By Bruce Williams
Release date: November 2, 2021
EXCLUSIVE: Cross-share holding and ARG acquisition are also on the agenda, as a wider audience and new manufacturers are being sought
Supercar new owner RACE has revealed that Australia’s high profile touring car category is aiming for a “hybrid” future.
This and other significant revelations are contained in an investment document circulated by Melbourne investment broker FIIG, which offers safe investment bonds in RACE, which describes the 2023 Gen-3 as a “hybrid capable” car.
While this does not suggest that the supercar will be a full hybrid in 2023 (and may initially be powered by the traditional V8s that are currently being developed), it does confirm that a switch to hybrid propulsion sources will be part of the future of supercars.
It doesn’t necessarily signal a move away from a V8 either – while a 5-liter V8 is not a turbo car (and turbos are a significant source of regenerated power, like in an F1 car), there are other sources of energy, too Example brake systems and other moving parts that can represent a “hybrid” energy source.
The move is intended to consolidate the international “relevance and sustainability” of the category and open it to a broader international market and other manufacturers.
At the same time, an initial joint investment between Supercars and ARG as well as the potential for Supercars (RACE) to ultimately acquire ARG in full is revealed, creating a single Australian motorsport giant.
The same document reveals the likely makeup of the RACE board of directors – plus an initial cross ownership between Supercars and ARG, and even the potential for Supercars to fully acquire ARG in the not-too-distant future:
“RACE is expected to have a board of seven members including Barclay Nettlefold (Chairman, TGI Sport, Founder of News Corp Outdoor, EYE Corp and QMS Media Group), Craig Kelly (CEO, TLA Australia, with over 30 years of experience) in the Australian sports industry), Mark Skaife (5x Supercars champion and 6x Bathurst 1000 winner), John McMellan (ARG representative), a second ARG representative (to be confirmed), Stephen Macaw (Henslow representative) and one other member, to be appointed.”
“As part of the new ownership model, ARG will initially acquire a largest single stake of 31% in V8 Supercars, which will drop to 28% as soon as the value-add equity is fully transferred in two years (with V8 Supercars taking a 30% stake in return). to ARG), which means that the two institutions should have the same interests.
“In addition, V8 Supercars has an option to acquire the remaining 70% (ED: from ARG), an option that, in our opinion, is very likely to be exercised in the next two to three years.
FURTHER details in the brand new issue of AUTO ACTION this week on sale this Thursday or in our digital version on Wednesday evening.
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