Volvo will join the V8 Supercars championship grid in 2014 as the first factory-backed luxury car brand.
Volvo Australia has joined forces with Volvo’s global motorsport partner Polestar, and Garry Rogers Motorsport team to form Volvo Polestar Racing.
The announcement was made in Brisbane today by Matt Braid, Volvo Car Australia managing director; James Warburton, V8 Supercars CEO; Mark Skaife, V8 Supercars Commission chairman; Garry Rogers, owner of Garry Rogers Motorsport; Christian Dahl, managing director and owner of Polestar; and vice president international of Volvo Car Group, Thomas Andersson.
“I’m delighted to announce our return to motorsport in Australia,” says Matt Braid, Volvo Australia managing director.
“Volvo has a rich motorsport heritage in this country, including winning Australia’s most famous race, Bathurst, 15 years ago this coming October.
“As the first luxury car brand to enter a factory team in the V8 Supercars championship, we’re determined to add to this heritage, while strengthening the presence of the S60 model line and the Volvo brand here in Australia.”
James Warburton, CEO, V8 Supercars, says: “To have another prestigious brand like Volvo in our sport is a red letter day for V8 Supercars.
“The strength of V8 Supercars is such that global brands, not limited to car manufacturers, are becoming increasingly aware of and directly involved in the business.
“It is my vision to build V8 Supercars into one of the strongest brands in the world with the partners to match. That is the level of untapped potential I believe this sport has.”
Derek Crabb, executive motorsport director of Volvo Car Group says: “Polestar has been Volvo Car Group’s global performance and motorsport partner since 1996, and has campaigned Volvos in the World Touring Car Championship, the European Touring Car Championship and, currently, the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship.”
Volvo Car Australia has a rich heritage of motorsport in Australia, having won the 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship in 1986 with Robbie Francevic in a Volvo 240T.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of Volvo winning Australia’s most famous race, the Bathurst 1000 in 1998 with Jim Richards and Rickard Rydell in a Volvo S40.
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