for themselves, meticulous preparation was necessary. In addition, the track conditions had to be ideal in order to beat the 6:30 minute target. On September 23, 2024, at 6:56 p.m., on his third timed lap, Maro Engel achieved the new record. With temperatures of 15 degrees Celsius (air) and 20 degrees Celsius (asphalt), the legendary Nordschleife was dry throughout and offered perfect grip.
Like Lewis Hamilton and George Russell on their Formula 1™ race weekends, Maro Engel also had to make the best possible use of the hybrid drive's electrical energy. This is particularly challenging, especially with a track length of more than 20 kilometres. Therefore, it is immensely important to use the right sections of the track to recuperate during braking phases and thus store energy in the batteries again.
To do this, Maro Engel utilised the AMG ONE's four-stage Energy Flow Control (EFC) system and in some cases deliberately took his foot off the accelerator a little earlier than he normally would. In technical jargon, this is known as “lift and coast”. Preliminary tests in the driving simulator in Affalterbach and on the Nordschleife itself provided the necessary insights, which the team and driver were able to optimally implement for the record lap. In accordance with the specifications of Nürburgring 1927 GmbH & Co KG, the vehicle was tested and documented by TÜV Rheinland to ensure that it was in standard condition. A notary confirmed that the record drive had been carried out correctly.
The new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 heads into this weekend’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA) finale – the Petit Le Mans 10-hour race at Road Atlanta – deep in the hunt for its first major title.
The new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 has enjoyed a stellar debut season of international competition. The car recorded a historic victory in the centenary edition of the Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa in June, a first for the British ultraluxury sportscar brand in the modern GT era. It also achieved Aston Martin’s first ever Autobacs Super GT class victory in Japan in the same month. As well as this, Vantage has clinched class wins in the FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA, the Nürburgring Langstrecken Series and ADAC GT Masters through the summer.
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