This isn’t the first time we’ve heard or seen this V6-powered Holden on the track, but it is the first time we’ve heard it with respectable audio quality. Here, the snarling V6 pops and fizzes in high fidelity, and its infectious bark should convert the most stubborn, old-fashioned V8 Supercar fans. Maybe not.

Built to suit the new welcoming Gen 2 rules, this new LF4.R powerplant is based closely off the 3.6-liter, twin-turbo unit found in the Cadillac ATS-V.R. GT3 which dominated Pirelli World Challenge three years ago. This version benefits from a Bosch MS5.1 ECU, lightweight aluminum block, and the Borg-Warner turbochargers and water-to-air intercoolers are relocated — compared to the positioning in the ATS-V.R. — to fit the confines of the Holden’s engine bay.

This particular car, known as the Sandman, is a promotional vehicle brewed up by Triple Eight Race Engineering to showcase the V6 that will power one of its cars in the 2018 V8 Supercars season. This year, the Gen 2 Supercars will make their debut at selected events, and this marks the first time since 1994 that a non-V8-powered car has competed in the category.

Personally, I can’t get enough of that engine note, but I’ve always preferred the bark of an IndyCar over the rumble of a Corvette. What’s important for the series is that a variety of body shapes and powerplants might be something to expect in the near future, and a little variety in the top-tiers of motorsport is always a good thing.