Chrysler says it won’t join series yet.

V8 Supercar’s expansion plans have suffered a setback with Chrysler confirming it will not contest the championship in 2013.

However, it has left the door open to potentially join the ambitious sedan series in the future.

Holden-campaigning V8 Supercar team owner Garry Rogers had proposed running two new Chrysler 300C SRT8s in the championship from 2013, when it switches to new Car of the Future regulations and opens up to allow more manufacturers alongside Ford and Holden.

But having failed to gain financial backing from its head office in Detroit for the deal, Chrysler Australia has decided the multi-million-dollar spend is too expensive.

“Essentially at this point in our organisational development it doesn’t make financial sense (to go V8 Supercar racing),” explained Chrysler Australia spokesperson Lenore Fletcher. “The SRT8 would have been a terrific vehicle for it, but it’s not a high volume vehicle.

“When you work it out on a dollar-per-vehicle basis and you look at what you have to spend in terms of supporting and promoting your commitment it just makes it very difficult and high cost.

“We are not at the point where we are prepared to make that sort of commitment.”

Fletcher said that the V8 Supercar project would almost certainly be reconsidered in the future, perhaps as soon as 12 months from now when 2014 budgets are formulated.

“Never say never. It will be interesting to see what happens in the future. Because there is such a lot of support here (Chrysler Australia) I am sure it will be discussed again.”

Nissan has already announced it will enter four cars in next year’s V8Supercar championship via Kelly Racing, rebranded as Nissan Motorsport. Chrysler’s decision means almost certainly

Nissan will be the only new manufacturer on the V8Supercar grid in 2013.