Toyota has officially pulled the wraps off its long-awaited V8-powered GR Supra, confirming the brand’s first-ever entry into the Repco Supercars Championship for the 2026 season. The announcement came at Bathurst, the spiritual home of Australian motorsport, where Toyota introduced the car alongside its new racing partners, Walkinshaw Andretti United and Brad Jones Racing.
The Supercars-spec GR Supra swaps out the road model’s turbocharged inline-six for a naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V8, derived from the Lexus 2UR-GSE engine. Built to meet the series’ Gen3 regulations, the powerplant puts Toyota in direct competition with Ford’s Mustang GT and Chevrolet’s Camaro ZL1 on an even technical playing field. For fans, the return of a high-revving V8 echoing across Mount Panorama will be a nostalgic nod to touring car glory days.
Toyota’s move is more than a racing decision — it’s a brand statement. The company has been expanding its Gazoo Racing (GR) lineup worldwide, and the Supercars entry gives it another flagship program to showcase performance credentials. Even as Toyota experiments with hybrid and hydrogen technology, this project keeps its motorsport DNA front and center.
The timing couldn’t be better. Toyota has been experiencing record global sales, driven by strong hybrid demand in North America and robust EV growth in Asia. Now, with Supercars’ massive following and media exposure, Toyota gains a platform to deepen its connection with performance fans and reinforce the GR brand in a market that loves competition.
The GR Supra’s debut also injects new energy into a series long dominated by the Mustang-versus-Camaro rivalry. By joining that fight, Toyota brings a fresh storyline — one that links global motorsport ambitions with Australia’s most passionate racing audience.
When the lights go out at Bathurst in 2026, the sound of a Toyota V8 among the Supercars grid will signal not just a new chapter for the Supra, but for the sport itself.
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