HOLDEN'S 7.0-litre Monaro contender for the Bathurst 24-Hour race has broken cover for the first time with a surprise demonstration run at Mount Panorama during the week, where next month it will tackle some of the world's top GT sportscar teams. <br /><br />Garth Tander, the only one of four drivers yet to be nominated ,(come on Mr Brock stick your name on the list)by entrant Garry Rogers Motorsport, took the Monaro CV8 on three laps of the 6.2 km circuit late yesterday during the Bathurst 1000 meeting. <br /><br />The Monaro will be slotted against Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini and other exotic makes in the race on 16-17 November and then is scheduled to contest the Australian Nations Cup Championship in 2003 and by this time their should also be another Monaro joining the cup in the start of the new year.<br /><br />Garth Tander reported the striking yellow coupe was a hit with Holden fans lining Mount Panorama. <br /><br />"Judging by their reaction it's going to be a popular thing when we finally go racing," he said. <br /><br />"It's got a lot of potential, but we haven't even begun to crack it yet. It's got good horsepower and handling balance and I've no doubt it will be competitive against the other Nations Cup cars. <br /><br />"However, it's premature to speculate how it compares to my Garry Rogers Motorsport Commodore V8 Supercar - they're really chalk and cheese and we won't have any idea until we go testing at Winton in a couple of weeks." <br /><br />Garry Rogers Motorsport has built the Monaro over the past several months in its Melbourne workshop. <br /><br />Within bodywork that is virtually standard except for front and rear spoilers and Wheel tubs, the Monaro runs a derivative of the roadgoing Monaro CV8's Gen III alloy V8 engine, an Australian-made Holinger six-speed sequential gearbox, AP Racing brakes and independent rear suspension developed by Peter Brock's V8 Supercar engineer Ron Harrop. <br /><br />Dunlop tyres are fitted to wheels of 18 in. x 11 in. at the front and 18 in. x 13 in. at the rear, the same sizes used by the Nations Cup Lamborghini Diablo and Chrysler Viper " Go the Monro". <br /><br />The Mount Panorama appearance yesterday followed a secret shakedown at Melbourne's Calder Park circuit last week. <br /><br />Phil<br />Thanks Terry<br /> <br /> <small>[ 16. October 2002, 09:06 AM: Message edited by: P Debono ]</small>