By Jeff Glucker
Ryan Tuerck’s Formula Supra is on the dyno. And that Judd V10 is finally spinning to its proper dizzying heights. The result is amazing because the noise is intoxicating.
For a quick refresher, the engine sunk in the nose of this Supra is a Judd GV4. That is a 4.0-liter 10-cylinder motor designed for racing Le Mans Prototypes and some late-model Formula 1 cars. And this one here is in a Supra. It climbs to 11,000 rpm and it screams the entire way there. Tuerck says the dyno test on this one reveals around 630 horsepower at the wheels. And a look at Judd’s own website says the rebuild interval is 3,000 kilometers. Yes, it is going to be expensive to run this insane engine. But it’s going to sound good every time it’s bolted together and screaming along in that excellently built machine.
This candy would taste sweeter if it were tucked into a more attractive wrapper. I mean, the engine is fantastic, but the new Supra is such an ugly little troll of a car, I struggle to get interested in this project. Had they chosen almost anything else…
I think the Supra looks good! nice long hood, rearward seating position, fastback rear, little ducktail. to my eyes it sits just right, and I like that it’s pretty small. the more I see around the more I like them!
That Judd V10 sound is just brilliant. The Supra’s looks really grew on me, I didn’t like them at first, but were it not a BMW at heart, I could consider actually buying one if the stars aligned just so.
There’s a brief video out there of it on a track now, I saw it on a desert racer’s feed (trophy burro) on IG.