Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG (V8 Supercar)

Lore & Background

V8 Supercars announced a new regulation set, titled Car of the Future, in 2010, intended to halve costs through control parts and attract new manufacturers. After Nissan announced their entry in February 2012, Mercedes-Benz Australia initially dismissed following suit, claiming the category was 'not a fit with the Australian and New Zealand brand positioning.' However, on 19 September 2012, V8 Supercars announced that Stone Brothers Racing would merge with Erebus Motorsport and field three Mercedes-badged cars through AMG's Customer Sports Program. The deal saw no factory involvement from Mercedes-Benz Australia; the program was entirely funded by Erebus' billionaire owner Betty Klimenko and existing team sponsors. Mercedes provided existing hardware to be privately developed and homologated in Australia, and the cars were allowed to feature Mercedes badging but no additional signage.

The Mercedes M159 engine, originally used in the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 car, was adopted to the E63 AMG. Originally 6.2L, it was destroked to the category-mandated 5.0L, and uniquely for V8 Supercars of the period, was initially developed with a flat-plane crank, fly-by-wire throttle, dual butterfly valve intakes and electric power steering. The car's tenure began with reliability and ergonomic issues, including brake failure in shakedown and driver Lee Holdsworth burning his feet on the pedal box due to excessive heat. After consultation with AMG and HWA, the team ditched the drive-by-wire and dual throttle butterfly systems for more traditional cable actuation. The car scored its first race win in 2014 at Winton, when Holdsworth overtook Fabian Coulthard late in the second race.

Reader's Guide

The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG V8 Supercar represented a significant but challenging entry for the brand into Australian touring car racing, marking Mercedes-Benz's first Bathurst 1000 appearance since 1994. Built to the Car of the Future regulations, it was one of the new manufacturer entries alongside Nissan and later Volvo, intended to broaden the championship beyond the traditional Holden and Ford rivalry. The car's development was notable for its use of the M159 engine with a flat-plane crank and advanced electronic systems, though these were eventually replaced with more conventional cable actuation after persistent issues. The program was entirely privateer-funded through Erebus Motorsport, with no factory backing from Mercedes-Benz Australia, and the cars carried Mercedes badging but no additional signage. Despite early struggles, the car achieved its first race win in 2014 at Winton and scored podiums, including a fourth-place finish at the Sandown 500 and a top-five in the Enduro Cup standings. The car's legacy lies in demonstrating that a non-factory manufacturer entry could compete in V8 Supercars, though the program faced ongoing parity challenges and ended after the 2015 season.

Did You Know?

• The Mercedes M159 engine was originally 6.2L but was destroked to the category-mandated 5.0L.
• Lee Holdsworth scored the car's first race win at Winton in 2014.
• The program was entirely funded by Erebus owner Betty Klimenko with no factory involvement from Mercedes-Benz Australia.