With the traditional Holden-Ford rivalry taking a back seat, Toyota has unveiled the new Supra model that Supercars hopes can reignite fan interest.
A working Gen3 GR Supra was revealed in Sydney on Monday, part of the latest shake-up of the Australian touring car category.
The car is powered by a 5.0 litre, naturally-aspirated V8 engine, with its redesign based on the classic rear-drive coupe proportions of the Supra.
Six Toyota cars will be part of the Supercars grid in 2026 after the Japanese automotive giant - which dominates vehicle sales in Australia - announced its intention to join the touring car category last year.
The introduction of a third manufacturer comes after Supercars introduced a new format, including an elimination finals series.
Walkinshaw Andretti United stars Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood headline the Toyota field, joined by four Brad Jones Racing drivers.
Mostert and Wood are competing this year in Ford Mustangs, and are fifth and ninth in the series standings, respectively.
Toyota will be the first manufacturer other than Ford and General Motors to race in the competition since 2019.
Team owner Ryan Walkinshaw believes Toyota's involvement will help Supercars recapture interest from fans and engage new audiences.
The traditional Ford v GM rivalry has waned in recent years after the demise of Holden and with Ford pulling the Australian-built Falcon from production.
"When we moved away from GM to Ford, a lot of the naysayers thought we'd lose a lot of our fan base and that tribalism would cause us to have those issues," Walkinshaw said.
"That wasn't the case. We actually managed to maintain the vast majority of our fan base.
"That tribalism argument has kind of fallen apart in recent years
"(Fans) for the sport should increase … as we bring a younger audience, a more diverse audience and really start tapping into that Toyota network."
Brad Jones Racing owner Brad Jones feels the same.
"Once upon a time, when you followed Peter Brock or you followed Alan Moffat, you were very clearly a Holden guy or a Ford guy," Jones said.
"But then when (Craig) Lowndes came along and started jumping into Fords and now to Holdens, it was confusing.
"That was the first baby step in people aligning themselves a bit more with teams and being willing to follow a driver to a different brand.
"This is a great opportunity for us to really embrace what Toyota can do for the sport.
"I'm not worried in any way, shape or form."
The Supra, though yet to be tested by drivers, will make its public debut at the Bathurst 1000 performing demonstration laps for fans.
