CLK GTR Roadster Is a Rare Multi-Million-Dollar Beast
Only six CLK GTR Roadster examples exist, and there’s currently one on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum.
The Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR is, of course, a car that needs no introduction. It’s one of the most iconic cars of its generation. Moreover, it’s one of the most hardcore street-going performance cars in history. It’s far more akin to its proper racecar family members than it is the CLK platform it’s based on. Combine all of that with its minimal production numbers, and it’s no surprise that they’re worth millions of dollars. However, while the CLK GTR is rare, some people don’t even know about its even rarer variant: the CLK GTR Roadster.
Indeed, there is a top-down variant of this legendary V12-powered road-going race car. We were lucky to see one in person recently at The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California. Naturally, we felt compelled to share this with you fine folks. Just try to keep yourself from drooling too much!
Mercedes Only Built One CLK GTR Roadster
Initially, Mercedes planned to build 25 coupe models and, from what we can find, there’s no indicator of how many roadsters it planned to make. However, only 20 coupes came to fruition. In addition, Mercedes only built a single CLK GTR Roadster before closing up shop on the iconic model’s production.
That, however, does not mean that this is the only one. Motor Authority reports that Hans-Werner Aufrecht, co-founder of AMG, built five more roadster examples using the remaining chassis with his newer company, HWA. So, in total, six of them exist. Of course, with that limited production, you can expect some hefty price tags. The most recent sale of a CLK GTR Roadster brought over $10 million by the time the hammer fell at auction.
More Power, Less Roof
The Roadster model has a bit more power than the coupe variant. Its monumental 6.9-liter V12 spits out a whopping 622 horsepower. That power makes its way to the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential transaxle setup. This is some real racecar stuff! In fact, due to displacement restrictions, the road-going versions of the CLK GTR actually had more power than the actual race cars.
It’s always a good day when you get to see a cool and rare car in person. It’s even cooler when it’s something of this caliber. So, if you happen to be in the Los Angeles area, be sure to stop by The Petersen. By the time you’re seeing this, the Roadster might be gone, but you’re sure to see something unbelievably rare and cool.
Photos: Braden Carlson
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