The first Australian-delivered MARC GT broke cover this morning in readiness to race at Queensland Raceway this weekend, and was snapped after being unloaded at the Willowbank race track.
The stunning car will be in the hands of Adam Hargraves and is a refinement on the prototype unveiled last year and purchased by Mark Petch, the importer of MARC Cars into New Zealand and shipped there to race. The new car is slightly different in its specification as the rules are different in New Zealand.
“This car has the best of MARC I and the best of MARC II, and took 12 months to develop and build,” said MARC Cars Australia’s Geoff Taunton.
“Built by PACE Engineering, it is a work of art – every pipe, every fitting, so precise, and it has awesome pace.”
From the Mercedes C63-inspired coupe body to it 6.2 litre LS engine, latest design Holinger gearbox, paddle shift, ABS, traction control etc, it is a full GT-spec car.
The MARC GT is the first MARC Car to feature a full-size cockpit which allows for a passenger, and opens up the option for sponsor ride days and driver training.
The car is set to debut in the MARC Cars Australia Championship. The opening round will feature the three models. MARC I cars running will be in the hands of Darren Currie, Axle Donaldson, Cameron McLeod and Andrew Leithhead. Taunton will race his MARC II Mustang-lookalike and the new GT variant.
The new series will initially have Queensland Production Sports entries while category manager Matt Baragwanath is confident that other MARC owners and drivers, not entered this meeting, will be ready to race in future rounds.
“We expect growth over the following rounds. The series will take in Motorsport Australia-sanctioned events with the next round at Sydney Motorsport Park in June at the Shannons Trophy Series. Then we will be at Phillip Island in July and after that, Sandown and The Bend Motorsport Park,” Baragwanath said.
Pictures: MTR Images
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