The 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR Roadster stands as a titan in automotive history, a vehicle of unparalleled exclusivity and breathtaking performance. This particular model, boasting a mere 22 kilometers on its odometer and cherished within a private Saudi collection, is an automotive unicorn. As one of only six roadsters ever conceived, it represents not just remarkable engineering but a direct lineage to one of the most celebrated race cars of the late 1990s.
Mercedes-Benz conceived the CLK-GTR from their ambition to conquer the FIA GT Championship. Homologation regulations mandated that Mercedes produce street-legal versions of their GT1 race car, the very machine they deployed on the track. The FIA GT Championship stipulated that manufacturers must create at least 25 road-going iterations of their GT1 entrants, ensuring a genuine connection between race cars and production models, rather than allowing pure prototypes to compete.
Mercedes-Benz adhered to these rules, crafting 20 coupes and a mere six roadsters. The inaugural street version emerged in late 1998, with the roadster variant, an even more exclusive creation, debuting later. Its open-top architecture distinguished it as a unique iteration of the already exceptionally rare CLK-GTR. Both coupe and roadster variants mirrored the racing cars in their engineering essence, with subtle modifications for road usability, such as a marginally increased ride height and enhanced comfort amenities.
Beneath the sculpted hood, the CLK-GTR Roadster housed a formidable 6.9-liter V12 engine, a derivative of its racing counterpart, unleashing 612 horsepower. This potent powerplant propelled the car from 0 to 60 mph in just over 3 seconds, achieving a top speed of approximately 208 mph. The CLK-GTR reigned as one of the most potent and rapid vehicles of its era, delivering a racing-caliber experience on public roads that few cars could rival.
The Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR was originally engineered for the 1997 FIA GT Championship, where it immediately asserted its dominance. Equipped with a 6.0-liter V12 engine and cutting-edge aerodynamics, the race-spec CLK-GTR clinched the championship in its debut season, cementing Mercedes’ reputation in the GT1 category. Developed in a mere 128 days, it stood as a testament to the engineering brilliance of Mercedes-AMG. The CLK-GTR continued its reign in 1998, securing another FIA GT Championship title, though it later encountered fiercer competition from rivals like Porsche and Toyota.
Following the FIA GT Championship’s discontinuation of its GT1 category after the 1998 season, Mercedes-Benz shifted its focus to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, developing the Mercedes-Benz CLR. The CLR represented a refined evolution of the CLK-GTR, specifically tailored for endurance racing. However, the CLR’s 1999 Le Mans campaign is infamously remembered for issues with aerodynamic instability. The car dramatically became airborne at high speeds during both practice and the race, resulting in severe crashes. These incidents prompted Mercedes-Benz to withdraw from top-tier endurance racing for years to come.
This particular CLK-GTR Roadster, with its incredibly low 22 kilometers, represents a pristine embodiment of Mercedes’ GT1 racing legacy in a road-legal form. The open-top design of the roadster variant amplifies its rarity, adding another layer of exclusivity to an already exceptionally limited-production, high-performance supercar.
With its roots profoundly embedded in racing history, the CLK-GTR Roadster is celebrated as one of the most significant homologation cars ever produced. The convergence of its extreme scarcity, direct ancestry from a championship-winning race car, and untouched condition solidifies its status as a highly coveted collector’s item. Witnessing one in such immaculate condition is akin to stepping back into the golden age of GT1 racing, a testament to a remarkable era in motorsport and automotive engineering.
