Swindon Powertrain has been announced as the official engine partner of Walkinshaw TWG Racing in the project that marks Toyota’s debut in the Repco Supercars Championship in 2026.
The British company will be responsible for the development and supply of key components for the new Toyota GR Supra GEN3, which will contest its first full season on the Australian grid.
The programme is planned to run for five years and already begins with strong momentum: at least five Toyota-powered cars will line up in the championship from 2026. Collaboration between Swindon Powertrain and Walkinshaw TWG Racing has been underway for around a year, since the project was officially announced.
Development focused on performance and durability
Swindon Powertrain is leading the engineering, simulation and production phases of the development engines, as well as essential parts such as the crankshaft assembly. Final assembly and ongoing maintenance of the race engines are handled by Walkinshaw TWG Racing at its facilities in Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
The chosen base for the project is the well-known 2UR-GSE V8, an all-aluminium, dual overhead camshaft engine widely used in models such as the Lexus LC 500. Enlarged to 5.2 litres, it naturally fits within Supercars regulations, which allow engines between 5.0 and 5.7 litres.
According to Raphaël Caillé, Managing Director of Swindon Powertrain, the engine’s square architecture (94 × 94 mm bore and stroke) provides an excellent foundation for a competitive, robust unit capable of producing around 600 hp.
More than 12,000 km per season
One of the biggest challenges of the project was balancing performance, durability and cost. The Supercars calendar demands more than 12,000 km of racing per season, including demanding events such as the Bathurst 1000, famous for its long 1.19-mile straight.
To meet these requirements, Swindon Powertrain focused on evolving the crankshaft, valvetrain, combustion and calibration, while also leveraging the robustness of Toyota’s original road-going engine. This allowed the use of several production components, such as cylinder heads, block, main caps, timing chain and valve followers, helping to keep costs under control.
The 2026 engine will also feature hydraulic variable valve timing (VVT) and a 3D-printed intake system, a technology already tested and proven in Swindon’s championship-winning engines in the British Touring Car Championship.
Grid debut approaching
Walkinshaw TWG Racing will field two Toyota GR Supra GEN3 cars, driven by Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood. Brad Jones Racing will be responsible for a further three cars, completing Toyota’s initial contingent in the championship.
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Source and images: Swindon Powertrain. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
