Toyota will enter the Supercars Championship with their GR Supra from 2026.
It will become the third brand to compete in the Gen3 era alongside Ford and Chevrolet and has committed to five full seasons of racing.
The Japanese manufacturer will field at least four GR Supras from 2026, two with Walkinshaw Andretti United and two with a second team yet to be announced.
The GR Supra will use Toyota’s 5.0-litre naturally-aspirated 2UR-GSE V8, which has been used in Lexus F performance models as well as the current LC500.
Current Supercars rules permit other engine configurations, but no manufacturer has raced anything but a V8 since 1993, says the Supercars organisation. Under Gen3, Ford’s Coyote engine is a 5.4L dual overhead cam V8, while Chevrolet teams use a naturally aspirated fuel injected 5.7 litre LTR V8.
Even with a V8 under its bonnet, expect plenty of booing when a Supra team wins Bathurst, as the crowd did when Skaife and Richards won in the Nissan GT-R. Or perhaps the Aussie motorsport fan isn’t so parochial these days, what with the demise of local manufacturing?
Toyota Australia’s Sean Hanley said the announcement was an ‘historic moment’.
“At Toyota, we have been toying with the idea of competing in Supercars for more than 20 years and now with the right car, the right team, and a very strong partnership with the Repco Supercars Championship, the time is definitely right,” Hanley said.
“This is truly an historic moment. Our GR brand and performance cars were built on the knowledge that we gain from participating in top-level motorsport and our entry into the Supercars Championship will cement that connection and give us the opportunity to showcase TOYOTA GAZOO Racing excitement to a wide audience of passionate fans.
“It will also provide an opportunity for a continuous career pathway for drivers and teams that we first established when we launched the one-make Toyota 86 Series nine years ago as an affordable grassroots circuit-racing category run as a support series at select Supercars Championship events around the country.
“It has been the perfect environment for up-and-coming drivers to learn and hone their racecraft, and such has been its success, that it is well recognised as a career pathway into the top tier of Australian motorsport.
“And with our strong and ever-growing partnerships with Walkinshaw Andretti United and Supercars, we are in it, to win it.”
Supercars CEO Shane Howard added, “This is an incredible honour to welcome Toyota to the Repco Supercars Championship from 2026,” Howard said.
“This is a landmark moment for Supercars, solidifying an iconic global automotive brand on our grid from 2026.
“It’s a testament to the immense popularity and international appeal of our sport that a powerhouse like Toyota has chosen to join our grid.
“We congratulate Toyota on its commitment to Supercars and are proud to be in such esteemed company as it continues its global motorsport legacy.
“There couldn’t be a more fitting time to make this historic announcement than in the lead-up to the Repco Bathurst 1000, our premier event that captures the attention of fans around the world.”
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