Local hope, Steve Glenney, driving a 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has upstaged his more fancied rivals by setting the fastest time at the prologue stage at Supaloc Targa Adelaide.
He will now take the top seeding into the four-day event that now heads to the surrounding hills before finishing back in the city on Sunday afternoon.
Glenney beat the Lamborghini Gallardo of fellow South Australian, Kevin Weeks, by 2.8 seconds around the 3.25 kilometre course, with another Lamborghini, driven by reigning Australian Champion Jason White, back in third, a further 2.3 seconds back.
A huge crowd turned up to cheer on the 150 strong field, with 23,000 fans packing out the InterContinental Adelaide Night Stage at the Adelaide Showgrounds for the opening round of the CAMS Australian Targa Championship season.
Fastest classic car around the tight showground course was West Australian, Tolley Challis, in his 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera RS, nearly three seconds clear of local hope, Craig Haysman, in his 1981 Triumph TR7 V8. Queenslander Donn Todd was third in his 1971 Ford Capri Perana, a further two seconds back.
While the night provided a chance for rally fans to get up close to the cars, the action heads to more traditional country tomorrow, with the eight opening stages to provide a different test for the drivers and their co-drivers.
A total of 235 competitive kilometres across 29 stages await the field, with the winner crossing the line around lunchtime on Sunday.
