Are you interested about this Mercedes-Benz CLK LM?
For sale: 1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK LM
Interest about this Mercedes-Benz CLK LM?
Feel free to contact any of our staff members with questions, or business inquiries.
Our staff members are available 24 hours a day to answer your questions and serve your needs.
Price: Call for price
Description of the car:
In the late 1990s, the BPR Global GT Series was elevated to an FIA-sanctioned event known as the FIA GT Championship. This caught the attention of Mercedes, who tasked AMG with building a car that complied with the Group GT1 regulations. To expedite development, AMG acquired McLaren F1 GTR chassis #11R from French privateers Larbre Compétition. They then fitted it with AMG's bodywork and replaced the F1 GTR's engine with Mercedes' own, completing the CLK GTR just 128 days after starting the design work.
The CLK GTR made its debut at Mercedes' home track, the Hockenheimring, with Bernd Schneider qualifying on pole. Unfortunately, he retired due to brake issues, and the sister car finished 27th. Despite this setback, the CLK GTR excelled in the 1997 FIA GT Championship, winning six out of eleven races and securing both the constructor's and driver's championship by a significant margin.
After the success of the CLK GTR, Mercedes-Benz modified it to suit the long straights of the Circuit de la Sarthe by constructing a new chassis with revised bodywork. To ensure endurance, they replaced the V12 engine with a modified version of the 5.0L M119 V8 engine from the Sauber C9. The car's aerodynamics were also adjusted for high-speed demands at Le Mans.
Although both cars qualified on pole and third at the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, issues with the power steering oil pump led to the retirement of both CLK LMs from the race. Mercedes continued to use CLK LMs for the rest of the 1998 FIA GT Championship, achieving remarkable success with six 1–2 finishes in every race.
The car offered for sale is chassis 005, believed to be one of just four CLK LM race cars produced by Mercedes-Benz. It was initially used as a factory test vehicle before being sold by Mercedes AMG after the 1998 season. It spent time in Japan in a private collection before being purchased by a French collector in 2013 and then its current owner in June 2017. The car underwent a major overhaul in April 2021, including the fitting of a new fuel tank and fuel pumps, refacing all four carbon discs, replacing the fire extinguisher system, and refreshing the suspension. It is now fully road legal and registered in the U.K. with taxes paid.
Opportunities to acquire a CLK LM are rare, making this car a fantastic addition to any collection and a welcome participant in various motorsport and Concours events worldwide. For more information or to arrange a viewing, please contact us.
Joe Macari
249-251 Merton Road
London SW18 5EB
Phone: +44 (0)20 8870 9007
Email: sales@joemacari.com
