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HomeNewsTOP FIVE: ICONIC SUPERCARS THAT LIVE OVERSEAS

TOP FIVE: ICONIC SUPERCARS THAT LIVE OVERSEAS

The increased global footprint of the Supercars Championship in recent years has resulted in several iconic cars ending up offshore.

A whole host are now either museum pieces or track runners in other countries, including a five-strong fleet that run under the ‘Holden Racing Team’ banner in the UK, and a smattering in New Zealand.

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This V8 Sleuth ‘Top Five’ list recaps five of the most high-profile Supercars to have headed overseas in recent years, spread across five of the category’s biggest teams.

Holden Racing Team Commodore VE

The HRT VE at Navarra, Spain in 2019. Pic: United Autosports

This car is one of two Supercars-era Bathurst 1000 winners currently living offshore and has a high-profile owner.

McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown purchased the 2011 Garth Tander/Nick Percat Great Race winning car in early ’17, prior to his United Autosport operation’s buy-in to the Walkinshaw Supercars squad.

It resides in the UK among Brown’s extensive collection of racing cars and enjoys occasional track outings, with owner Brown and the then McLaren F1 driver Carlos Sainz Jr driving it in 2019.

Ford Performance Racing Falcon FG

The FPR Falcon in Rupp’s hands at Hockenheim. Pic: Detlef Sauer Rennsport Fotografie

The other Bathurst winning Supercar to find a new home overseas is the 2013 Mark Winterbottom/Steven Richards Pepsi Max Crew Ford Falcon FG.

This car raced on with the Ford squad until the end of 2018, after which it was restored back to its Bathurst specifications and sold to German entrepreneur and amateur racer Stefan Rupp.

It enjoyed track time at Salzburgring and Hockenheim and in 2020 before again being offered for sale at the end of the year.

Garry Rogers Motorsport Volvo S60

The GRM team farewelling one of the Vovlos in 2017. Pic: GRM

Two Garry Rogers Motorsport Volvo S60s were dispatched to Sweden following the end of the manufacturer’s Supercars program, so they share a single slot on this list!

Both are most famous for achievements with Scott McLaughlin behind the wheel; one used by the youngster during his breakout 2014 season and the other scoring more race wins in ’16.

They are these days housed at the Gothenburg headquarters of Cyan Racing, the motorsport partner of Volvo’s parent company the Gealy Group, that was known as Polestar during its Supercars involvement.

Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden Commodore VF

Prince Jeffri Ibrahim with van Gisbergen and the VF Commodore in 2018. Pic: Shane van Gisbergen via Instagram

Jamie Whincup’s 2017 Supercars Championship winning car’s time in the category ended as soon as the chequered flag fell on the memorable and highly controversial season finale.

It was sold to the son of the Sultan of Johor, Prince Jeffri Ibrahim, in Malaysia and dispatched to the country in early 2018.

Shane van Gisbergen drove it in Malaysia midway through that year as part of a handover to Prince Jeffri, who is this year living in Australia driving in Triple Eight’s local GT program.

Dick Johnson Racing Ford Mustang

Ryan Briscoe demonstrated this car at Virginia International Raceway in 2019. Pic: Supplied

This car lives at Ford’s global HQ in the United States dressed as a Scott McLaughlin DJR Team Penske Mustang and will be showcased at the UK’s Goodwood Festival this year, although not is all quite as it seems.

It was built by DJR as a Falcon FG and raced in 2013/14 before being updated to an FG X and sent to Team Penske’s US base in ‘15, to evaluate a potential chassis-building program that ultimately did not go ahead.

Conversion to a Mustang followed in early 2019 so Ford could promote its Supercar involvement in the US. As-raced DJRTP-era Falcons and Mustangs are expected to head to the US in future to join Team Penske’s museum.

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