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Supercars has finally concluded a deal with Xtrac regarding the supply of a new control transaxle to the category from next season.
The championship has for some time been expected to introduce a new transaxle with longstanding supplier Albins in the final year of its contract.
Teams have indicated a wish for a more robust and cost effective transaxle with outfits currently spending a key amount of resources in preparing and repairing the component.
British firm Xtrac has developed a new transaxle for Supercars which has undergone an extensive testing process during race events this season.
While teams are set for an initial outlay of funds to replace their current gearboxes, it is envisaged that the part will save the teams money in the long run.
It conducted its first outing in Macauley Jones’ Super2 car at Sandown before being run in Simona De Silvestro’s Nissan from the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.
Tim Blanchard also experienced the transaxle during race meetings in the second half of the campaign.
Supercars boss Sean Seamer has now confirmed that a deal has been reached with Xtrac with the components to be mandatory for Supercars teams from 2019.
According to Seamer, the transaxle has been met positively by teams that have run the part in competition and testing.
“The Xtrac deal has been finalised and all the cars will run the new transaxle next year,” said Seamer when asked by Speedcafe.com.
“The feedback we have had from the teams that have been running it and testing it has been overwhelmingly positive and the durability based on the kilometres the teams have done is exactly what we have hoped for.”
The new transaxle is part of Supercars’ drive to save costs which has also seen twin-spring dampers banned from next year.
Speedcafe.com understands that the Dunlop Super2 Series entries will continue to run the Albins transaxle next year.
Xtrac has supplied transmissions to Formula 1, WRC and touring car series such as the British Touring Car Championship, and is also the exclusive supplier to IndyCar.
