The V8 supercar design must play to very specific regulations in order to have the privilege of competing at the Bahrain International Circuit Desert 400.  These regulations are actually what keep the race as competitive and exciting as it is because their desire for conformity makes for a closer race.  Since the only two makes of vehicles currently racing in the V8 Supercar Championships are Ford and Holden, the vehicles are all very similar.

The Make of a Supercar

To meet regulations of the supercar design, the car must be based on a production road car.  They will, of course, be heavily modified, but it is important that they follow the current specification VE Commodore or FG Falcon production bodyshell.  This ensures that the main difference between a supercar and another style of race car is that other race cars are typically built from space frame construction instead of following a production vehicle like the V8 supercars.  The regulations also require that costs are kept at a reasonable level in the vehicle construction.

Holden vs Ford Supercar Design

Because the racing requirements call for similar designs among all vehicles, the two rival manufacturers, Holden and Ford, have to be very cunning to come up with legal components that will give their car a slight cutting edge over the competition.  This, of course, makes the competition and rivalry between the two manufacturers even more fierce.  As a result, many people argue that wins at the Bahrain International Championship rely more heavily on the driver of the vehicle than on the vehicle design itself.

Project Blueprint Supercar Design

Project Blueprint was introduced to the V8 supercars at the start of the 2003 series.  This project’s aim was to ensure that both makes of supercars, Holden and Ford, were equal.  The project requires that the makes of the vehicles submitted for racing are examined and compared.  Project Blueprint is responsible for the racing between Ford and Holden being closer than it ever has been in the past, and many believe this competition reduces the risk of having one make dominate the racing series.

Need for Speed

It’s true, some of the requirements of supercar design limit the amount of speed and power that could be gained through more modifications or different body designs, but the cars are still very fast and extremely powerful.  All vehicles must have a front engine design and rear wheel drive.  They produce around 450 kw of power and the average speed of a V8 supercar is roughly 295 kmh/183mph.  The engines are limited to 7,500 rpm and are based on the racing engines of their parent companies.

Supercar races on the Bahrain Circuit have brought massive crowds over the past few years of the event.  The major draw of these races is largely due to the competition between Ford and Holden and the strict regulations on supercar design that cause the drivers to remain neck and neck throughout the entire race.  Whether the magic is in the car or the drivers, this style of racing has completely won over racing fans all over the world.