THE global debut of a brand-new endurance racer will feature at the 2014 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, as the race countdown reaches 100 days to go.

Event organisers have today confirmed the addition of a fourth Invitational class and confirmed that the brand-new ‘Marc Focus’ enduro racer will be eligible to compete in the race in a world first.

Three of the brand-new endurance racers appear on an expanded 50-car entry list confirmed today.

The Marc Focus is an endurance-racing variant of the Australian-designed ‘GTC’ racer, built by Queensland based Pace Innovations and spearheaded here by veteran endurance racer Ryan McLeod.

McLeod has confirmed that three cars have been entered for the 2014 Bathurst 12 hour, where they will make their global debut ahead of a global racing campaign that will launch at Mount Panorama next February 7-9.

“Bathurst 2014 will be the global debut of the Marc Focus and we’re pleased that the cars have been accepted to compete,” McLeod explained.

“The cars are specially made for endurance racing and the specification is based on the development and experience that we have gained from the Astra program that we have run for several years. These cars are a development of that and are designed to replace the Astras going forward.

“We will have three cars in the race running the Ford Focus platform. We’re currently working on expanding the platform to other body styles.”

The Marc Focuses will run a Coyote V8 and a generation two Albins transaxle and also feature the latest Recaro Driver Safety Cell – the same unit utilised in the current-generation Porsche 991 Supercup car.

The highly-specified cars also include a fully FIA-specified rollover protection and the latest Motec engine management.

With one car entering final assembly and the second about to be delivered, McLeod says the team is also well on the way to confirming their driver program for the Event next February.

“Jake Camilleri, Keith Kassulke and Damien Ward have all been part of our program before and will be part of it next year,” he said.

“We’re also currently negotiating with several young drivers to be part of the program. In the past young drivers like Chaz Mostert, Scott Pye and Ash Walsh have been involved and we are keen to expand the young driver platform and blood new drivers with this program.

“The 2014 Bathurst 12 Hour will be the first Event in our global endurance racing strategy going forward.”

Additional entries confirmed today include a second Mercedes Benz SLS AMG from defending 12-hour champions Erebus Motorsport, plus a fourth Ferrari 458 GT3 – entered by Australian team, Vicious Rumour Racing.

33 cars have been confirmed in the top two GT classes amongst the 50 total entries received to date.

Entries for the race close on 13 December this year.

The 2014 race will commence at 6:15 am with the final three hours broadcast live on SBS on Sunday, 9 February.