FPR debuts Falcon Car of the Future for V8 Supercars series

Usually, shaking down a new race car can be full of agony and heartaches, so it's surprising how positive Ford Performance Racing's (FPR) feedback was after its first tests with the Ford Falcon Car of the Future (COTF). This new racer is being tested in preparation for the 2013 Australian V8 Supercars season.

In total, the Falcon COTF ran 20 laps around Winton Motor Raceway, and based on the initial tests, FPR said the car performed better than expected during a short session. The car will perform its first full day of testing on Monday ahead of the Dick Smith Sandown 500.

That's not all the news happening for next year's V8 Supercar season. We already knew that Nissan is returning to the series for the first time since 1993, but now we know what'll be under the hood of its Altima racer: a Nissan Motorsport VK56DE V8 engine. Made in Tennessee, this aluminum V8 has been modified for race use by dropping its displacement from 5.6 liters down to 5.0 to comply with V8 Supercars regs.

Of course, we'll be able to see all of these cars in action in the U.S. next season when the V8 Supercars invade the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.