FOR the first time since the inception of the V8 touring car series, in 1993, Holden and Ford's stranglehold is set to be broken with Nissan expected to be announced in Melbourne today as a new manufacturer for next year.
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The exclusive V8 category, formed after Nissan Skyline's dominance in the early 1990s, was renamed V8 Supercars in 1997. And, 15 years later, chairman Tony Cochrane's plan to introduce a new manufacturer has come to light with Nissan understood to be partnering Kelly Racing to bring a factory Nissan team to the series next year. Kelly Racing, which operates VE Holden Commodores under the Jack Daniel's Racing banner, doesn't get any factory support from Holden other than panel signage. And, given the family-run team already operates four cars and makes its own engines, the transition to become Nissan's factory team is understood to be a relatively simple one, given the introduction of the Car of the Future plan next year.
The Car of the Future was designed to significantly reduce team running costs to make the sport more attractive to manufacturers and more competitive for teams, with all teams to run a control chassis. V8 Supercars is also in the final stages of developing a control engine that will be made available to Nissan, existing teams and any new manufacturers.
Chrysler has long been touted as a possible V8 Supercars manufacturer, but the addition of Nissan would be a coup for the Car of the Future, proving years of innovation and expense by Cochrane and co has been well spent in an effort to expand the sport's appeal.
It's understood the all-new 2013 Nissan Altima is the favourite as the Nissan model of choice, the mid-size sedan to replace the Maxima on showroom floors later this year.
While the chassis and possibly the engine will be control, like the Commodore and the Falcon, the shell will be all Nissan. Where NASCAR in America runs the same exterior bar manufacturer stickers, the 2013 V8 Supercars grid will feature three different car models.
Kelly Racing is already in the process of developing its Car of the Future for testing later this year. The early test cars might resemble Holdens, but it's understood the deal with Holden expires at the end of this season. It's also understood the team's driver line-up will remain.
V8 Supercars and Kelly Racing both declined to comment last night other than to confirm V8 Supercars would make ''one of the most significant announcements in the history of the sport'' at 11am today.
