BTCC organiser awards new contract to existing supplier

Series organiser TOCA has awarded the five-year contract for the supply of a new NGTC-spec ‘TOCA’ engine to Swindon Engines.

The requirement to make available to teams a cost competitive engine with proven durability has been fulfilled by Swindon Engines since the introduction of the NGTC regulations back in 2011. With that term concluding next year, this new contract and engine will take the partnership between the two organisations through to 2021.

This latest tender was scheduled as part of a ‘mid-term’ NGTC evaluation, as per the Technical Partnership recently awarded to RML to provide specified chassis, suspension and associated components to BTCC teams.

Nine engine manufacturers entered the first phase of the tender process, from which a four-strong shortlist was selected to present to a Review Panel comprising of TOCA and some nine BTCC teams – which included teams using TOCA engines and all other major engines run in the Championship.

The Review Panel voted by a clear majority to award the new contract to Swindon Engines until the end of the 2021 MSA British Touring Car Championship season. The new-specification engine will continue through a final development programme, rigorous testing and manufacture prior to its introduction in 2017.

As with the current agreement, engines will be available for both lease and purchase, with Swindon Engines providing comprehensive engineer and technical support at all BTCC race meetings and TOCA test days, at which they will also make spare engines available.

Swindon Engines was established in 1971 as a high performance engine specialist. Having originally carried out essential maintenance of Formula 1 engines in the 1970s and 80s, it went on to produce many successful projects in rallying and touring car racing. Today, Swindon Engines supplies high performance engines as well as cutting edge development projects and components to the automotive world and the motor racing industry.

Alan Gow, BTCC Series Director, said: “I would like to congratulate Swindon Engines on the award of this new contract to supply the new ‘TOCA’ engine until 2021.

“As we witnessed with the recent chassis, suspension and associated components tender, awarding this contract was certainly not merely a foregone conclusion for an existing supplier. Swindon Engines’ tender and presentation was of the highest calibre and they were clearly voted for by a BTCC review panel, which included personnel from teams that use the ‘TOCA’ engine and others that use their own power units.

“Of course Swindon Engines has the proven record of supplying engines on a wide scale in the BTCC, having successfully supplied the ‘TOCA’ engine to the Championship since the outset of the NGTC regulations – but equally I have no doubt that all other bidders could have successfully done the same, such was the extremely high quality of the tenders.

“Over the last five years TOCA, Swindon Engines and the BTCC teams have worked closely together on developing what was already a very impressive product, and we look forward to continuing with this philosophy into the next decade.”

Raphaël Caillé, Swindon Engines Managing Director, said: “We are extremely proud to be able to continue our long-standing partnership with the BTCC, the UK’s highest profile motor sport series.

“Swindon Engines has enjoyed a successful relationship with the series since the introduction of the NGTC regulations, and we have seen the BTCC flourish both on-track and off-track during this time.

“We have continued to develop our one-fits-all product over the last five years and provide a high performing, reliable and consistent unit, which benefits teams throughout the grid. Our engine remains cost efficient whilst not compromising on performance, as proven so often by the numerous race winners in the BTCC.

“We will continue to provide the teams with the highest level of service, reliability and engineering and we look forward to this next phase in our partnership with the BTCC.”