Swindon Powertrain Powers Toyota GR Supra for Supercars
Swindon Powertrain has become the official engine partner for Walkinshaw TWG Racing, the homologation team leading Toyota’s first campaign in the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship. The high-performance engine designer and manufacturer will develop and supply key engine components for the all-new GEN3 Toyota GR Supra. The five-year programme will put at least five Toyota-powered cars on the grid in 2026.
Swindon Powertrain has worked closely with Walkinshaw TWG Racing since the project launch a year ago. The teams have led the development, simulation and production of development engines and key components, including the crank train. Walkinshaw TWG Racing completes final assembly and ongoing servicing at its Clayton, Victoria, facility.
Toyota’s all-aluminium, quad-cam 2UR-GSE V8 typically delivers smooth, effortless performance in cars such as the Lexus LC500. The team has now developed it in 5.2L form, which suits the Supercars regulations that mandate engine capacities between 5.0L and 5.7L. “The engine’s architecture, such as its square 94×94 (bore and stroke), offers a great base for a competitive and durable power unit to achieve 600bhp,” says Swindon Powertrain’s managing director, Raphaël Caillé.
The programme depends on the right balance of durability, performance and cost. “The Supercars calendar, including supporting the Australian F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne, sees over 12,000km of track running – that’s around five times the mileage of the 30-round British Touring Car Championship and harsher when you consider events such as the Bathurst 1000 with its 1.19-mile straight,” adds Caillé. Swindon Powertrain focused on evolving the crank train and valvetrain hardware, alongside combustion and calibration work, to meet season-long durability and strict cost targets. Toyota’s proven road-engine robustness also allowed the team to use cost-effective OE parts, including the cylinder head, block, main caps, timing chain and followers. The 2026 engine also uses hydraulic variable valve timing (VVT) and a 3D-printed inlet tract, a manufacturing approach already proven on Swindon Powertrain’s BTCC-winning engines.
Swindon Powertrain’s ISO 9001-certified facilities in the UK and France support the project, with its engineering team led by technical director Sylvain Rubio. Rubio will work trackside at the opening events. The team worked closely with its partners to deliver the programme across multiple time zones and locations, underscoring Swindon Powertrain’s ability to support global motorsport programmes. “It’s been a fantastic collaboration: the time zone difference enabled us to work around the clock, in effect,” adds Caillé. “However, we don’t underestimate the challenge. Supercars is a competitive championship featuring established engine manufacturers with experience with the GEN3 regulations. We respect the work they are doing, and now it’s up to us to learn, develop, and bring our best efforts to the table. We won’t be satisfied until we start winning!”
“It’s fantastic to be partnering with Swindon Powertrain as we bring the Toyota Australia Supercars project to life,” says Carl Faux, Walkinshaw TWG Racing team principal.
“There’s been a mountain of work and development undertaken to ensure the 2UR-GSE is Supercars-ready, and importantly, meets all the regulations of the category that are so strictly enforced. Having access to Swindon Powertrain's expertise and production capabilities has been great.
“While the final assembly and servicing of the engines all happen in-house here in Clayton, to have a programme that has been able to run day and night due to time zones has been essential in meeting deadlines and bringing it to life. We are all looking forward to the first official race in just a few weeks.”
Swindon Powertrain brings more than 50 years of engine and component development experience to the project. It has supplied winning engines and components across categories, including F1, F3, WRC, BTCC, sports cars, and historic racing. The company now approaches its Supercars debut with confidence and ambition. “This marks Swindon Powertrain’s debut in this incredibly competitive series. I was fortunate to work for 888 with Holden in the early 2000s and fondly remember the intense competition, great sounds, and the enthusiasm it generated. I’m really looking forward to seeing the Supras building on our success in touring cars,” adds Caillé.
Walkinshaw TWG Racing will field two cars for Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood. Brad Jones Racing (BJR) will run a further three Toyota GR Supras.
