Mercedes Benz CLK GTR

In 1997 Mercedes re-entered international sportscar racing after spending the previous years in DTM. The GT1 class stipulated cars must be production-based and thus, in just 128 days of design work at the end of 1996, the ‘CLK’ GTR was born. Far from the road car of the same name, the GTR lifted the SL600 power-plant, reworked and then mid-mounted as a stress-bearer supporting the rear suspension behind the new, carbon fibre and Kevlar monocoque tub.

Despite failure to homologate the road-car before the 1997 season began, Mercedes was still allowed to compete, much to the dismay of its competitors. The CLK won 6 of the 11 rounds taking the GT Championship in its debut year. The car would only race twice in 1998 in the first two rounds, winning both before retiring from the season before the CLK LM took over.

During 1998 and 1999, Mercedes completed 25 homologated chassis’ plus 2 prototypes. One of the prototypes was crash tested and destroyed. Mercedes completed just 20 of the intended 25 homologated coupes. The final 5 chassis’ plus the original prototype would later be converted into roadsters. Evidently a £1.5m road-going race car proving slightly harder to sell than anticipated in the late 1990s! The CLK GTR featured a slightly detuned version of the race engine with c.600hp mated to the sequential gearbox. The road cars earned a leather interior, radio and similar creature comforts.

HWA was formed by the co-founder of AMG in its hometown of Affalterbach when Mercedes bought AMG, with the intention of continuing to pursue glory in the GT series. Their first project, the CLR was developed without the need for a road-going variant. A series of high-profile accidents forced the car to retire from international competition.