MOTORSPORT: Mercedes-AMG to lead Bathurst 12 Hour field
Mercedes-AMG E 63 S named as official safety car for Bathurst sports car classicThe Mercedes-AMG E 63 S will officially lead out the field at this year’s Bathurst 12 Hour as the official safety car.
Mercedes has named its all-conquering, all-wheel drive powerhouse to lead sessions around the legendary 6.2km circuit, held at Mount Panorama over February 2-4.
In addition, a pair of C 63 S sedans and a C 43 sedan will assist in the running of the event as official course cars.
The E 63 S should have little problem keeping tabs on the decorated field of entries, courtesy of a 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 that cranks out 450kW and 850Nm and allows it to notch triple figures in 3.4 seconds before travelling onwards to a top speed of 300km/h.
Organisers have released a list of 60 cars entered in this year’s event, representing 13 marques.
The provisional grid comprises 10 Audi R8s, six Mercedes-Benz AMG GTs, seven BMWs (three M6 GT3s and four M4 GT4s), three McLaren 650s, two Bentley Continentals but only one Ferrari. Add in three Lamborghinis (two Gallardos and a Huracan), 11 Porsches (three GT3 Rs, five GT3 Cup cars and three Caymans), four Ginetta GT4s, two KTM X-Bows, a Daytona Coupe, a Dodge Viper and nine MARC V8s (three of them new) and the stage is set for a classic.
Thirty-one of the cars are GT3s that will contend for outright honours.
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