There is no doubt that Mercedes manufactures beautiful cars. They’ve always been pioneers for trends and innovation within the car industry and they’re also known for building stunning sportscars.
When we look back to the history of Mercedes-Benz supercars, the tiny village Affalterbach is so much more than just a home to 4,500 people. It’s also the home of Mercedes’ finest creations, home of all AMG vehicles and home of the CLK GTR.
Originally designed for the racing circuit, the CLK GTR is still one of the most iconic supercars ever built. Mercedes was obliged by the FIA to deliver the required minimum 25 road cars (slightly different from the racing car) they had promised in order to compete for the FIA GT1 Class. Because of this, a small batch of only 25 cars were built at AMG’s headquarter in Affalterbach. Fun fact: they actually built 26 cars since Mercedes built the first one as a prototype but never put it up for sale. 6 of the 25 cars were built as a roadster version.
Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR
HWA was founded in 1998 as a spin-off to AMG and was also big factor in the production of the CLK GTR between winter of 1998 and the summer of 1999. In close collaboration between AMG and HWA, the 6.9L V12 engine was developed which produces 604bhp with 775 Nm of torque. (By the way, HWA still provides engineering services for Mercedes in motorsports.)
The CLK GTR road car weighs 1’440 kilograms and the 6-speed sequential manual could get you from 0-100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, while the top speed is at 344 km/h. At that time (20 ears ago!) this was one of the fastest cars on the road.
In August 2018, Sotheby’s sold chassis #9 for USD 4,515,000 in Monterey, California. The current market price is suggested to be around CHF 5,000,000.
The Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR was not only the ultimate rival to the Porsche GT1 and McLaren F1, it is also one of the most race-focused supercars ever to touch the public streets.
Summary
Brand:
Mercedes-Benz
Model:
CLK GTR
Price:
current market value around USD 5 million
When to drive:
A car which was originally made for the racing circuit shouldn’t be driven in boring city alleys. Take this beast to an event of The Supercars Owner Circle and drive it at a mountain pass at the Swiss Alps among other car freaks. That’s where this beauty belongs.
What we love about the car:
The limitation of only 26 cars (6 of them as roadster) make it super rare and thus a must need in every collector’s garage. The design reminds us of its origins at the racing circuit but at the same time its eye-catching design is classy.
Image: http://v3llum.com/2016/04/mercedes-benz-clk-gtr/
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Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR -
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Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR -
Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR -
Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR
