Paving way for the new breed of Supercars

V8 SUPERCARS has officially begun its quest to open up the championship to more manufacturers.

The category released the initial draft regulations for its 2017 Gen2 Supercar yesterday, the first step in allowing nonV8 powered vehicles to race in the championship.

The Gen2 program was unveiled in November last year, with an aim to be implemented from the 2017 series onwards.

Under the draft regulation proposal, entries will be able to use any engine configuration or body shape so long as it does not exceed current power or aerodynamic regulations.

That means four and sixcylinder cars will be able to compete alongside the traditional V8 racers.

The overall intention is to open the door to additional manufacturers who have refused to join the V8s- restricted championship.

Mercedes, Nissan and Volvo are the only makes to join traditional rivals Holden and Ford since the Car of the Future program began.

V8 Supercars chief executive James Warburton says while the V8 engine is important to the championship, it’s equally necessary to move with the times in the industry.

“The category in 2017 will be exactly what it is now,” he said. “Fast, loud and fiercely competitive. This opens the same garage door a little wider and future-proofs the sport.

“As has been the case with Nissan, Volvo and Mercedes we have proven beyond doubt these core ingredients can be transferred from one make to another.”

Under the draft proposal, cars must be rear-wheel drive.

They must also be able to produce between 85-95 decibels of engine noise to avoid a situation similar to Formula One when fans complained about a lack of atmosphere from quieter engines.

Any entries are also required to be publicly available for sale in Australia with a full four-seat configuration in its road-going version.