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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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© Patrick Ernzen/RM Sotheby's
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Look out, acronym fans: it’s the AMG CLK GTR
Powerful Mercedes-Benz machines are nothing new.
From the 500K in the ’30s, to the 300SL in the ’50s, to the 190E in the ’80s, the German marque has long been known for its penchant for performance cars.
None, though, have ever been quite as absurd as the AMG-tuned CLK GTR – a 600bhp racer that launched in the late-’90s as a direct rival to the McLaren F1 and Porsche GT1.
Just a handful were built for the road – one of which is going up for auction with RM Sotheby’s in Monterey on 25 August, with an upper estimate of US$5.25m (£4m). Here’s its story.
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One of the family
German tuning house AMG had, by the 1990s, turned a longstanding but unofficial relationship with Mercedes-Benz into a corporate partnership, having tuned everything from the rare 300SL to the executive ’80s E-Class.
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Useful know-how
The prowess of the performance specialist would prove to be truly useful to Mercedes as the FIA GT championship shaped up to kick off in 1997.
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Powerful rivals
With McLaren fielding the dominant, BMW-powered F1 and Porsche bringing its magnificent 911 GT1 to the table, Mercedes-Benz needed a track-bred beast of its own with which to contest the new championship.
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One for the road… or 25?
The problem? In order to qualify for the championship, any car entered had to be homologated – which meant Mercedes needed to build 25 examples for the road.
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Tight deadline
AMG was given a mere four months to design, build, test and field both the race car and its street equivalent.
Designers sketched and modelled against the clock to deliver a machine that could win races and outgun the capable competition.
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Featherweight mass, heavyweight grunt
A monstrous 6.9-litre V12 engine was selected to power the mighty machine, while it was also decided that the car would be wrapped almost entirely in carbonfibre to reduce weight.
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Expensive test chassis
In order to accelerate the design process, AMG reportedly acquired a racing McLaren F1 chassis in secret, which it fitted with the engine and bodywork for the CLK GTR.
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Accelerated development
This allowed the design team to test and tune the developmental components before the actual chassis was ready.
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From sketchbook to test track
Remarkably, just 18 weeks after it was first conceptualised, the CLK GTR was out running on track in Spain, with proven DTM racers Bernd Schneider and Alexander Wurz on driving duty.
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Strong from the off
Even on its first outing the CLK GTR’s racing potential looked mighty and, just four months later, two track machines were ready, as well as the first roadgoing car.
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Coveted rarity
Unsurprisingly, given its stark, aerodynamic bodywork and race car performance, hundreds of buyers lined up to buy one of the remarkable AMG-tuned machines to run on the road.
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Racing pedigree
While the track variant went on to claim victory in the inaugural FIA GT Championship, the roadgoing CLK GTR brought almost identical performance to the street. Useful if you lived near a race track, not so much for running down to the supermarket.
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Limited shopping space
AMG changed little for the road car, adding only a dash of leather, air conditioning and an anti-lock braking system for the sake of safety.
Oh, and a pair of storage compartments under each door supposedly made up for the lack of boot space.
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Sharp suited
Aerodynamics remained near-identical to the race-spec machine, bar a more sculpted rear wing and a reshaped front spoiler – meaning the CLK GTR was one mean saloon around town.
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Flappy paddle power
In terms of performance, there was no mistaking the CLK GTR’s racing pedigree: the same 6.9-litre V12 sat behind the driver, paired with a six-speed paddle-shift gearbox straight from the race car – which wasn't always the most useful in traffic.
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Not popular with the neighbours
All told, it was a menacing monster of a street car good for more than 600bhp, a 0-60 time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 199mph – not to mention a wildlife-scaring exhaust note.
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Rare silver arrow
Homologation regulations required just 25 roadgoing examples to be built, of which this stunning silver number – finished in 1998 – was the ninth.
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From Europe to Asia
Delivered new to a German owner, it shipped out to Hong Kong in 2005 and remained abroad for some 12 years as part of a private collection.
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All checked out
Then, last year, the mad Mercedes was bought and transferred to the USA – but not before an inspection by marque specialist Marc Kienle, which confirmed the remarkable originality of this ultra-rare performance machine.
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Original finish
CLK GTR number 9 remains in entirely original condition, carrying its factory body, engine and drivetrain, as well as the same coat of paint it wore when finished in 1998.
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Two pans, one belly
The original carbonfibre belly panel also ships with the car which, freshly serviced, has less than 1500km on the clock today.
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No more racing
The only downside for bidders at the RM Sotheby’s sale on 25 August? The car was imported on a ‘Show or Display’ exemption – so it can only be driven on the road for display purposes and can’t be raced.
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Costly acquisition
Still, at least it remains an absurd beast to look at and listen to – though you’ll have to pay at least $4.25m (£3.35m) for the pleasure, and possibly as much as $5.25m (£4.15m).
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Bundle listing
Shipping with its original tool set, manuals and – in case it all gets too much – first aid kit, this is a truly rare opportunity to own one of the most outlandish Mercedes-Benz machines ever made.
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Almost a bargain
And, with McLaren F1 prices now topping £10m, this CLK GTR is arguably a bargain package of late-’90s racing performance – even if you can’t use it in anger.
We’ll let you know what it goes for after the hammer falls on 25 August.