Lexus Australia rules out V8 Supercar entry “at this stage”

Lexus Australia has ruled out any initial entry into the V8 Supercar racing series, although the company’s local chief has again confirmed interest in the coming ‘Gen2 Supercar’ regulations.

Revealed in December last year, the Gen2 program will see a number of changes made to the long-running racing series from 2017, opening the door to coupe bodies and different engine cylinder counts, among other revisions.

The local Lexus arm has previously confirmed that it is monitoring the championship’s developments, with “high-level discussions” occurring over the past year.

“It is certainly something we’re examining. Are we interested? The truth is yes we are [and] frankly we think that [the] RC F may suit that landscape in the future,” Lexus Australia CEO Sean Hanley told CarAdvice last year.

This week, Hanley reaffirmed the brand’s enthusiasm for a racing campaign, but reiterated that no concrete plans have been set.

“V8 Supercars remains a strong interest for Lexus and we will keenly watch how the sport evolves with the new regulations in 2017.”

He added however that the company is “delighted to continue providing high performance Lexus support vehicles, including the RC F V8 Safety Car”.

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