The contrast between capitalism and socialism always makes for an intriguing discussion, particularly within the realm of motorsports.
Sometimes, distinguishing between different philosophies becomes challenging, even within elite motorsports levels. While Mercedes, Ferrari, Honda, and Alpine each provide distinct Formula 1 power units, the internal combustion engines share many similarities—a 1.6-liter V6 configuration mandated by the FIA regulations. Consequently, when considering engine design, they essentially follow an "almost one-size-fits-all" principle.
That isn’t how things work in Supercars. Despite the series aiming for parity among teams, there’s significant variance in engine specifications across various manufacturers. The Chevrolet LTR, which propels the Camaro cars, is a 5.7-liter pushrod V8, whereas the Mustangs use Ford’s 5.4-liter quad-cam Coyote engine. Now entering its third season under Gen 3 rules, these distinctly different powerplants perform remarkably similarly, as evidenced by recent reports indicating that even Triple Eight, often seen as the top team in Supercars, has struggled to gain an edge due to this balance. will move to join the Ford team next year primarily due to business considerations rather than technological ones.
The recent announcement about the impending relocation has sparked an intriguing proposal from veteran T8 team manager Mark Dutton. He proposed that starting next year—when the new Toyota model will make its debut—the series could benefit from having all engine suppliers come under one manufacturer for consistency. Not surprisingly, he recommended that his team’s provider should be KRE Racing Engines, which has been a longstanding partner with Team 8 and presently handles the preparation of all Chevrolet engines exclusively.
There wasn’t much shock when his proposal didn’t receive enthusiastic support from several other team leaders in the pit lane, and it quickly turned into an irrelevant issue. GM has lately affirmed its plan to prolong its agreement with KRE, whereas Ford hasn’t stated anything about which supplier will provide engines for its teams next year; however, it won't be KRE.
Therefore, capitalism prevails. However, comrades, what if there is some validity in Dutton’s proposal, yet interpreted through a socialist lens?
Mark Dutton from Triple Eight Race Engineering driving a Holden
Image courtesy of: Dirk Klynsmith / Motorsport Images
Toyota’s arrival in 2026 , featuring two-car teams competing with the GR Supra, is sure to create some excitement. As the 2025 season progresses, along with its two Mustangs entered in the races, Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood , Walkinshaw Andretti United is working on the Supercars iteration of the Supra for tests scheduled later this year. Along with the development of the chassis and aerodynamics, they are also preparing a Supercars-spec version of Toyota’s 2UR-GSE V8 engine. This fully aluminum, four-cam powerplant is the same unit utilized in Lexus models and has been previously employed in various competitive racing series.
Read Also:
Why Toyota’s entry marks a turning point for Supercars
We've observed this recently with the advancements in Chevrolet and Ford engines; numerous aspects must be perfected. Beyond just horsepower and torque, as well as their delivery mechanism, considerations include vehicle weight, center of gravity, and fuel efficiency—alongside an extensive checklist of integration elements—all before the inaugural race scheduled for 2026. Achieving all these goals will demand substantial labor, dedication, and financial resources.
Here’s my query: Regardless of how perfectly everything is executed and even if the Supras remain competitive from the start of the 2026 season, what advantage does having a custom-built V8 engine offer for the Supra Supercar?
In the end, it’s not as though there’s a Toyota engine powering the Haas Formula 1 vehicles. Despite the substantial involvement of the corporation with the American-based squad, the cars' engines originate directly from Maranello.
Toyota boasts a legacy of partnerships with various brands. Before unveiling its Supercars initiative, the company's most prominent racing endeavor in Australia was the Toyota 86 Racing Series, which is currently referred to as the GR Cup. Interestingly, the 86 features a horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine that shares more heritage with Subaru rather than Toyota. Furthermore, these vehicles are assembled at Subaru’s manufacturing facility in Gunma, Japan.
Why must the Supercar be equipped with a Toyota engine? Not only does the road-going Supra lack a V8, but it also doesn’t use a Toyota motor. Instead, under its hood lies the BMW B58 twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engine, which can be found in various German saloons and SUVs—and even within the Ineos Grenadier.
In 2024, Toyota unveiled the new GR Supra supercar.
Photograph by: Glenn Hunt Photo
An agreement between Toyota and Ford allowing the GR Supra to be equipped with a rebadged Coyote V8 engine in their Supercars program could bypass much of the challenging development and balance-related tasks, making such an arrangement quite logical.
Heck, if Toyota were to strike an engine deal with Ford, the resulting collaboration might as well be dubbed 'Toyote'.
0 Comments