So even with its imminent Gen II Car of the Future providing choices of engines beyond the traditional 5.0-litre V8, could it be that Supercars (with the V8 dropped from the name) is flogging a product that today’s carmakers simply don’t want to buy? Just two years ago there were five brands involved – Holden, Ford, Nissan, Volvo and Mercedes-AMG. V8 Supercars Australia will be dreading another departure, which would leave just Holden with manufacturer backing. Nissan, which supports a team of four Altimas, is reviewing its future involvement, with a decision to be made by head office in Japan. However, technical partner Cyan is demanding the return of all its Volvo-supplied hardware – including the engines – at the end of this season. Garry Rogers Motorsport, which ran the Volvos, has indicated it will continue to race its S60s without factory support.
SUPERCARS RACING IN EUROPE SERIES
Volvo’s imminent departure comes on the heels of the official exit of Ford from the series (although Falcons are still run by Prodrive Australia and DJR-Team Penske). The Swedish brand is going in a different direction with fuel-thrifty four-cylinder turbo engines its V8s were mothballed years ago. The decision was made by Volvo’s Polestar high-performance arm, with the local operation powerless to influence the outcome. V8 SUPERCARS racing is again under the spotlight this week following news that Volvo has severed its high-profile factory-backed program, effective from the end of the current season.