The late 1990s saw many epic homologation specials. One of them was the Mercedes CLK GTR, which was a road-going version that allowed Mercedes to race in the LeMans and FIA GT1 class. The car had a couple of road-going versions, including a CLK GTR roadster, but the final evolution is considered to be the Mercedes CLK GTR Super Sport, which introduced a new, more powerful engine.

Performance and Drivetrain

Like other versions of the car, the Mercedes CLK GTR Super Sport was powered by a version of the M297 engine. While still based on the M120 engine, this M297 E73 version, sometimes referred to as the M120 E73, further increased displacement, from 6.9 to 7.3 liters. The 60-degree V-12 engine was all-aluminum and still retained normal aspiration. The same engine was used in cars like the Mercedes SL73 AMG (R129) and Pagani Zonda.

With 711 horsepower at 6,600 RPM and 580 pound-feet (786 Nm) at 5,250 RPM, this is the Super Sport is the most powerful version of the Mercedes CLK GTR. Power is sent to the rear through a six-speed sequential gearbox. The official 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) figure is 3.6 seconds, but tests with modern high-performance tires suggest a time of 2.9 seconds is not impossible. The top speed of the CLK GTR Super Sport is 231 mph (373 km/h).

Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Super Sport specifications

Body and Chassis

Like the original CLK GTR, the Super Sport was built by HWA, which was AMG’s subsidiary that helped prepare the cars for racing. The Super Sport was visually undistinctive by the CLK GTR versions, with less powerful engines. As per FIA regulations, the race cars had to share parts with road-going vehicles, which is why all CLK GTR versions, regardless of the engine, shared the taillights and quad-headlights with the Mercedes CLK (C208).

The road cars did have a distinctive feature compared to the track-only CLK LM. All road-going versions except the roadster featured an integrated, hoop-style fixed rear wing, as opposed to the race car and roadster’s fixed rear wing, which was separated from the rear clamshell.

The entire body of the CLK GTR Super Sport is made out of carbon fiber while the chassis consists of carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb monocoque. The suspension is a double-wishbone setup, front, and rear. All this results in a curb weight of 3,175 pounds (1,440 kg).

Interior

The Mercedes CLK GTR Super Sport may have been the most extreme road-going version of a GT1 race car, but it’s still a Mercedes. As such, the interior is not as bare-bone as you may think. You have a decent amount of leather and exposed carbon fiber. It includes full-leather bucket seats and even air-conditioning. The upper center console is styled after the Mercedes CLK (C208). The steering wheel could either be wrapped in leather or Alcantara. The most interesting feature is the super-short gear shifter. There's also a special plaque showing, which of the 25 Super Sports made you have.

How many Mercedes CLK GTR Super Sport were made?

A total of 28 examples of the Mercedes CLK GTR Super Sport were made, in all body styles. At the time, a minimum of 25 road-going examples had to be built for homologation purposes. The CLK GTR Super Sport production includes two prototypes, 20 coupes, and six roadsters. All cars were assembled at the MG headquarters, in Affalterbach, Germany. A direct successor to the CLK GTR Super Sport is considered to be the Mercedes CLR LMGTP race car, which had a slight take-off problem, causing the car to think it’s an airplane.

Conclusion

The Mercedes CLK GTR Super Sport is one of the greatest 1990s homologation specials and harkens back to a period of purer motorsports, before politics and talks of sustainability. The CLK GTR Super Sport is a proper race car for the road, just like the Ferrari F50 GT Porsche 911 GT1, and McLaren F1 LM. More importantly, the CLK GTR Super Sport and its aforementioned rivals are more than capable of running with today’s modern-day, computerized counterparts and, arguably, more exhilarating to drive. This is why, nowadays, some examples of the CLK GTR can reach $10.0 million.