Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR

In the mid-1990s a real boom began in the sports car category of the FIA GT Championship. More and more manufacturers built vehicles for the GT2 class, which was relatively close to production cars back then. Above it the motorsports authority announced the new GT1 class, whose rules allowed much more freedom. However, they also prescribed a street-legal variant, which had to be approved by the German TÜV or a comparable testing organization. Many brands shied away from this high effort. Only Panoz, Porsche, Lotus, McLaren and Mercedes-Benz produced GT1 cars. Although Ferrari developed the F50 GT, they didn’t use it for competition in the end. As a gentlemen’s agreement, the manufacturers actually agreed on a minimum of 25 roadlegal vehicles, but only Porsche and Mercedes-Benz kept to build these uncompromising and extremely expensive cars. But probably the two German brands were also the only ones of the participating brands who had a suitable clientele for these cars. McLaren is exempted here, because the F1 already existed as a streetcar before the racing version was developed. Instead, Porsche, Lotus, Panoz and Mercedes-Benz at first developed a GT1 racing car and then tried to get it legally on the road.

After the two Swabian manufacturers had noticed, that the other manufacturers (except McLaren) would never reach the 25 copies of their street versions and also the customer interest decreased at some point, they both reduced their production numbers as well. Porsche ultimately came up with two 993 GT1 and 21 996 GT1, while the HWA AG made exactly 20 copies of the CLK GTR Coupé for Mercedes-Benz and AMG. Years later, in 2002, they developed it into the CLK GTR Roadster and produced another six copies from the spare carbon monocoques left in storage. Nowadays, these road vehicles are attracting great interest from collectors and, when offered at auctions, achieve top prices. The former RM auctioneer and now car dealer Max Girardo now offers the CLK GTR Coupé with internal limitation number 02/25, which in itself still suggests the originally planned number of units.

In order to be successful in racing, the HWA AG used the previous top dog McLaren F1 GTR as a benchmark during the development of the CLK GTR. They even bought one, which was used as a reference vehicle and was also used to test engine, suspension and aerodynamical parts. Directly behind the cockpit of the CLK GTR racing version, a six-liter V12 engine with natural aspiration was mounted. This mid-engine was increased to seven liters displacement in the streetcars. This resulted in a durable and reliable 450 kW/612 hp power output, which were transferred to the rear axle via a six-speed sequential gearbox. Later, customers were given the opportunity to order the Super Sport version with a 7.3-liter, 664 hp V12 engine, that was also available as a retrofit solution. The Roadster has 630 hp from seven liters of displacement. By contrast, the pneumatic car jack system was adapted nearly unchanged from the racecars.

While the racing version understandably saved every tiny gram of weight, the street cars offered comparably much more luxury. Leather, Alcantara or on request also classic checkered fabric covered the fixed seats, while the removable airbag steering wheel with shift paddles and the pedals are mechanically adjustable to a small extent and thus can be adapted to the size of the driver. Nevertheless, one sits rather cramped compared to a normal CLK. In the wide side sills, which must be crossed each time when entering or exiting through the butterfly-doors, small luggage compartments are located on each side of the vehicle. Standard equipment included a CD radio and a heated windshield, while an air conditioning system was available optional. Outside the Swabians kept almost everything of the martial looks of the racecar, but integrated a lower rear wing into the lines of the engine cover and increased the ground clearance, which is why around all four wheel arches there are wider carbon stripes fitted in body color. With that, we’re already in the color range that could be find with used CLK GTRs today: You can get one in any color, as long as it is silver. Almost. One car left the factory in red and another one in black. While the red car now also wears silver, another silver car was repainted to dark blue years ago.

With a sales price of about 1,983,600 €, in 1998 the CLK GTR was the most expensive production car in the world. Today, they are rarely offered and double this amount of money easily. Girardo & Co only issues the price for Coupé 02/25 on application. This copy so far only shows a mileage of 2,730 kilometers, but was always carefully maintained at HWA and SPS. All equipment like the document folder, the warning triangle, the first-aid kit and a metal frame with the original torque wrench, base plates for the jack system and a battery charger are included in this sale.

Images: Girardo & Co