For the very first time in history, a pair of ultra-rare Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK GTRs are up for grabs all thanks to RM Sotheby’s. The auction house is all set to auction off a coupe and a roadster version of the iconic supercar from the 1990s right before the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix. Back in the mid-1990s, Mercedes-Benz collaborated with their then motorsport partner AMG to create a race car intended for racing in the new FIA GT Championship series in 1997. The partnership resulted in the creation of the all-conquering CLK GTR, which completely dominated the FIA GT1 class competing against the likes of the McLaren F1 GTR and the Porsche 911 GT1. To compete in the class, the manufacturers had to build a road-legal homologated version of their race car to be sold to the general public. That’s how the CLK-GTR Straßenversion (German for Street version) was born.
A total of 28 CLK GTR road cars were built to comply with the homologation rule, which included 20 coupes and 6 roadsters. The road-legal version shared many components with the race car, including the suspension, the sequential transmission, and the carbon-fiber monocoque. Out of the two CLK-GTR Straßenversion up for auction is a 1999-built CLK GTR Coupe that only has 4,658 miles on the odometer.
Delivered new to Switzerland, the particular unit is one of only three examples with tartan gabardine upholstery inspired by Sir Stirling Moss’ Mille Miglia-winning 300 SLR. The hard-top version of the iconic supercar has a pre-auction estimate of between $8 million and $9 million.
The ultra-rare CLK GTR Roadster is the third of just six units that were ever produced and has only 105 miles on the odometer. The open-top race-derived beast was built in 2002 and features a black and grey leather interior. This particular example also comes with a highly desirable set of fitted luggage and owner’s manuals.
It is expected to sell for between $10.5 million and $13 million. Both road-legal versions of the CLK GTR feature mid-mounted naturally aspirated V12 capable of producing 622hp and 539 ft-lbs. of torque in the coupe and 592 hp and 516 ft-lbs. in the roadster. The coupe could accelerate from zero to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and had a top speed of 199 mph.
