The AMG Mercedes E63 that will join V8 Supercars this season completed its first shakedown test on Wednesday.
Former Ford team Stone Brothers has joined forces with ex-GT team Erebus to field the car. Erebus gave the Mercedes its first run in secret, team boss Ryan Maddison confirmed.
"We are very pleased to announce that today Erebus Motorsport conducted a 20-lap shakedown, under observation of V8 Supercar officials, of the first ever Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG V8 Supercar," Maddison said. "While the car is still in early stages of development, we are very happy with the results and look forward to continuing to develop all three of our cars over the coming weeks, to achieve our homologation requirements."
The Stone/Erebus Mercedes project brings the number of brands represented in V8s this season to four. The new regulations have also attracted Nissan to take on Ford and Holden.
Existing Stone Brothers drivers Lee Holdsworth and Tim Slade are staying on to drive the Mercedes, but their former teammate Shane van Gisbergen chose to leave the series at the end of 2012.