In 1998, Mercedes-Benz developed the CLK LM model, with the intent to participate in the prestigious FIA GT Championship’s prime GT1 category, alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The car was a strong competitor in the championship, although it did not manage to complete the race at Le Mans due to technical difficulties.
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There are believed to be only four such vehicles ever produced, and presently, one of them is available for purchase.
The unique race vehicle is listed on Piston Heads and is being sold through the London-based JM Performance dealership. It has previously been used solely as a test car during its stint in motorsports. Following its racing career, the car was privately owned, initially by a customer in Japan, and has been in the possession of its current UK-based owner since 2017, who successfully managed to make it legal for regular road use.
Street-legal 1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK LM race car – Photo credit: Piston Heads
The CLK LM is the immediate successor to the more renowned Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, which was produced the previous year. While the CLK GTR necessitated the production of 25 homologation models for road use, the CLK LM required only one.
This single CLK LM homologation is privately owned at the moment and might be available for sale in the future. Until such time, anyone interested in owning a street-legal CLK LM can consider purchasing this vehicle from JM Performance. No price has been specified in the advertisement.
For the CLK LM, Mercedes opted to replace the CLK GTR’s V-12 engine with a V-8, considered to be more reliable for enduring the intensive round-the-clock racing at Le Mans. The mid-positioned engine is a 5.0-liter model capable of producing almost 600 hp. It is equipped with a 6-speed sequential transmission and drives only the rear wheels.
Mercedes discontinued the CLK LM program in anticipation of the next GT Championship season, which was shifting its top class to a prototype category. It was replaced with the CLR prototype, a model that had an unfortunate run at the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans due to aerodynamic complications resulting in multiple high-speed flips.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Mercedes-Benz CLK LM sale
What model is the Mercedes-Benz race car that’s up for sale?
The model up for sale is the 1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK LM, a road-legal race car.
How many Mercedes-Benz CLK LM race cars were built?
Only four examples of the Mercedes-Benz CLK LM race car are believed to have been built.
Who is the current owner of the Mercedes-Benz CLK LM?
The current owner is based in the U.K and has owned the car since 2017.
Where can the Mercedes-Benz CLK LM be purchased?
The Mercedes-Benz CLK LM is currently available for purchase via the London-based dealership, JM Performance.
What engine does the Mercedes-Benz CLK LM have?
The Mercedes-Benz CLK LM has a mid-mounted 5.0-liter V-8 engine, which is rated at close to 600 hp. The engine is paired with a 6-speed sequential transmission that drives the rear wheels only.
What is the race history of the Mercedes-Benz CLK LM?
The CLK LM was built to compete in the FIA GT Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1998. It was successful in the series but did not finish the race at Le Mans due to reliability issues.
What happened to the CLK LM program after the race season?
With the next season of the GT Championship adopting a prototype class for its premier class, Mercedes ended the CLK LM program, replacing it with the CLR prototype.
More about Mercedes-Benz CLK LM sale
- 1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK LM Specifications
- FIA GT Championship
- 24 Hours of Le Mans
- Piston Heads Listing
- JM Performance
7 comments
reliability issues at Le Mans, and still one of the most iconic MB race cars ever built. just shows it’s not always about the win.
that switch to CLR prototype didn’t go well, did it? remember those flips in 99, scary stuff! Stick to GTs, MB.
they don’t make em like this anymore. Pure racing pedigree and history, wish I had the cash for this.
Who cares bout the price, the real deal is it’s street legal. Imagine the headturns in this bad boy, haha.
Wow, a street-legal CLK LM, didn’t think I’d see the day! What a beauty, just imagine cruising around town in that monster!
a V-8 instead of the GTR’s V-12, what a downgrade. But hey it’s still a legendary racer.
No price mentioned huh. Well, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it…sigh.