Gibson Technology has announced the three technical partners that it will work with on its next-generation LMP2 powertrain, which is set to debut in 2028 and remain in competition through the 2032 season.
The British company, which was awarded the next-gen contract after a tender process earlier this year, will develop the new unit in collaboration with Nissan / NISMO. The new LMP2 cars will be powered by a bespoke 3.4-litre, twin-turbocharged V6, featuring direct fuel injection, designed and manufactured in partnership with the Japanese marque’s motorsport arm.
Gibson’s relationship with NISMO is aimed at combining modern automotive efficiency with the demands of top-level endurance racing. The result, the company says, will be a highly reliable internal combustion engine that offers cost-effective and sustainable performance, along with assured security of supply for teams.
It will be NISMO’s first involvement in LMP2 competition since 2016 (below), bringing it back to the LMP fold after Toyota took over as the base engine supplier for the new LMP3 cars, which debuted this year.
The shift to a turbocharged V6 platform signals the beginning of a new era for Gibson. It has produced a naturally aspirated V8 platform for LMP2 since becoming the spec engine supplier back in 2017 with its 4.2-litre GK428. Before that, it served as the engine builder for the Nissan VK45DE back to 2011 and produced its own V8 under the Zytek banner when the class launched in 2004.
Bosch Motorsport has also been brought on board to provide the electronic architecture for the powertrain. The German firm will supply the ECU, powerbox, wiring harness, and a new steering wheel developed by MoTeC, a Bosch subsidiary.
Meanwhile, Xtrac (which currently supplies gearboxes for ORECA’s 07) will handle the transmission side of the programme, developing a new transverse gearbox complete with bellhousing and a gearshift system tailored specifically for the upcoming LMP2 platform.
The focus, according to Gibson, will be on ensuring both performance and long-term durability, ultimately helping reduce the total cost of ownership for customer teams.
“We are incredibly proud to be working alongside our technical partners for the development and delivery of the new LMP2 powertrain system,” said Gibson Technology managing director Mark Brittan.
“This exciting project promises to deliver fantastic performance for teams competing in the LMP2 series around the world from 2028 onwards, while ensuring costs are kept under control and supply is reliable.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank our technical partners for their contributions and hard work so far. We look forward to working with them all as well as continuing our highly successful collaboration with the approved chassis constructors.”
Gibson Technology is expected to release further technical details on the new powertrain in the coming months.
Featured image courtesy of Gibson
