Volvo V8 Supercar: The Swedish Marque's Entry into the Racing World

The world of motorsport is abuzz with the latest news - Volvo, the renowned Swedish automobile manufacturer, has signed a letter of intent to enter the V8 Supercar Championship. This announcement marks a significant milestone for the brand, as it becomes the newest member of the V8 Supercar circus alongside Nissan and Mercedes-AMG.

The journey began several months ago, with intense discussions between Volvo Car Australia, V8 Supercars, and Garry Rogers Motorsport (GRM). The Swedish marque's Sydney headquarters made frantic phone calls to V8 Supercar officials at the series' first US market round in Austin, USA. This move was a response to wild rumors that had been circulating about Volvo's potential entry into the championship.

Volvo Car Australia has since banned the Editor-in-Chief of 'your website' from attending Monday's launch and the V8SC announcement due to an agreement that was made to withhold details until the June 17 Polestar launch. However, a leak via specialist racing media scuttled this agreement.

The Volvo V8 Supercar entry is a significant development for the championship, which has been dominated by Australian-made cars such as Commodores and Falcons. The S60s will be fielded by GRM, replacing their current Commodore lineup. It remains unclear whether Volvo's entry will contractually delay the entry of other brands into the series.

Mark Skaife, V8 Supercars' Car of the Future (CotF) 'architect', played a crucial role in securing the manufacturer's involvement. The cars will sport existing sponsors' liveries but have the full support of the factory and are expected to attract new sponsors to the series.

The deal marks a major milestone for Volvo, which has singled out Australia as a trial market for its S60 Polestar performance flagship, a turbocharged six-cylinder all-wheel-drive mid-size executive model. The brand's equivalent of Mercedes-AMG or BMW's M division, Polestar currently races S60s in the Swedish TTA Elite Racing League.

The Volvo V8 Supercar entry is expected to inject new excitement into the championship, which has seen a decline in popularity in recent years. With the support of the factory and the injection of new sponsors, the series is poised for a resurgence.

In conclusion, the Volvo V8 Supercar entry marks a significant development in the world of motorsport. The brand's involvement will bring a fresh perspective to the championship, and its commitment to supporting existing sponsors as well as attracting new ones is expected to have a positive impact on the series. As the 2014 season approaches, fans can look forward to an exciting year of racing with Volvo joining the likes of Nissan and Mercedes-AMG in the V8 Supercar circus.

Volvo v8 supercar