Chassis Number: WDB2973971Y000034
Mercedes-Benz has left a more significant imprint on motorsports history than any other manufacturer, bar none. So it came as little surprise that after decades of relative abstention from factory-based competition, it became a commanding winner in the German DTM series (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft) in the 1990s with its potent C-Class race cars, the 190E Evo variants. Mercedes-Benz executives wanted to continue its successful racing activities, but the proper venue remained a question. The answer came in the form of the 1997 FIA GT Championship. This two-class series allowed for large-displacement GT1 cars that required a minimum homologation of 25 examples, and their build would prove to closely approximate the prototype race cars they were to run up against in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Daimler-Benz rose to this task with a lightning-fast development program. Freshly designed from the ground up, the CLK GTR was built with an aluminum honeycomb frame mounted with carbon-fiber body panels for a true monocoque architecture. This mid/rear-engine chassis was equipped with an evolution of Mercedes’ 6.0-liter M120 V12, developing 592 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, capable of launching the car to 60 mph from a standstill in just 3.8 seconds, with an impressive top speed of 205 mph. The CLK GTR more than proved its mettle on the racetrack during 1997, bringing Mercedes the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship. Meanwhile, a roadgoing version, dubbed the “Straßenversion,” was unveiled at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show. For this iteration, the engine was further developed with an increased displacement of almost 6.9 liters, which improved output to 622 hp and 539 lb-ft of torque. They were far better appointed than their race-campaigned siblings, being equipped with an anti-lock brake system and offered with air conditioning, an audio system and three upholstery options. A single roadster version was initially built during the coupe’s production run, and the result proved to be so enticing that five more examples were eventually greenlighted for production on spare CLK GTR chassis. Chassis number 000034 is the third of the six roadster examples built. By the early 2010s the car had been imported to the United States and federalized to conform to U.S. emissions standards. In August 2011 the Mercedes-Benz was titled to a collector in Wisconsin, at which point the odometer still displayed just 25 kilometers. In March 2013 this owner sold the CLK GTR to a sports-car dealer in Arkansas when the roadster had accrued only 108 kilometers. Shortly thereafter, the car was purchased by a dealer based in North Carolina, and it remained there until April 2015, when it was sold to the consignor, a discerning collector based in the United Kingdom. Any CLK GTR roadster coming to market is momentous. In the case of this example, it is even more so, given its well-documented history and extremely low mileage.
