99-619: The Mike Kable Young Gun Award (also called the Mike Kable Rookie of the Year ) is an annual motor racing award honouring the achievements of a rookie driver under the age of 30 who competes in either the Supercars Championship , the second-tier Super2 Series or the third-tier Super3 Series . Tony Cochrane , the chairman of the championship's organising body Australian Vee Eight Supercar Company (AVESCO), instigated
198-498: A compression ratio of 10:1. The Holden teams had the option of using the Group A -developed 5.0-litre Holden V8 engine , although this was restricted to the second-tier privateer teams from 1994 onwards, forcing the major Holden runners to use the more expensive Chevrolet engine. The V8s were first eligible to compete in the endurance races of 1992 . The distinctive aerodynamics package, consisting of large front and rear spoilers ,
297-644: A facelift was introduced for the E-Class range, featuring significant styling changes, fuel economy improvements and updated safety features. After being unveiled at the 2009 North American International Auto Show to invited members of the press and put on public display at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show , it was introduced in March 2009 for Europe and in July 2009 for North America in the saloon body style. In 2010, an estate body style became available to all markets, though
396-405: A limited-slip differential , a special three-spoke sport steering wheel, and a reprogramming of the electronic top speed limiter to 300 km/h (186 mph) from 250 km/h (155 mph). The 6.2 L V8 has 525 PS (386 kW; 518 hp) 465 lb⋅ft (630 N⋅m) and will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in approximately 4.5 seconds. In 2011, the 6.2-litre V8
495-699: A new street race on a shortened version of the Adelaide Grand Prix Circuit became one of the first festival-style events, which would become common in later years. Australia's capital city, Canberra , hosted its first event on the Canberra Street Circuit in 2000 . In 2001 , a championship round was held in New Zealand for the first time, at Pukekohe Park Raceway . In 2002 , the V8 Supercar support event at
594-420: A 60% share and TEGA the other 40%. A new board of directors was appointed, with two TEGA representatives and two AMRP representatives. In 2011, Archer Capital purchased a 65% shareholding in the series with the teams owning the other 35%. In December 2021, both Archer Capital and the teams sold their shareholdings to Race Australia Consolidated Enterprises. In the middle of 2008, a project led by Mark Skaife
693-569: A 75% share in AVESCO, with SEL owning the other 25%. TEGA was responsible for the rules and technical management of the series and the supply of cars and drivers, while SEL was responsible for capturing and maintaining broadcasting rights, sponsorship, licensing, and sanction agreements. The expansion of the series began in 1998 , with the first round to be held in the Northern Territory taking place at Hidden Valley Raceway . In 1999 ,
792-663: A Ford and Holden duopoly in 2020 with the departure of Nissan, while Ford replaced the Falcon with the Mustang in 2019. Holden announced its final year of competition in 2022, to be replaced by the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the 2023 season. Starting in 2026, Toyota will make its debut in the championship, competing with the GR Supra . The concept of a formula centred around V8-engined Fords and Holdens for
891-452: A downturn in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Things improved with the facelifted W211 but the introduction of the W212 series re-established the E-Class's original reputation for solid build quality and refined elegance. The W212 was also praised for having a differentiated design from the contemporary C-Class and S-Class models. Although the mid-cycle refresh was overwhelmingly praised,
990-545: A front spoiler and splitter ,and a rear wing . The aerodynamics package for each manufacturer is homologated after a series of tests which ensure that the different body styles produce near-identical downforce and drag numbers. By modern racing vehicle standards, Supercars have relatively low amounts of downforce. This is intended to make it easier to follow other cars, and make the handling more similar to road cars. The Gen 3 cars were originally reported to produce about 140 kg of downforce at 200 km/h, similar to
1089-516: A mid-mounted gearbox; the repositioning of the fuel tank to in front of the rear axle to improve safety; replacing the windscreen with a polycarbonate unit; and a switch from 17 inches (430 mm) to 18 inches (460 mm) wheels. In 2011, it was announced that the Car of the Future would not be introduced until 2013 . In February 2012, Nissan confirmed that they would enter the series under Car of
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#17328021170531188-440: A road-registerable Porsche 911 GT3 RS . Revisions in 2024 are stated to produce about 20% more downforce. The minimum weight of each car is 1,335 kilograms (2,943 lb) including the driver and excluding the fuel, with a minimum load of 725 kg over the front axle. The minimum weight for the driver is 95 kg and includes the driver dressed in a full racing suit the seat and seat mountings and any ballast needed to meet
1287-590: A second round held at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi . In November 2010, the series was granted international status by the FIA for the 2011 season , allowing the series to race at up to six international venues each year. As a result, the series name was changed to the 'International V8 Supercars Championship'. 2008 saw the separate boards of directors of VESA and TEGA merge into a single board that
1386-400: A section of light around them. The same system also identified pedestrians and could flash light specifically on them. Other optional safety technologies included PRE-SAFE Brake, PRE-SAFE PLUS, PRE-SAFE Impulse, Active Parking Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, Traffic Sign Assist and a 360-degree camera. (saloon with automatic transmission) (saloon with automatic transmission) (also has
1485-475: A six-piston caliper, while the rear discs are 355 millimetres (14.0 in) diameter and have a four-piston caliper. The cars use 18-inch (460 mm) control wheels, produced by Rimstock and supplied by Racer Industries, and control tyres from Dunlop. Supercars are provided with Soft, Supersoft, and Hard slick tyres as well as grooved wet tyres for each event, The requirement to use varying compounds and how many tyres need to be changed per race are dependent on
1584-531: A top speed of 240 km/h (149 mph) (50 kilometres (31 mi) at 80 km/h (50 mph) when deflated), a special Level II version of the Airmatic air suspension system, emergency alarm system, intercom system, and underbody armour. As of 2011 it has an MSRP (in the Mexican market) of $ 1,954,900MXN Mexican Pesos, or approximately US$ 143,000 US Dollars. The E 250 BlueTEC is a concept vehicle based on
1683-612: A version with 4MATIC) transmission) (manual transmission) Edition Edition 9G-TRONIC (estate) 7G-TRONIC Plus 9G-TRONIC 7G-TRONIC Plus 9G-TRONIC The 2010 E-Class earned five stars out of five for occupant protection, pedestrian protection and assistance systems in the Euro NCAP test. It came standard with a number of safety systems like Collision Prevention Assist, Attention Assist, Adaptive braking technology, Daytime Running Lamps and Rain-sensing windshield wipers. The E-Class also received two "Euro NCAP Advanced" rewards for
1782-506: A winning car. All cars currently use either a 5.4L or 5.7L Naturally aspirated V8 engine . Originally only for Ford Falcons and Holden Commodores , the new generation V8 Supercar regulations, introduced in 2013, opened up the series to more manufacturers. Nissan were the first new manufacturer to commit to the series with four Nissan Altima L33s followed briefly by Erebus Motorsport with Mercedes-Benz E63 AMGs and Garry Rogers Motorsport with Volvo S60s . The series returned to
1881-481: Is a "parity formula" which attempts to ensure that competitors using any of the available car models compete on an equal basis. In this aspect, it is similar in philosophy to the NASCAR Cup Series .The category's current rules, and the charter between organisers and teams state that "..to the extent that it is possible, Competition will take place between the different makes and models of Cars as equalised by
1980-769: Is announced at the series' end-of-season gala in Sydney. The inaugural winner was Matthew White in 2000. The following year, the Stone Brothers Racing driver Marcos Ambrose won the award. Ambrose, James Courtney , Rick Kelly , Scott McLaughlin and Mark Winterbottom are the five recipients who have gone on to win either the Supercars Championship and/or the Bathurst 1000 in their careers. Australian drivers have won 21 times and New Zealanders twice. No one has won more than once; drivers from
2079-684: Is intended to extend to aerodynamics, engine performance, and handling characteristics. In practice, achieving technical parity has proven difficult and contentious, with a number of changes for the 2023 and 2024 season to aerodynamics and engines. The body of each car is based on its corresponding production car in Right Hand Drive and with homologation requirements. The bodies of both models are aerodynamically balanced through these homologations requirements, along with general balancing upon entering Composite and Exotic materials are generally not permitted. The tail lamps are carried over from
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#17328021170532178-451: Is rated at 518 hp (386 kW), which is mated to a 7-speed AMG Speedshift MCT transmission. In 2013, the facelifted E 63 AMG was launched almost immediately after the facelifted standard E-Class. It has a more sporty, singular front air intakes, sideskirts, rear diffuser and black detailings in the side mirrors, front grille, wheels, and rear apron. Also for the first time it can also be had in 4Matic four-wheel drive system. It has
2277-409: The 2012 season . The plan was publicly unveiled in March 2010 and was shown to incorporate several key changes to the internal workings of the car. The chassis and the cooling, fuel and electronics systems would all be changed to control parts, with changes to the engine, drivetrain, rear suspension, wheels and the control brake package. The safety of the cars was also to be reviewed and improved. While
2376-546: The 2023 Bathurst 1000 , the fastest Supercars qualifying lap recorded was 2:04.664 by Brodie Kostecki . On the same race weekend, the fastest qualifying lap recorded by the Carrera Cup cars was 2:04.6672. Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W212) The W212 and S212 Mercedes-Benz E-Class series is the fourth generation of the E-Class range of executive cars which was produced by Mercedes-Benz between 2009 and 2016 as
2475-530: The Adelaide 500 is the most attended Supercars race in Australia . The vehicles used in the series are loosely based on road-going cars. Cars are custom made using a control chassis, with only certain body panels being common between the road cars and race cars. The cars are controlled for "technical parity" - ensuring that teams and drivers using any of the homologated cars have a chance to build and drive
2574-502: The Australian Grand Prix . Race formats vary between each event, with sprint races between 100 and 200 kilometres (62 and 124 mi) in length, street races between 125 and 250 kilometres (78 and 155 mi) in length, and two-driver endurance races held at Sandown and Bathurst . The series is broadcast in 137 countries and has an average event attendance of over 100,000. With over 250,000 in attendance annually,
2673-692: The Australian Touring Car Championship had been established as early as mid-1991. With the new regulations set to come into effect in 1993 , Ford and Holden were both keen to know the details of the new formula by the end of 1991, putting pressure on the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) to provide clarity on the matter. However, CAMS was waiting to see what the FIA did with its proposed international formula for 2.5- and 2.0-litre touring cars. The new rules for
2772-571: The Indy 300 on the Gold Coast became a championship round, having been a non-championship event since 1994. Major format changes were made for 1999, with the incorporation of the endurance races into the championship. Control tyres were used for the first time, with Bridgestone selected as the supplier. The series was also renamed from the "Australian Touring Car Championship" to the "Shell Championship Series", by virtue of Shell's sponsorship of
2871-428: The final drive ratio are fixed with drop gears at the front of the transaxle allowing the teams to alter the overall transmission ratio for different circuits. The cars use a triple plate clutch. The cars run on E75 fuel with a fuel tank capacity of about 130 Litres An electronic control unit (ECU), provided by MoTeC, is used to monitor and optimise various aspects of the engine's performance. Numerous sensors in
2970-598: The four-cylinder-powered E 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY and E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY, the V6-powered E 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY and E 350 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY, and the V8-powered E 500. US models began sales in June 2010 for the 2011 model year. The coupé (C207) was first shown at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show , while the convertible (A207) was unveiled at the 2010 North American International Auto Show . Both models replaced
3069-678: The 2.0-litre class cars competed in a separate race to the V8s. This was changed for the second round of 1993 after only nine entrants were in the 2.0-litre class for the first round at Amaroo Park . With the new regulations intended to be a parity formula, protests by the Holden teams indicated that the Fords had an aerodynamic advantage after they won the opening three rounds, beating the Commodores comprehensively. After round five at Winton , Holden
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3168-739: The 2014 S-Class , including the stereo multi-purpose camera which enabled the car to detect oncoming or crossing traffic, pedestrians and traffic signs up to 50 metres away. Mercedes' Intelligent Drive technology equipped the 2014 E-Class with up to eleven new or enhanced driving assistance features. Among these were Attention Assist (giving the driver greater control over sensitivity levels), standard Collision Prevention Assist, Distronic Plus adaptive cruise control with Steering Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Brake Assist Plus, and Cross Traffic Assist. The Intelligent Light System with Adaptive Highbeam Assist PLUS used radar and stereo cameras to detect oncoming cars and operated on high beam while blanking out
3267-705: The ATCC were announced in November 1991 and indicated that the V8 cars would be significantly faster than the smaller-engined cars. In 1992, CAMS looked at closing the performance gap between the classes, only to have protests from Ford and Holden, which did not want to see their cars beaten by the smaller cars. In June 1992, the class structure was confirmed: Both the Ford Falcon EB and Holden Commodore VP ran American-based engines, which were restricted to 7,500 rpm and
3366-671: The Australian Touring Car Championship. They did not contest the endurance races at Sandown and Bathurst, leaving these open solely to the 5.0-litre Ford and Holden models. The Australian Vee Eight Super Car Company (AVESCO) – a joint venture between the Touring Car Entrants Group of Australia (TEGA), sports promoters IMG and the Australian Motor Sports Commission – was formed in November 1996 to run
3465-773: The Car of the Future moniker was dropped in favour of the name "New Generation V8 Supercar". The series continued its international expansion in 2013, with the first event in North America held at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin , Texas . In 2015, five drivers took part in a series of demonstration races at the Kuala Lumpur Street Circuit as part of the KL City Grand Prix . This
3564-518: The Class C cars eligible for 1993 only, the German manufacturer's attention switched to the 2.0-litre class for 1994. Cars from all three classes would contest the 1993 Australian Touring Car Championship , as well as non-championship Australian touring car events such as the Bathurst 1000 . However, for the purposes of race classification and points allocation, cars competed in two classes: Originally,
3663-414: The E 200 that has a turbocharged 2.0-litre producing 181 hp (135 kW) or 208 hp (155 kW) in the E 250. The more frugal E 200 CDI has a four-cylinder, 2.1-litre turbodiesel unit with 134 hp (100 kW). The same engine powers the E 220 CDI where it's tuned to output 168 hp (125 kW), while in the E 250 CDI it churns 201 hp (150 kW). There are also BlueTec versions of
3762-420: The E 250, E 300 Hybrid and E 350. The regular E 350 gets a V6 3.5-litre engine generating 302 hp (225 kW), while the E 400 Hybrid has the same V6 engine but with an electric motor developing an additional 27 hp (20 kW). The E 550 makes use of a 4.7-litre turbo charged V8 engine developing 402 hp (300 kW). The front was completely restyled, giving it a more aggressive look compared to
3861-515: The E 63 more aggressive styling, and the larger air apertures on the front of the car allow for more air intake to the naturally aspirated 6.2 litre V8. Another styling change on the E 63 is the wider, flared front wheel arches which accommodate the AMG front axle with a 2.2-inch-wider (56 mm) track. For 2012, Mercedes-Benz started offering a bi-turbo V8 version. It is the M157, 5.5L twin-turbo V8, that
3960-734: The E-Class is fitted with the same powertrain as the SL63 AMG , including AMG's 6.2-litre V8 and the SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports automatic transmission with four driver-selectable modes including a fully manual mode. Similar to the C63 AMG , the new E 63 is more extensively modified than before, with a new, wider front axle, heavily revised suspension, and more distinct body panels. The optional AMG Performance Pack includes lightweight, forged 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels with 255/35R19 front and 285/30R19 rear tires, stiffer suspension,
4059-680: The E-Class was equipped with the COMAND system featuring AM/FM/WB radio, indash DVD/CD player, in-dash memory card slot, and Bluetooth interface for hands-free calling. Standard equipment also included a central controller with a 7-inch, high-resolution display and a colour display in the instrument cluster. Optional features included: Rearview camera, COMAND navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio, Harman/Kardon Logic 7 surround sound, power rear window sunshade, heated front seats, active ventilated front seats and garage-door opener and KEYLESS-GO . The E-Class benefited from new safety features derived from
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4158-470: The Falcon, rather than the MacPherson struts used previously, and a Watts link at the rear rather than a Panhard. The aerodynamic packages were comprehensively tested and revised and differences in the porting of each of the manufacturers' engines were also removed. The performance of the new Ford BA Falcon and Holden VY and VZ Commodores was fairly even for the next four years, with Ford winning
4257-405: The Future regulations with Kelly Racing . Later in 2012, Australian GT Championship team Erebus Motorsport announced they would be running Mercedes-Benz cars in the championship, taking over Stone Brothers Racing . In June 2013, Volvo announced it would enter the series in 2014 in a collaboration with its motorsport arm, Polestar Racing and Garry Rogers Motorsport . In November 2013
4356-624: The Gen 3 regulations were introduced for the 2023 Supercars Championship . The main aim was to create closer racing, to reduce costs and to increase road-relevance for the manufacturers. To do this, sweeping aerodynamic changes were made to cut the generated downforce . This reduced the amount of "dirty" air created, and made the cars more challenging to drive. The regulations continued previous changes to ensure technical parity between cars, helping to keep power, downforce and drag levels identical. Engines were also changed, to increase longevity and decrease
4455-612: The Mustang) is a 5.4L V8 with four camshafts and 4 valves per cylinder. These engines were designed to be cheaper and have a higher longevity compared to previous engines, along with being more road-relevant. The Toyota engine (for use in the GR Supra) introduced in 2026 is a 5.0L V8 with DOHC with 4 valves per cylinder. Power is transferred from the engine to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential transaxle with an integrated spool differential . The individual gear ratios and
4554-712: The United States, the E 63 station wagon is only available as an AMG S, and all E 63s sold in North America now receive the 4Matic system as standard. Meanwhile, power of the "regular" E 63 AMG increased to the same level as the previous Performance Pack model. With a 518 hp (386 kW) engine, the E 63 can achieve a top speed of around 200 mph (320 km/h) (electronic limiter off), and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.4 seconds. The styling has been altered for both aesthetic and practical purposes: AMG side skirts and rear apron give
4653-435: The accolade in June 2000. It is named after Mike Kable, an Australian motoring journalist, motorsport publicist, and mentor to young racing drivers. The award is presented to the rookie driver adjudged to have performed the best over the course of their first season in either championship following a vote by a panel of motorsport experts. The recipient receives a sponsorship grant of A$ 15,000 to help develop themselves. The winner
4752-430: The base DIRECT CONTROL suspension with selective damping system. The sporty DIRECT CONTROL suspension with selective damping system was lowered by 15mm. The AIRMATIC air suspension featured electronically controlled damping. The Estate model received an air suspension with self-leveling as standard on the rear axle. All E-Classes were to be fitted with an electromechanical Direct-Steer system as standard. For infotainment,
4851-456: The car collect information which is then transmitted to the team, allowing them to monitor things such as tyre wear and fuel consumption and find potential problems with the car. The ECU is also used by officials during the scrutineering process. During the race it can also serve functions such as to automatically limit a car's speed. All cars are required to use a double wishbone setup for the front suspension and independent rear suspension. Both
4950-667: The category. Reverse-grid races were introduced for multiple rounds in 2000 before being confined to just the Canberra round for 2001. Also in 2001, compulsory pit stops were introduced at certain rounds and the Top Ten Shootout was used at all rounds. The control tyre supplier changed from Bridgestone to Dunlop in 2002 and the series name was changed to the "V8 Supercar Championship Series" after Shell discontinued their sponsorship. Discussions about parity had returned in 2000, with 100 millimetres (3.9 in) trimmed from
5049-411: The championship in 2003, 2004 , and 2005 and Holden winning in 2006 . Reverse-grid races were used at certain events in 2006 before unpopularity with the drivers, teams, and fans saw them abolished halfway through the season. The Holden VE Commodore caused controversy when it was introduced in 2007 . The production model was longer, wider, and taller than the rival Ford BF Falcon and outside of
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#17328021170535148-404: The classic saloon grille with 3-louver look and star on the hood. The Sport version featured the sports grille with integrated star, also a first time option, forming a visual link to the high performance sports car models. Sport models receive a more confident front design, using the AMG styling package that features larger air intakes and a distinct aluminum trim line along the entire lower rim of
5247-579: The cost of a rebuild. The current Gen 3 regulations are a complete refresh of the previous generation, with the cessation of volume car production in Australia being a major factor. The current cars are the Ford Mustang GT and the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 . The full list of regulations, Sporting and Technical, can be found on the Supercars website in the operations manual [1] . Supercars
5346-526: The design received mixed opinions as Mercedes decided to take a more streamlined direction with the redesign; replacing the twin headlamp design with a single lens design, which brought the E-Class design up to date with the ongoing F800 Style design language found on cars like the A-Class , B-Class , C-Class , S-Class , CLS-Class and M-Class . The E 63 AMG saloon was unveiled at the 2009 New York International Auto Show . The new performance version of
5445-406: The development of the mid-cycle refresh. The amount of new features on the facelifted model is about the same that's expected from the release of an entirely new model. The facelift brings significant styling changes, improved engines, more standard equipment and several extra hi-tech features. Depending on the market, the 2014 E-Class is available in the following versions. The lineup starts with
5544-469: The driver in the event of a crash. The fuel tank is positioned in front of the rear axle to prevent it from being damaged or ruptured in a rear end impact. The driver is seated towards the centre of the car and extra reinforcement is used on the roll cage on the driver's side to lessen the risk of injury in a side-on collision. The cars also feature a collapsible steering column and a fire extinguisher system. All cars have an aerodynamics package consisting of
5643-469: The enlarged bumpers. Meanwhile, the CLS-Class inspiration came in the form of the re-shaped headlights, featuring an edgier squared teardrop design as opposed to the previous ovoid shape. Other changes made on the 2009 model included a wider-framed grille, new air intakes, and an overall wedge-shaped profile. The 2009 E-Class has a drag coefficient of 0.25 to improve aerodynamic efficiency. Mercedes gave
5742-516: The estate body style was available in Europe since August 2009. Global cumulative E-Class sales reached the milestone 550,000 vehicle mark in July 2011. Production achieved the milestone 500,000 saloon unit mark in March 2012. The W212 E-Class was succeeded by the W213 E-Class in 2016 for the 2017 model year . Design work began in 2004 after the development programme commenced in 2003, with
5841-584: The event The highest speed recorded in a Supercar of any generation is 300.5 km/h on the (downhill) Conrod Straight on the Mount Panorama Circuit , by Shane van Gisbergen in qualifying for the 2023 Bathurst 1000. 2024-spec cars are expected to be about 10 km/h slower. Supercar lap times are similar to the 992 GT3 Cup cars running in the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Championship . At
5940-413: The exterior design by Winifredo Camacho and interior design by Thomas Stopka being selected in 2005. After refinements and engineering considerations were made, the final design specifications were frozen in 2006. Certain elements of the exterior styling are taken from the preceding W204 C-Class and W221 S-Class each designed in 2002 and 2003. The bulging rear wheel arches are meant to be reminiscent of
6039-915: The fender flares of historic " Ponton " Mercedes models of the 1950s. The design of the W212 and C207 E-Class was previewed by the ConceptFASCINATION design study in September 2008. The W212 E-Class saloon was unveiled at the 2009 North American International Auto Show . The saloon went on sale in Europe in March 2009 as a 2010 model year automobile. The W212 E-Class has three trim levels of equipment and equipment levels: Classic, Elegance and Avantgarde. The E-Class features several new safety technologies including driver drowsiness detection , lane departure warning , and traffic sign recognition . It also includes features that improve performance, efficiency, and comfort, such as "Direct Control" adaptive suspension, active seats (which change shape to support
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#17328021170536138-460: The first time. The hood, with new flowing lines, and the front bumper, which was made sharper with bigger air intakes, were also completely redesigned. In the rear, the LED taillights were given horizontal design, while Sport models featured exposed dual exhaust pipes. The doors and front fenders were re-shaped, eliminating the wheel arch bulge and replacing it with a more traditional character line in
6237-1114: The first time. The series travelled to the Shanghai International Circuit in China in 2005, originally on a five-year agreement, however the promoter of the race dropped their support and the series did not return thereafter. 2006 saw the series travel to the Middle East , with an event held at the Bahrain International Circuit in Bahrain . Multiple new street circuits appeared on the calendar in 2008 and 2009, with new events held in Hamilton in New Zealand , Townsville in North Queensland and at Sydney Olympic Park . The series' Middle East expansion continued in 2010 with
6336-428: The front and rear suspension systems feature adjustable shock absorbers and an anti-roll bar which, as of the introduction of the Gen 3 regulations, can not be adjusted from inside the car The cars use disc brakes supplied by AP Racing on the front and rear, with the master cylinders provided by AP Racing or former control brake supplier Alcon. The front discs have a diameter of 395 millimetres (15.6 in) and
6435-480: The front bumper. The car's interior cabin was subtly revised, with the new 3-tube instrument cluster, trapezoidal head-unit display, air vents design and a new analogue clock in the centre console between the two central vents, like the CLS-Class (C218) . A new feature was the two-part trim which stretched across the entire dashboard, available in a wood or aluminium look, irrespective of the equipment line. There
6534-524: The front spoiler of the Commodore after Holden, in particular, the Holden Racing Team , had dominated in 1998 and 1999. This was in response to the 300 millimetres (12 in) removed from the Falcon in previous seasons, and coincided with a 10 millimetres (0.39 in) trim from the Falcon's rear spoiler. The small reduction for the Holden teams was quickly addressed with both cars receiving
6633-470: The interior a subtle facelift, one that features a more spacious cockpit with height adjustable bucket front seats, remote power door locks, power mirrors, heated mirrors, four one-touch power windows, and remote window operation. There are also wood trims on the doors, dashboard, and centre console, front and rear reading lights, a leather steering wheel, an electrochromatic inside rearview mirror, and front and rear floor mats. The entertainment aspect comes from
6732-475: The limits set by Project Blueprint. As a result, the VE race car was granted custom bodywork – namely shortened rear doors and a lowered roofline to meet the regulations. Despite this, the VE was approved for use in the series, along with the BF Falcon, after several months of preseason testing. Sequential gearboxes were introduced in 2008 and became compulsory by the end of the year. In 2009 , E85 (a fuel consisting of 85% ethanol and 15% unleaded petrol )
6831-436: The minimum weight. Some other components also have a minimum weight, such as the engine and the front uprights All cars must be front-engine, rear-wheel-drive , and powered by a V8 engine designated by Supercars for use in the respected model of car, and balanced in power and weight. Currently, the GM engine (for use in the Camaro) is a 5.7L V8 with a single camshaft and two valves per cylinder. The Ford engine (for use in
6930-414: The optional AMG "S" Performance Package, the car can do 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds; vehicles without the package takes an additional 0.1 seconds. The E-Guard armoured version, which features VR4 (formerly B4) level protection, went on sale in April 2009. The vehicles are equipped with steel and aramid fibre (Kevlar) armour and bullet-resistant windows, as well as run-flat tyres rated for
7029-503: The optional PRE-SAFE and PRE-SAFE Brake safety system. The 2010 E-Class was the first E-Class to earn IIHS 's reputable Top Safety Pick award. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety score the E-Class Good overall in the moderate overlap front crash test, but did not pass the small front overlap. It also received Good overall in side-impact collisions, the roof strength and seat/head restraint evaluations. The redesigned 2014 E-Class received IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ award, which also passed
7128-509: The passengers in corners), and movable radiator louvers which improve the vehicle's aerodynamics. Standard Mercedes-Benz safety and convenience features, such as the Electronic Stability Program (ESP), airbags, and automatic climate control, are included as well. The estate version (chassis code S212) was unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and was released for sale in Europe on 5 August. Early models include
7227-412: The plans were well received by all of the teams, Holden Motorsport boss Simon McNamara warned potential new manufacturers to stay out of the championship just hours after the plans were released, claiming that they would "gain nothing" from entering the series. Major changes were revealed to include a switch from a live rear axle to independent rear suspension ; the use of a rear transaxle instead of
7326-488: The plethora of electronically enhanced goodies like an AM/FM in-dash six-CD/DVD, CD-controller with CD MP3 playback stereo, Harman Kardon audio system a TeleAid telecommunications service, and Bluetooth wireless data link for hands-free phone capabilities. The fourth generation E-Class (W212) facelift was unveiled to media in December 2012 ahead of its public debut at the 2013 North American International Auto Show , it
7425-420: The pre-facelift model in response to the newer BMW 5 Series and Audi A6 . The twin headlamp design was replaced with a singular front light (marking the end of Mercedes's dual headlamps use), while the light elements within the headlamps helped to retain the "four-eyed" appearance. Low beam and daytime running lamps both came with partial LED as standard, while full LED technology was available as an option for
7524-574: The previous C209/A209 CLK-Class models. The C207/A207 E-Class is based on the W204 C-Class platform, and are produced alongside each other in the Bremen plant. The 2009 E-Class’ design was inspired by the new design language Mercedes adopted at that time for the C-Class , S-Class , and CLS-Class . The design was considerably more angular and aggressive than its predecessors and Mercedes gave
7623-526: The rear haunch a bulge that they named the "Ponton flare" inspired by that of the Ponton cars from the 1950s and early '60s. Many of the changes made to give the E-Class a sportier appearance took design cues from a number of existing models, including the CLS-Class and the S-Class. The rising character line of the 2009 E-Class was inspired by the S-Class, as were the wheel-arch extensions, the door handles, and
7722-629: The road car, while the windscreen is replaced by a polycarbonate unit. The cars also carry cameras for broadcasting. The bodies are built around a chassis provided by official accredited builders, including certain race teams. Currently, Triple Eight Race Engineering homologate the Chevrolet Camaro and Dick Johnson Racing homologate the Ford Mustang . The new for 2026 Toyota GR Supra will be homologaged by Walkinshaw Andretti United . Many safety features are utilised to protect
7821-415: The same M157 5.5 L (5,461 cc) engine, with increased power of up to 550 bhp to last-generation's 525 bhp. Mercedes still offered an optional AMG "S" Performance Package, which adds 27 bhp in power for a total of 585 PS (577 bhp; 430 kW) at 5500 rpm and 800 N⋅m (590 lbf⋅ft) at 1750-5000 rpm and delimits the car's top speed to 186 mph (299 km/h). With
7920-414: The same front splitter shortly afterwards, but the Falcon's rear wing remained trimmed. Ford had threatened to withdraw from the series, but nothing came of this. After Holden again dominated in 2001 and 2002, a new set of regulations, dubbed "Project Blueprint", was introduced in 2003 to close the performance gap between the Commodore and the Falcon, thus creating closer, fairer racing. Project Blueprint
8019-690: The second-tier championship have been honoured 14 times and Supercars competitors have won on 7 occasions. The 2023 recipient was Cameron McLeod , who finished in third place in the Super3 Series drivers' standings. Supercars Championship The Supercars Championship currently known as the Repco Supercars Championship under sponsorship, is a touring car racing category in Australia and New Zealand, running as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) regulations, governing
8118-588: The series. This set the foundation for the large expansion of the series during the following years. The category also adopted the name 'V8 Supercars' at this time, though the cars themselves were much unchanged. A new television deal with Network Ten and Fox Sports was organised, although this had follow-on effects for the Bathurst 1000 later in the year. In February, Tony Cochrane and James Erskine left IMG. Together with David Coe, they formed Sports and Entertainment Limited (SEL) in April 1997. TEGA would have
8217-418: The sheet metal. The lower side crease line (which replaced the pre-facelift model's side chrome trim) extends from the rear door all the way to the front fender, hence all the side panels except for the rear quarter panel was also restyled. The facelift could be ordered with two distinct design variants: Sport and Luxury, which featured two different front-end designs for each line. The Luxury version came with
8316-632: The small front overlap crash test. Apart from the aforementioned test, the W212 facelift also scored the Good mark in the moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and seat/head restraint evaluations. U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash testing of the 2014 US model year E-Class yielded a four-star driver and four-star passenger rating in the frontal-collision test (out of five stars). Side crash results were five out of five stars for both front and rear seats. The car scored five stars in rollover testing. The E-Class image suffered
8415-738: The sport. Supercars events take place in all Australian states and the Northern Territory , with the Australian Capital Territory formerly holding the Canberra 400 . Usually, an international round is held in New Zealand, with events previously being held in China, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. The Melbourne SuperSprint championship event is also held in support of
8514-602: The successor to the W211 E-Class . The body styles of the range are either four-door sedan/saloon (W212) or a five-door estate/wagon (S212). Coupé and convertible models of the E-Class of the same generation are W204 C-Class based and known as the C207 and A207 , replacing the CLK-Class (C209 and A209) coupé and cabriolet. A high-performance E 63 AMG version of the W212 and S212 were available as well since 2009. In 2013,
8613-468: The technical parity mechanisms enshrined in the Rules.". However, the rules go on to state that "The Category is not about equalisation of the abilities of participating Drivers and/or Teams (such equalisation could be, and is in some categories, defined as sporting parity). It is up to individual Drivers and/or Teams to Compete to the best of their abilities under the principle of technical parity." Parity
8712-519: The use of two-door coupé body styles and turbocharged four- or six-cylinder engines. However, no teams elected to build cars to these alternate engine specifications. Cars were still required to be based on front-engined, rear-wheel drive, four-seater production cars that were sold in Australia. The chassis and control components were carried over from the New Generation V8 Supercar regulations, while engine and aerodynamic parity
8811-590: Was also a redesigned centre console without a selector lever (saloons had already done away with the selector lever as part of the launch of the W212), as well as a new multi-function steering wheel with DIRECT SELECT lever and shift paddles in conjunction with the automatic transmission. If the driver had shifted up or down manually, after a set period of time the transmission would independently switch back to automatic mode to save fuel. Three different suspension configurations could be ordered. The comfort-biased setup used
8910-654: Was designed partly with this in mind, to give the new cars a better chance of beating the Nissan Skyline GT-Rs in those races. The new rules meant that cars such as the turbocharged Nissan Skyline GT-R and Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth were not eligible to compete in 1993, while cars such as the BMW M3 were. However, the M3 received few of the liberal concessions given to the new V8s and also had an extra 100 kilograms (220 lb) added to its minimum weight, so with
9009-402: Was developed by Paul Taylor and Wayne Cattach, who spent two years designing a formula which would eliminate most of the differences between the Fords and Holdens. Project Blueprint had the chassis pick-up points, wheelbase , track , and driving position become common across both manufacturers. The Holdens were now able and required to use double-wishbone front suspension, similar to that of
9108-426: Was granted a new front and rear wing package. The BMWs were also allowed new splitters and full DTM-specification rear wings. Disparity between the Fords and Holdens continued to be a talking point during the next few years, with various concessions given to each manufacturer to try to equalise the two cars. From 1995 , the 2.0-litre cars, now contesting their own series as super touring cars , became ineligible for
9207-454: Was intended to be a precursor to the series holding a championship event at the circuit in 2016, in a push from CEO James Warburton to build series exposure in Asia. The event was later cancelled due to legal issues affecting the circuit. In December 2014, Supercars released details concerning the future of the category. New regulations, dubbed Gen2 Supercar, were introduced in 2017 to allow
9306-521: Was introduced in an effort to improve the environmental image of the sport. Carbon dioxide emissions decreased by up to 50%, but fuel consumption was increased by 30% to produce the same power as before. 2009 also had the introduction of a soft compound tyre at certain events to try to improve the quality of the racing and create different strategies. In 2005, AVESCO changed its name to V8 Supercars Australia (VESA). The series continued to expand during this time, with races held outside of Australasia for
9405-452: Was made available for sale in early/mid 2013 as the 2014 model year . Compared to typically subtle Mercedes-Benz minor model updates, the changes to the W212 were relatively extensive. With the sales the E-Class had lost to SUVs and crossovers in Europe and America more than compensated for by demand in emerging markets, it received the "most significant model revision" Mercedes-Benz had ever undertaken, reported close to €1 billion into
9504-414: Was organised by V8 Supercars to investigate future directions for the sport. The project had the primary objective of cutting costs to $ 250,000 per car through the use of control parts and to create a pathway for new manufacturers to enter the series, provided that they have a four-door saloon car in mass production. The new formula, called "Car of the Future", was scheduled to be introduced before or during
9603-420: Was replaced by a twin-turbo version of the 5.5-litre V8 available in the E 500/E 550; power remained the same as for the earlier, naturally aspirated 6.2-litre engine. There was also a 557 PS (410 kW; 549 hp) Performance Pack version. In October 2013, the AMG S model of the E 63 was introduced; this version has 585 PS (430 kW; 577 hp) and replaces the earlier Performance Pack model. In
9702-646: Was reviewed In April 2016, the series reached an agreement with Virgin Australia to rename the series to the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship on 1 July. For the 2021 season, this changed to the Repco Supercars Championship on a 5-year deal, extended to an 8-year deal at the end of 2022. After being first announced in 2020, and after being delayed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
9801-491: Was solely responsible for the administration of the category. The new board of directors was composed of four TEGA representatives, two members from SEL and two independent directors. In 2011, TEGA and SEL entered a sale agreement with Australian Motor Racing Partners (AMRP), which had significant financial backing from Archer Capital . This agreement saw SEL lose its 25% stake in V8 Supercars, with Archer Capital taking up
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