Would you have a hard time choosing between the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR coupe or the roadster? You don’t have to, thanks to RM Sotheby’s.
The auction house will sell both the hardtop and open versions of the supercar-based race car ahead of this month’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. The cars are not sold as a set, but if you want to add both to your collection, here’s your chance.
Mercedes and its motorsport partner AMG (this was before the former bought the latter) designed and developed the CLK GTR in the mid-1990s to compete in the brand new FIA GT Championship. It’s fair to say that the V-12-powered beast has been a success, claiming the team title in the first two years of the competition. Because of this, the beefy racer is considered part of the prestigious “GT1 Trinity”, alongside the McLaren F1 and the spectacular Porsche 911 GT1. The FIA homologation rules also meant that Mercedes had to build a road-going car. Only 28 street-legal examples of the “Strassenversion” will be built between 1998 and 1999, with a production run consisting of 20 coupes, six roadsters, and two prototypes. At the time of its release, it was the most expensive production car in the world, costing nearly $2.6 million.
Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR roadster
The coupe on offer is the seventh model in the lineup. It’s finished in Mercedes’ signature Iridium Silver Metallic racing color over a blue tartan cloth-trimmed interior. It’s not as brutal as the competition car it’s based on, but its mid-mounted, naturally aspirated V-12 still puts out 622 horsepower and 539 ft lbs of twist. The mill is fitted to a six-speed manual that sends power to the rear axle. Despite not being a race car, the street version can still rocket from zero to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and has a top speed of 199 mph. RM Sotheby’s expects it to sell for between $8 million and $9 million.
The roadster was the third example built. It’s also complete in silver, although its interior is covered in black and gray leather. Its IV-12, also mated to a manual, isn’t as powerful as the one in the coupe, but it still produces 592 hp and 516 ft lbs of torque. In addition to being the rarest of these two CLK GTRs, it also has just 106 miles on the odometer, which helps explain why it’s expected to sell for between $10.5 million and $13 million.
Inside the CLK GTR coupé
It’s no surprise that the CLK GTRs are the highlight of RM Sotheby’s Las Vegas Grand Prix sale, which will take place on Friday, November 17. The cars are being sold as separate units, but that doesn’t stop you from bidding on both. Just be prepared to spend more than $20 million if you want to take them both home.
Click here for more photos of the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Coupé and Roadster.
