Unveiling the Toyota V8 Supercars Engine in Collaboration with a UK Firm
When it comes to exciting developments in the world of motorsport, the reveal of Toyota's new V8 engine for Supercars is certainly a noteworthy event that has everyone talking. This project, which has been a hot topic since last year, sees Toyota partnering with Swindon to create an engine specifically for their Supercars homologation team, now known as Walkinshaw TWG Racing.
The partnership was facilitated by Carl Faux, the principal of the Walkinshaw team, who has a rich background in the industry, having previously collaborated with Swindon’s leader, Raphaël Caillé, during their time at Triple Eight in the UK.
At the heart of this engine is a robust 5.2-litre version of Toyota's all-aluminium, quad-cam 2UR-GSE, which has been designed to perform within a tightly regulated size range of 5.0 to 5.7 litres dictated by Supercars regulations. According to Caillé, "The architecture of the engine, featuring a square bore and stroke of 94mm, lays a solid foundation for a power unit capable of generating 600bhp while remaining competitive and durable."
Swindon has played a crucial role in developing, simulating, and producing this engine, with particular attention given to the crank train and valvetrain components. The build utilizes original equipment (OE) parts, including the cylinder head, engine block, main caps, timing chain, and followers, which are essential for ensuring reliability and performance. Moreover, the Supra's engine includes hydraulic variable valve timing (VVT) and even features a 3D-printed inlet tract, showcasing innovative engineering techniques.
Once assembled, the race engines will receive ongoing maintenance and servicing at Walkinshaw's facility located in Clayton, Victoria, ensuring they are race-ready for the demanding competition ahead. Amidst this backdrop, questions and discussions about the engine's performance and its readiness for the upcoming 2026 season continue to circulate.
This season, five Supras are slated to compete in the championship—two from Walkinshaw TWG and three from the customer team Brad Jones Racing—with the season kicking off from February 20-22. However, Jones recently shared that his team currently only has a ‘dummy’ engine on hand while they finalize the construction of their cars, indicating that time is tight for this ambitious project.
Last September marked the beginning of track testing for Walkinshaw's first Supra equipped with a mule engine, while Supercars has also been running a "production version" on its dynamometer in recent weeks. Tim Edwards, the motorsport boss at Supercars, has attempted to ease concerns regarding performance parity with competitors, pointing out that the Toyota engine shares a similar design structure to Ford’s Coyote V8.
Despite the Supercars schedule demanding significantly more mileage than the British Touring Car Championship, Caillé remains realistic about the challenges posed by the Australian series.
"Our collaboration has been fantastic; the time zone difference has allowed us to effectively work around the clock," Caillé noted. "Nevertheless, we understand the challenge ahead. Supercars is an incredibly competitive championship with established engine manufacturers familiar with the Gen3 regulations. We hold deep respect for their expertise, and now it’s our turn to learn, innovate, and strive for excellence on the track. Our goal is clear: we are not satisfied until we secure victories."
Walkinshaw is set to conduct a shakedown of its second Supra on Monday at Queensland Raceway, where they will also compare their performance against a Mustang and Camaro from Supercars.
Caillé was present at the Townsville 500 last July, and the Swindon team plans to have Sylvain Rubio on-site for the opening events of the 2026 season, further solidifying their commitment to this project. Notably, this isn't Caillé's first venture into the Supercars realm; he was involved with the unsuccessful 2004 V8 engine initiative alongside the French firm Sodemo during his time at Triple Eight.
In addition to the Toyota project, Swindon is also working on the Hyundai BTCC engine, which has achieved championship-winning status in 2025, highlighting their diverse capabilities in design, simulation, and manufacturing across various automotive applications.
