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General Motors’ prototype Gen3 Supercars engine passed its latest test with flying colours, clocking more valuable kilometres at Queensland Raceway yesterday.
After making a secret track debut last month, the 5.7-litre engine again ran aboard a Mercedes-AMG C63-bodied TA2 at Ipswich yesterday alongside the more publicised Supercheap Auto wildcard entry’s maiden test for the Repco Bathurst 1000.
GM homologation team Triple Eight Race Engineering was cagey on the matter, team principal Roland Dane simply telling Speedcafe.com, “it’s going ’round and ’round doing what we need it to do”.
Asked if he was happy how it ran; “I’m not unhappy. I’d be unhappy if it wasn’t going ’round and ’round.”
Craig Lowndes completed the majority of laps yesterday; the previous occasion had involved a mix of drivers including both Jamie Whincup and Shane van Gisbergen.
Reliability running was clearly among the key factors at play, to the point where it was even desired to stretch the motor to find its limits.
The car and engine – which was noticeably loud due to no muffler – appeared to run without interruption.
With a second prototype 5.7-litre engine being built, learnings from the track will guide a more refined ‘version two’.
Driveability is understood to be a key focus, with one source indicating some driver adjustments may be required.
“When you drive something with a single throttle body, it’s not going to be as sharp as the current engines,” Speedcafe.com was told.
It’s unclear when the engine will next hit the track; more dyno running is an option too.
GM’s Gen3 engine rival will be a 5.4-litre Ford Coyote.
Dick Johnson Racing CEO Ryan Story, who runs Supercars’ Ford homologation team, has admitted “the starting point for us has been somewhat easier than that of the GM side”.
“It’s a cost-effective engine, it’s a proven engine and it’s something that we’re really excited about,” he added.
Gen3 machinery, including the new Chevrolet Camaro, is set to debut in the Repco Supercars Championship in August next year.
