The former Volvo team has abandoned its quest to continue using the Yamaha-based Volvo V8 engines in 2017, following a legal dispute that flared up in the wake of Volvo pulling the pin on its factory Supercars backing.

Rather than running Chevrolet engines in the S60 panels, GRM has instead opted for a last-minute build of two brand new VF Commodores, which will be raced by Garth Tander and James Moffat this season.

While it means a return to the Holden fold for GRM, the team having campaigned Commodores from 1996 to 2013, it is unlikely to come with any direct factory involvement. Outgoing motorsport boss Simon McNamara, believed to be leaving his Holden post, told Motorsport.com at last week’s Red Bull Holden Racing Team launch that a quasi factory deal similar to that in place with Brad Jones Racing is not on the cards for GRM.

“I wouldn’t think so. We’ve got a fairly close relationship with the Joneses, but the Garry Rogers guys have always been fairly independent,” he said.

“To be honest I haven’t heard much from them about what they were doing anyway. So welcome back to the fold, but they are sort of doing their own thing.”

There could, however, be some indirect involvement, for example with well-known Holden designer Peter Hughes keen to have a hand in the design of the 2017 GRM cars.

“Peter Hughes is desperate to design Garth’s car, so we’ve put that forward. We’re unashamedly anal about making sure that the Commodores that we put on the track are done by him and are the best looking cars going around. It’s always good having the guy who actually designed the car itself to do the liveries, because he knows what works.

“So if GRM come and ask for some help or whatever we’ll do what we can, like we do with everyone else.”

GRM’s forced abandonment of its S60 programme means there will only be three different makes on the 2017 Supercars grid – the Ford Falcon FG X, the Nissan Altima, and the Holden Commodore VFII.