GT5 Transcripts/Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR Race Car '98

To compete in the FIA-GT championship that began in 1997, DaimlerChrysler and AMG began a joint project to build a race machine in a mere 128 days. This car was the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR. The grille came from a production CLK, but the rest of the car was purpose built for racing. The body skeleton was composed of carbon fiber, while a steel roll cage provided additional rigidity and safety. The roof housed a giant intake that sent air into the engine bay. Mounted amidships was a 5000-cc V-12 that produced 592 HP.
The CLK-GTR got off to a blazing start, winning six of its first 11 contests, and grabbing the series championship with Bernd Schneider at the wheel. In 1998, the CLK-GTR and the newly introduced Porsche 911 GT1 were in a heated battle for supremacy. In addition to the two works cars that Mercedes-Benz entered in the FIA-GT, the company also provided two CLK-GTRs to privateers in order to strengthen their efforts on the track.
The CLK-GTR made way for the CLK-LM, which many people tagged as the GTR's successor. The LM and GTR had different powerplants, the former had a V-12, while the latter came equipped with a V-8. The CLK-LM went on to become the FIA-GT champion. The sparkling team of Klaus Ludwig and Ricardo Zonta produced five wins, earning them the series championship.
Category:GT5 Transcripts