The 1997 Mercedes-AMG CLK GTR GT1, one of the most successful and rare vehicles ever produced by Mercedes-AMG, is about to be auctioned. This car, completed in just three months after the first sketches were drawn in 1997, won one of the most important competitions of that year.
Officially designated as the Mercedes-AMG CLK GTR GT1, it was created to compete in the FIA GT1 Championship, a series that no longer exists but for a brief period represented the best that car manufacturers and drivers had to offer.
Several versions of the CLK GTR were created for the competition, and the car in question, despite being chassis 004, was the second example to be completed. It was successfully driven in 1997 by Bernd Schneider and Alexander Wurz, winning victories in four of the 11 rounds of that year’s GT1 season, securing Schneider the title of Drivers’ Champion and Mercedes-AMG the title of Constructors’ Champion.
The car is built around a carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb composite chassis, on which a carbon fiber body was installed. Its engine, an impressive six-liter V12, acted as a structural member. Limited by the regulations of the racing series to an output power of 600 horsepower and a top speed of 330 km/h, tests showed that the unit could easily reach up to 800 horsepower.
After ending its career, the Mercedes joined the manufacturer’s private collection, where it remained for 17 years, occasionally being displayed at various events. It was acquired by a private individual in 2015, who now plans to sell it at an RM Sotheby’s auction next week. The car still sports the number 11 livery and yellow mirrors it had when competing.
Although the auction house has not provided estimates of how much the Mercedes-AMG CLK GTR GT1 is expected to raise, past experiences with cars from the German brand indicate that the sky is the limit. It is worth remembering that the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 W04 racing car was sold last year for an impressive $18,815,000, and in the same year, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe became the most expensive car ever sold at auction, reaching €135,000,000 ($146 million).
