Volvo’s entry into Australia’s V8 Supercars championship has been confirmed at a press conference in Brisbane. The vehicles will be raced by Volvo Polestar Racing, a partnership between Volvo Australia, Volvo’s Polestar performance division and V8 Supercars team Garry Rogers Motorsport.
According to Volvo, the team’s two S60 race cars will be developed to V8 Supercars’ Car of the Future regulations and will debut at the opening round of the 2014 season. Though no official figures have been revealed, it’s believed that Volvo will invest at least $6 million in the V8 Supercars program, motoring.com.au reveals.
"I'm delighted to announce Volvo's return to motorsport in Australia. Volvo has a rich motorsport heritage in this country, including winning Australia's most famous race, the Bathurst 1000, 15 years ago this coming October. As the first luxury car brand to enter an official factory team in the V8 Supercars Championship, we're determined to add to this heritage, while strengthening the presence of the S60 model line and the Volvo brand here in Australia," said Matt Braid, Volvo Car Australia Managing Director.
Following the today’s announcement, Volvo has become the third automaker to join the V8 Supercars series this year, after Mercedes-Benz and Nissan have entered the 2013 season with E-Class and Altima based cars.
The Australian V8 Supercars series is dominated by local teams racing Holden Commodores and Ford Falcons. No other automaker has won the competition since 1992, when Mark Skaife triumphed in a Skyline R32 GT-R.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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