Next year will be the first that the stock car series does not feature sedans, marking a 45-year first for the category.

Instead, Stock Car’s three manufacturers – Chevrolet, Toyota, and Mitsubishi – will field compact SUVs.

That’s in line with trends in the local automotive landscape as sedans become less popular while sport utility vehicles and crossovers gain traction.

After eight years, Chevrolet will ditch its Cruze and instead utilise the Tracker – a car not currently sold in Australia.

Prior to the switch, Toyota used its Corolla sedan but will switch to the Corolla Cross variant.

Mitsubishi returns to the Stock Car Pro Series in 2025 after a 16-year hiatus with its Eclipse Cross.

Toyota and Mitsubishi have yet to reveal their machines beyond early renders.

Chris Rego, marketing director at General Motors South America, said Stock Car’s move towards compact SUVs is in line with market trends.

“The choice of Tracker as Chevrolet’s representative in Stock Car is an innovation that reflects the consumer’s desire for SUVs, a segment that has recently come to dominate the Brazilian market,” Rego explained.

“Furthermore, the Tracker is the best-selling SUV in South America and the competition reinforces the product’s successful image.”

In line with the move away from sedans, the Stock Car Pro Series has ditched its 6.8-litre V8 powerplant for a turbocharged 2.1-litre four-cylinder engine.

The new engines make 500bhp (370kW) and rev to 7600 rpm with drive going to the rear wheels.

The cars run an Xtrac six-speed sequential gearbox operated by paddle shifters.

The cars feature DRS, weigh 1100kg, and have a 2750mm wheelbase.

Although the use of crossovers and compact SUVs is new for the Brazilian series, it’s not an entirely new concept.

The Ford Puma is prominent in the FIA World Rally Championship and NASCAR has begun experimenting with SUV platforms with its recently revealed all-electric prototype.

The short-lived Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy became the first high-profile SUV-based racing series in support of the FIA Formula E World Championship.

Could Supercars eventually follow suit?

Down Under, the championship has support from Ford with its Mustang and Chevrolet via its Camaro – but getting more manufacturers involved might require Supercars to move away from its coupe focus.

Stock Car Pro Series Audace SNG01 specifications

Engine: 2.1-litre four-cylinder, turbocharged, 16 valves, electronic fuel injection,

Engine output: 500 hp (7,600 rpm) making 580 Nm torque (from 4,000 to 6,800 rpm).

Maximum RPM: 7,600

Electronics: Motec (Australia) and Fueltech (Brazil)

Panel: Fueltech FT700 Plus

Weight : 1,100 kg (2 kg per hp)

Gearbox: XTrac (England) model P1529, sequential and semi-automatic, six-speed, operated by the driver, but the mechanism manages the engagement. Gear changes activated by paddles on the steering wheel. Rear-wheel drive

Suspension: independent on four wheels. Overlapping wishbones (“double A”). Pushrod system. Adjustable competition shock absorbers

Shock absorbers: Penske Racing (USA)

Connectivity: Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G, with sensing of several car functions

Visibility: Cameras integrated into the chassis with front and rear views, in addition to an internal 360-degree camera. The first two available on the driver’s display. The third used in race broadcasts.

Aerodynamics: SUV adjusted for competition, DRS (carbon fiber mobile wing)

Design: Audacetech, ArcelorMittal, IPT and SENAI

Body: Chevrolet Tracker Stock Car. Composite material (including carbon fiber, fiberglass, aramid and Kevlar), simulations and tests. Manufactured by Magna (Brazil)

Chassis: ArcelorMittal DP980R steel, from the Advanced High-Resistance Steel family, IPT seal. CBA homologation

Wheelbase: 2750 mm

Brakes: Special ventilated Hipper Brakes discs, Cobreq pads (competition), with AP Racing (England) competition calipers. Six-piston front and four-piston rear

Steering: rack/pinion system, electric drive

Wheels: Mangels, light alloy, measuring 11.5 x 18 inches (diameter x width)

Tyres: Hankook (South Korea) measuring 300-680×18

Safety: Tubular steel frame in ArcelorMittal DP980R, flame protection by firewalls with aluminum plates and heat-resistant coating, crash box-type structures in the front and rear in aluminum for impact absorption. Side structures in carbon, kevlar and aramid for impact absorption and energy dissipation. Driver’s seat designed and manufactured in the USA with FIA certification