V8 Supercars

With a brand-new N performance range due to launch globally in the coming months, Hyundai Australia says it's keen for some local motorsport involvement, but not in the Gen2 Supercar series.

Nissan Australia says while it may have initially had Nissan Altima sales in mind when it decided to use the mid-sized sedan for its return to top-level local motorsport, that focus has now shifted, with the brand's V8 Supercars involvement delivering greater benefits for SUV and dual-cab ute sales. Nissan Australia managing director and CEO Richard Emery says that while motorsport absolutely laid the foundation for Nissan in Australia, “it’s not all about selling cars".

Volvo’s future in motorsport, including its participation in Australia’s V8 Supercars championship, has been thrown into doubt after the Swedish company’s global marketing boss said it doesn’t fit with the brand’s core philosophies. Volvo international marketing director Alain Visser told Swedish financial newspaper Dagens Industri that racing contradicted the car maker’s modern-day image.

Nissan says the next-iteration of the V8 Supercars Championship would be better suited with small-capacity turbos rather than V8 engines. The V8 Supercar Championship will run for another two years in its current technical format before it gets a complete overhaul in 2017, with manufacturers such as Hyundai and Lexus showing a great deal of interest in joining the new “Supercars” Championship.