Tuesday 2nd August 2011

You Know You Want To... Mercedes CLK GTR Roadster

For those who do not want to be beaten for pub bragging rights...

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There's still time to acquire something a bit special to rub shoulders with the supercar royalty at Lord Pembroke's place for the Wilton House Supercars 2011 event (in association with our good selves on 14th August.

The car we're thinking of isn't exactly cheap, although compared to the Porsche GT1 Strassenversion we looked at recently, it's a veritable bargain.

The Porker had covered 900 kilometres and was up for north of £1,000,000 in Kyoto, Japan. This CLK GTR, however, has covered just 22 kilometres and is available in Europe for a smidge over £750,000.

We've got a feeling that might be a bit steep. Although they cost approximately £1,000,000 when new, the sole right-hand-drive GTR Roadster which was ordered new by...yep, you've guessed it...the Sultan of Brunei was sold by RM Auctions in 2009 for £616,000.

His Majesty also sold his right-hand-drive Coupe version at the same auction for £522,500 - you just gotta love the Sultan. Having said that, were you to baulk at the £750,000 asking price then you might have a bit of a struggle finding another one.

The people selling this car have sold no fewer than eight CLK GTRs (two brand new Coupes, three used Coupes, and three used Roadsters) and tell us that this one was ordered new by a customer in the Middle East who subsequently moved it on to an owner in Europe.

Strangely, whereas the other Roadsters had production numbers like One and Two (...and so on), the production number on this car was 'Jean Alesi' (?). Even the vendors don't know why this was the case, since the car has had no apparent connection to the French former F1 ace (Is it possibly something to do with Alesi's time driving for Mercedes in the DTM? - Riggers).

The 7.3-litre V12 is, thankfully, the same 720bhp unit as fitted to the other Roadsters, so it shouldn't be wanting for any oomph, although having rolled for just 22 kilometres it might need a period of running-in first.

Just on the off-chance that someone reading this is thinking of putting in a bid with a view to bringing it along to Wilton House, you will give us a quick go, won't you?

 

 

 

 

[johnpeat]

Isn't this the car you have to be "of smaller dimensions" just to get into?

[deviant]

I hate with a passion seeing cars like this that are never used. It has covered half a mile a year, its mileage is probably just in being started and moved to get something out of the shed and then put back.

With such little use this car is probably in desperate need of work before it could be used again.

[8vFTW]

No need to put it up for auction chaps, I'll take it.

Do you think they will take a cheque?

[George H]

That looks seriously difficult to get in with the massive door sills, not that it would bother me in the slightest.

[Lordbenny]

Just dont go too fast over the brow of a hill or you may well be flying into the trees!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQbgSe9S54I

[Corsair7]

To me, this, and that 'road version Porsche GT1' just look silly, dated, and rather ugly.

The cars both look un-weildy and both look un-usable on British roads.

Dare I say it, any man driving such a device on the public roads in the UK is just going to look like 'a bit of a penis'. Just trying too hard.

Museum pieces. Nothing more.

[Bladedancer]

What a waste... This thing wasn't driven, it was probably only shifted between car transported and parking spaces.

Shame to see something like that never used, just locked away in a garage somewhere, hidden from the world.

[R66STU]

From memory one of these hit a rabbit and it was a bit of a mess to say the least.. (exploded)

just checked youTube, and im wrong. not this Mercedes but another,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSVN9ssTiIg

[kambites]

Corsair7 said:

Museum pieces. Nothing more.

Well I guess you could use it as a track car.

[pat_y]

as a big fan of the CLK GTR this car just makes me feel a bit sad, they really should be left as coupes, visually breathtaking in their original form, but this is just terrible.

Edited by pat_y on Tuesday 2nd August 08:33

[JumpinJack]

johnpeat said:

Isn't this the car you have to be "of smaller dimensions" just to get into?

It certainly looks like it. But if you could afford to buy it, then I'd assume you could afford to have it modified to suit us taller folk.

[andymc]

will it come with tax?

[Neil G60]

I'm just not sure I could park that in the local multi storey. I think I'll have to pass on this occasion.

[ralphrj]

Lordbenny said:

Just dont go too fast over the brow of a hill or you may well be flying into the trees!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQbgSe9S54I

This is a CLK GTR. The car in the clip is a CLR.

[PaulMoor]

In open top form, meh. In tin top, I would have one of these in an instant, if I had the cash. It's one of the cars I grew up with wanting, along with the porka GT1, which I would also buy if I had the cash.

Also, I do have to wonder why the seller has not called AMG to ask them about the production number. I'm sure it would not take long for them to answer, and it may add to the value, or at least give an interesting story to the car. It's not like its a C 220 or some such.

[Richard-G]

Corsair7 said:

To me, this, and that 'road version Porsche GT1' just look silly, dated, and rather ugly.

The cars both look un-weildy and both look un-usable on British roads.

Dare I say it, any man driving such a device on the public roads in the UK is just going to look like 'a bit of a penis'. Just trying too hard.

Museum pieces. Nothing more.

that car is AWESOME, granted its no mx5, but cmon!

in my eyes a car like that, with its pedigree (i mean the racing, not the former owner) is timeless

[cookie1600]

The Sultan's CLK GTR Roadster was finished in a horrible shade of pink leather!







His tin-top was a little more restrained:

[Garlick]

For the asking price you might (quite rightly) expect some more detailed text and some pretty photos in the ad. I've used more words, but I'd still have it.......

[Stevie Mojo]

Corsair7 said:

Dare I say it, any man driving such a device on the public roads in the UK is just going to look like 'a bit of a penis'. Just trying too hard.

Maybe the person who buys it will do so to enjoy the special driving experience and not really care whether he looks like a 'penis' to jealous onlookers?

[Pistachio]

ralphrj said:

Lordbenny said:

Just dont go too fast over the brow of a hill or you may well be flying into the trees!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQbgSe9S54I

This is a CLK GTR. The car in the clip is a CLR.

Its open top so you can get out when it flips