Mark Fogarty
Date Posted: May 6, 2021
The renowned Formula 1 and IndyCar engine manufacturer Ilmor was commissioned with the development of the Gen3 V8 from Supercars.
Auto Action has learned that Gen3 versions of the Ford and GM box engines are being sent to Ilmor in America for parity validation.
Ilmor has a long history of racing engine development.
Supercars will switch to Ford’s 5.4-liter Coyote-based V8 and GM’s 6.2-liter LS3.
The change means compensating for the inequality of the inexpensive engines – DOHC 4 valves per cylinder versus two push rod valves.
The Ford ‘Aluminator’ can spin higher, but the LS3 produces more torque.
Supercars is working with local engine developers Mostech (Ford) and KRE (GM) to develop “crate” V8s that are cheaper and more durable.
The target was a maximum of $ 60,000 for a Gen3 engine, compared to more than $ 100,000 for the existing five-liter V8.
While the teams confirmed the Ilmor link, Supercars made no comment. However, informed sources confirm that Ilmor’s American subsidiary, based in Plymouth, Michigan, outside of Detroit, was hired to validate the parity of Ford and GM engines.
“We plan to work with them to support technical parity between the engines,” said an insider.
According to the informant, Ilmor, who drove the 2.2-liter IndyCar turbo engine from Chevrolet, is not involved in the development of the Gen3 box engines, which are tuned here by Mostech and KRE.
The source found that supercars’ time-tested parity measures are used to balance performance between the various engines, suggesting that the GM LS3’s capacity may not be maintained.
Originally supported by Roger Penske, llmor was founded in the late 1980s by former Cosworth engineers Mario Ilien and Paul Morgan. They developed victorious F1 and Indycar engines.
Ilmor’s Chevrolet and Mercedes V8s with turbochargers dominated the SHOPPING BASKET in the 1990s. His latest Chevy twin-turbo V6 competes with Honda for the supremacy of IndyCar.
The American division is also a force in NASCAR truck racing and the ARCA feeder series.
In Formula 1, Ilmor designed the early Mercedes-Benz V10 that McLaren drove to the 1998/99 World Championship with Mika Hakkinen.
The company’s plant in Brixworth, Great Britain, was acquired by Mercedes in 2005 and formed the basis for the operation of the all-conquering hybrid V6, which has dominated since 2014.
Ilmor in America was also behind the Honda IndyCar engine from 2003 to 2011 and switched to Chevy in 2012 with Penske support.
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