Car of the Future close look

V8 Supercar fans will see more passing and more of the road when the next-generation race cars hit the track at Adelaide next year.

So says Triple 8 boss Roland Dane who initiated the "Car of the Future" (COTF) project back in 2008. 

Yesterday he gave News Limited an exclusive look over the first validated COTF before its first shakedown at Norwell on the Gold Coast hinterland today (Wednesday).

"This car will produce at least as good if not better racing and racing more often because they are easier, cheaper and quicker to repair," Dane said. 

"The bigger brakes and 18-inch tyres will create different lines under braking into the corners with more passing opportunities whereas it's a very single lane at the moment.

"The removal of the 'Larry' bar (diagonal roll bar across the windscreen named after driver Larry Perkins) will also give TV viewers a better view of the road." 

Championship leader Jamie Whincup will get the honours of the first shakedown test today and teammate Craig Lowndes will do the first full test at Queensland Raceway on Monday following this weekend's round.

Dane said the test driver roster was decided by a "toss of the coin". "From a driver's point of view there is more safety, less of a balance change as the fuel load gets low because the tank is in the middle and different handling characteristics with the independent rear suspension," he said.

"It will handle more like a performance sports car," he said. From a constructor's point of view, the car will also be cheaper to build and maintain. The current car costs up to $450,000 to build, but Dane said the new model will cost less than $400,000.

"The biggest cost difference is in the rolling chassis which is currently $338,000 plus GST.  This will cost $275,000 including the gearbox," he said. Dane believes there will be a full grid of the new cars at the first race of next season at Adelaide. "I'm very excited," he said.

"It doesn't take away from the DNA of the current car's looks, noise and feel, but it does look great, doesn't it? "The biggest difference in the look is the larger tyres. It's amazing how much better they fill out the wheel arches." The car is the first of nine Dane's Triple 8 Race Engineering company in Brisbane will build for themselves and customers.