Toyota makes the Supra race car with a naturally aspirated V8 engine

Toyota currently offers the road-going Supra with four- and six-cylinder BMW engines. The track version of the GT4 is also equipped with a Bavarian-sourced inline-six engine. From 2026, the Australian branch of the company will install a large V8 engine developed in-house. A 5,0-liter naturally aspirated engine will power the Repco Supercars Championship racer.

If you know Toyota engines by their internal code names, the Supra V8 will get the 2UR-GSE, an aluminum unit found in a variety of products. The Lexus IS-F and GS-F had it, while the RC F, LC 500 and IS 500 F Sport are still equipped with the 5.0 engine. We also found it in the Hilux pick-up that won the 2019 Dakar Rally.

Toyota plans to compete in the Supercars championship for at least another five years under the Gen3 regulations, which will be introduced in 2023. The rugged Supra will compete with Ford's Mustang and its 5,4-liter Coyote engine. Currently, Chevrolet teams are using the Camaro with a 5,7-liter V8 engine, but a mysterious replacement is on the way, as production of the muscle car has been discontinued at the end of 2023.

Toyota will field at least four GR Supras in the Walkinshaw Andretti United team, two of which will be driven by Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood. The second team has not yet been announced. From 2026, WAU will switch from Ford Mustang racing cars to Toyota Supra. It's worth noting that Walkinshaw Automotive Group already works with Toyota, converting Tundra trucks to right-hand drive vehicles in Melbourne, Australia.

With the addition of Toyota, the 2026 season will be the first since 2019 to feature three manufacturers in the Repco Supercars Championship. In the last ten years, Volvo, Nissan and Mercedes also participated in the championship, after which they abandoned the championship.

More similar stories

WE RECOMMEND