Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR
The CLK GTR at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed | |||||||||
| Category | GT1 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Mercedes-Benz | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | Gerhard Ungar | ||||||||
| Successor | Mercedes-Benz CLK LM | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon fibre and aluminium honeycomb monocoque | ||||||||
| Suspension | Double wishbone suspension with pull-rod actuated coil springs over dampers | ||||||||
| Length | 4,855 mm (191.1 in) | ||||||||
| Width | 1,950 mm (76.8 in) | ||||||||
| Height | 1,100 mm (43.3 in) | ||||||||
| Axle track | 1,610 mm (63 in) (front) 1,650 mm (65 in) (rear) | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | 2,670 mm (105.1 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | Mercedes-Benz LS600 (GT112) 5,987 cc (365.3 cu in) V12 naturally aspirated mid-engined | ||||||||
| Transmission | 6-speed sequential manual | ||||||||
| Weight | 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) | ||||||||
| Fuel | Mobil 96-octane petrol | ||||||||
| Lubricants | Mobil 1 | ||||||||
| Brakes | Carbon-composite | ||||||||
| Tyres | Bridgestone | ||||||||
| Clutch | Four-plate carbon fibre | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | AMG Persson Motorsport | ||||||||
| Notable drivers | |||||||||
| Debut | 1997 FIA GT Hockenheim 4 Hours | ||||||||
| First win | 1997 Suzuka 1000 km | ||||||||
| Last win | 1998 FIA GT Silverstone 500 km | ||||||||
| Last event | 1998 FIA GT Laguna Seca 500 km | ||||||||
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| Teams' Championships | 2 (1997 FIA GT, 1998 FIA GT) | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 2 (1997 FIA GT, 1998 FIA GT) | ||||||||
The Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR (chassis code C297) is a GT1 sports car built and produced by Mercedes-Benz in conjunction with their then motorsport partner AMG. Intended for racing in the new FIA GT Championship series in 1997, the CLK GTR was designed primarily as a race car. As such, the production of road cars necessary in order to meet homologation standards of GT1 was a secondary consideration in the car's design, i.e. the CLK GTR was a homologation special.
After its successful campaign in the 1997 FIA GT Championship, the car was also entered in the first two rounds of the 1998 FIA GT Championship and won both of these rounds before being replaced for the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans. Its successor, the 1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK LM, concluded Mercedes' GT1 program. For 1999, Mercedes introduced the Mercedes-Benz CLR, a sports car built to the Le Mans Grand Touring Prototype (LMGTP) regulations. This sports car was a purpose-built racecar that did not have to abide by the homologation rules of the previous GT1 cars.