A slew of aerodynamic upgrades have been made to get the car ready for competition
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- New GR Supra racer uses a Lexus-based V8 enlarged to 5.2 liters for competition.
- Six Toyotas will compete in next year’s Supercars Championship across two teams.
- Attendees at next month’s Bathurst 1000 will have the chance to see it in the flesh.
The Toyota Supra has long been defined by its six-cylinder engines, but now there’s an exciting new V8-powered model in the range. Sadly, this isn’t a Supra anyone can buy, and has instead been developed specifically for Australia’s Supercars Championship, where it will race against the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang. Now, we get the chance to hear it for the very first time.
After a long gestation period, Toyota took off the covers to its new Supra race car this week ahead of its racing debut next year. Powering the car is the same basic 2UR-GSE V8 engine as found in the Lexus LC 500 and RC F, but to meet regulations, displacement has been increased to 5.2-liters.
Read: Toyota Gives GR Supra A V8 But You’ll Never Be Allowed To Drive It
Both the Camaro and Mustang used in the Supercars Championship sound incredible, and the new Supra is no different. The V8 has a thunderous roar, and given that it doesn’t have to comply with pesky emissions and noise regulations like the road cars using the same basic engine, it sounds like a different beast entirely, yet retains a familiar character. Racetracks across Australia are about to sound a whole lot better.
A Voice of Its Own
Recently speaking about the new racer, Toyota Australia vice president for sales, marketing, and franchise operations, Sean Hanley, said, “What a sound. We knew the 2UR-GSE would sound great, but hearing it at full noise? Absolutely spine-tingling. This isn’t just an engine roar, it’s the sound of passion, precision, and progress.”
On the Grid Next Year
A total of six Supras will be fielded in next year’s Supercars Championship. Two of these will be raced by Walkinshaw Andretti United, and the other four will be competing under the Brad Jones Racing umbrella. It’ll make its public debut during the Bathurst 1000 next month and be shown at other races towards the back end of this year’s Supercars Championship.
Visually, Toyota has extensively overhauled the exterior of the Supra to prepare it for racing, while retaining most of the road car’s familiar elements. Among the key upgrades made are a towering rear wing, a large rear diffuser, new rocker panels, and center-locking race wheels.
