Rare Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster Hits Auction

In 1997, Mercedes-Benz took the racing world by storm with the CLK GTR, a 600-horsepower, V12-powered race car built to dominate GT endurance races. To be allowed into the GT1 class, the manufacturer had to build a few road-legal cars, which is how 35 units with a full interior, A/C and a sequential 6-speed gearbox saw the light of day. Of this number, 6 were roadsters, and the rest were coupes.

When it was launched, the CLK GTR became the fastest convertible in the world (with a top speed of 330 km/h and a 0-100 km/h time of 3.8 seconds)… and the most expensive one, selling for $1.5 million US.

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At the Bonhams auction at the Goodwood Festival Of Speed, one of the 6 roadsters will be sold. In 1999, a Dutch investor bought the car intending to make some money on it. It was delivered to him with black paint, and he immediately stored the car. 16 years later, it’s now time for the convertible to change hands.

Evaluators think that a rare CLK GTR with 0 miles on the odometer should beat all previous records for this model, setting their expectations around $2.7-3.4 million.