Mercedes-Benz CLK LM
The Mercedes-Benz CLK LM (chassis code C298) was a Group GT1 sports car designed and built by Mercedes-Benz in partnership with AMG to compete in the FIA GT Championship. To satisfy the requirements of competing in the FIA GT Championship, a road-legal version had to be built to homologate the car. That car was known as the Mercedes-Benz CLK LM Straßenversion, and Mercedes-Benz assembled two chassis, one of which was destroyed for crash-testing. The CLK LM went on to win every single championship event in the 1998 FIA GT season, retiring only at the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, which was a non-championship event.[2][3] The removal of the GT1 class from the FIA GT Championship due to the lack of entrants and rising costs meant that Mercedes' GT1 program was brought to a close at the end of 1998. Mercedes instead focussed their efforts on the newly introduced LMGTP class for the 1999 season, which produced the Mercedes-Benz CLR.
The Mercedes-Benz CLK LM at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed | |
| Category | GT1 |
|---|---|
| Constructor | Mercedes-AMG |
| Designer(s) | Gerhard Ungar[1] |
| Homologation | Mercedes-Benz CLK LM Straßenversion |
| Predecessor | Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR |
| Successor | Mercedes-Benz CLR Mercedes-AMG One (Straßenversion) |
| Technical specifications | |
| Chassis | Carbon-fibre monocoque |
| Suspension | Double wishbone suspension with pull-rod actuated coil springs over dampers |
| Length | 4,900 mm (192.9 in) |
| Width | 1,999 mm (78.7 in) |
| Height | 1,112 mm (43.8 in) |
| Wheelbase | 2,670 mm (105.1 in) |
| Engine | Mercedes-Benz GT108B 4,986 cc (304.3 cu in) V8 naturally aspirated, mid engined |
| Transmission | 6-speed sequential |
| Power | 600 PS (441 kW; 592 hp) |
| Weight | 940 kg (2,072 lb) |
| Fuel | Mobil |
| Lubricants | Mobil |
| Brakes | Ventilated steel calipers on all wheels, AP Racing |
| Tyres | Bridgestone |
| Competition history | |
| Competition | FIA GT Championship |
| Notable entrants | Mercedes-AMG |
| Notable drivers | |
| Debut | 1998 FIA GT Hockenheim 500 km |
| First win | 1998 FIA GT Hockenheim 500 km |
| Last win | 1998 FIA GT Laguna Seca 500 km |
| Last event | 1998 FIA GT Laguna Seca 500 km |
| Constructors' Championships | 1 (1998 FIA GT) |
| Drivers' Championships | 1 (1998 FIA GT) |
Background edit
Mercedes was left without a series to race in after the 1996 International Touring Car Championship and Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft folded in 1996, with their competitors Opel and Alfa Romeo pulling out of the series, leaving Mercedes as the sole entrant.[4] The elevation of the BPR Global GT Series to an FIA-sanctioned event, the FIA GT Championship, piqued the interest of Mercedes who instructed AMG to construct a car to the Group GT1 regulations. To speed up the development process, AMG purchased McLaren F1 GTR chassis #11R from French privateers Larbre Compétition, which was then fitted with AMG's own bodywork along with substituting the F1 GTR's S70/2 engine for Mercedes' own, the LS600.[5][6] This accelerated development process meant that the CLK GTR was ready for competition just 128 days after work on the design had begun.[7]
The CLK GTR debuted at Mercedes' home track, the Hockenheimring, where Bernd Schneider qualified on pole. However, he later retired with brake problems, and the sister car finished 27th.[8] Despite the setback, the CLK GTR would prove to be successful in the 1997 FIA GT Championship, winning six out of eleven races, the constructor's and the driver's championship by a large margin.[8]
Following the success of the CLK GTR, Mercedes-Benz modified the CLK GTR to suit the long straights of the Circuit de la Sarthe, constructing a new chassis with revised bodywork.[9] AMG also had doubts over the reliability of the V12 engine of the CLK GTR, opting to replace it with a non-turbocharged version of the M119 engine found in the Sauber C9 and Mercedes-Benz C11, dubbed the GT 108B.[9][10][11] The engine featured a revised crankshaft, with the GT 108B replacing the previous crossplane crank of the V12 with a flat-plane crank.[12] Changes to the bodywork included removing the two front brake cooling ducts, the removal of the front fender gills, alterations to the roof scoop, and a lower roofline and nose.[9][10]
The CLK GTR would race the first two rounds of the 1998 FIA GT Championship, where it won the championship's first two races at Silverstone and Oschersleben before being replaced by the CLK LM.[13]
Racing history edit
At the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, Bernd Schneider qualified the No. 35 CLK LM on pole in the third of four qualifying sessions, setting a time of 3:35.544, just over a second ahead of the works Toyota GT-One. The sister No. 36 CLK LM would round out the top three.[14][15] The engine ultimately proved to be Mercedes' Achilles' heel, with both cars retiring before the halfway mark.[16] Problems with the power steering oil pump caused the CLK LM's entire lubrication system to fail, with Schneider pulling over on the pit straight on the 19th lap, and Gounon pitting a few laps later with the same problem.[17]
In spite of the disappointing results, Mercedes was pleased with the pace of the CLK LM, fielding the car for the rest of the 1998 FIA GT Championship. The two cars shared pole position between them throughout the season, and won every single race, posting six 1–2 finishes.[9][10][18] Klaus Ludwig and Ricardo Zonta captured the drivers title at the conclusion of the 1998 season, along with Mercedes-AMG collecting the constructors.[19] Five chassis were constructed in total, with three racing chassis, and two road-legal chassis, one of which was destroyed for crash testing purposes.[20][21]
Legacy edit
The rising costs and Mercedes' use of homologation specials caused Porsche and McLaren to withdraw from the 1999 FIA GT Championship, and seeing as Mercedes was the only entrant, the FIA opted to run the 1999 season without the GT1 class.[9] The repetition of what happened in 1996 with the DTM and ITC forced Mercedes to turn their attention to the newly introduced Le Mans Grand Touring Prototype class, where homologation was not an issue.[9][22] Japanese Internet service provider MTCI planned on campaigning the CLK LM in the Japanese Grand Touring Car Championship, however, negotiations to purchase the CLK LM fell through, with MCTI eventually fielding a custom Porsche Boxster.[23]
The LM's successor, the Mercedes-Benz CLR, inherited many features from the CLK LM; the V8 was enlarged to 5.7 L (347.8 cu in), rechristened the GT 108C, and the roofline was lowered by 10 mm (0.4 in), among other changes.[24][25] The CLR, despite being a purpose-built Le Mans racecar, turned out to be beset by severe aerodynamic flaws that resulted in its infamous somersaults at the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans.[26] Following the incidents, Mercedes withdrew from all sportscar activities in 1999 and never entered Le Mans again.[27]
Straßenversion edit
The CLK LM Straßenversion or Strassenversion (German for "Street version") is the road-legal homologated version of the CLK LM. Mercedes manufactured two chassis, No. 001 and No. 002, the former of which was destroyed for crash testing purposes.[21][10]
Modifications for road use included the installation of a tubular steel rollcage, the installation of a plastic front bumper similar to the one found on the CLK GTR Straßenversion, and a rear aerofoil that had a low- and high-downforce configuration.[28][29] The road car's rear wing was also modified from the lightweight bare-bones racing wing to a wide, swooping rear wing similar to the one found on the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Straßenversion.[30]
The car was presented at the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside the CLK LM racecars, after which it was sold to a Japanese collector.[21] The sole chassis has since made sparse appearances, resurfacing at the 2014 Rétromobile alongside two Mercedes-Benz 300 SL on display by French auction house Classic Sport Leicht, where it was purchased by a European owner.[21][31] Following the purchase it was put on display in the Mercedes-Benz showroom on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, where it would remain until the 26 June 2014.[32] The car would also make an appearance at the 2015 Chantilly Arts and Elegance Richard Mille, which Mercedes-Benz was sponsoring.[33][30] In 2016, the car was put up for sale through the Mercedes-Benz Museum's trading arm, All Time Stars, where it sold for €2,000,000.[34][35]
Racing results edit
Complete FIA GT Championship results edit
Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.
| Year | Entrant | Class | Drivers | No. | Rds. | Rounds | Pts. | Pos. | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ||||||||
| 1998 | Team AMG-Mercedes | GT1 | Bernd Schneider Mark Webber | 1 | All All | HOC 1 | DIJ 9* | HUN 1 | SUZ 1 | DON 1 | A1R 2 | HOM 4 | LAG 2 | 146 | 1st | ||
| Klaus Ludwig Ricardo Zonta | 2 | All All | HOC 2 | DIJ 1 | HUN 2 | SUZ 2 | DON 2 | A1R 1 | HOM 1 | LAG 1 | |||||||
| Source:[36] | |||||||||||||||||
* Despite retiring, they had completed over 75% of the race distance, and were thus classified.
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results edit
Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.
| Year | Team | Class | No. | Drivers | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Team AMG-Mercedes | GT1 | 35 | Bernd Schneider Mark Webber Klaus Ludwig | Ret |
| 36 | Jean-Marc Gounon Ricardo Zonta Christophe Bouchut | Ret | |||
| Source:[37] | |||||
| Colour | Result |
|---|---|
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | Second place |
| Bronze | Third place |
| Green | Points finish |
| Blue | Non-points finish |
| Non-classified finish (NC) | |
| Purple | Retired (Ret) |
| Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
| Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) | |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| Withdrew (WD) | |
| Race cancelled (C) | |
| Blank | Did not practice (DNP) |
| Did not arrive (DNA) | |
| Excluded (EX) |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Garrett, Jerry (1998). "The rules melee that is Le Mans". Car and Driver. Vol. 44, no. 5. p. 168. ISSN 0008-6002. from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022 – via EBSCO Information Services.
- ^ "120 years of motor sport at Mercedes-Benz take centre stage at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2014" (Press release). Stuttgart: Mercedes-Benz. 17 June 2014. from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ^ "1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK LM FIA GT1 World Champion car". Classic Sport Leicht. from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
- ^ Newbold, James (30 May 2020). "DTM made the 'same mistakes' as ITC – 1996 champion Reuter". motorsport.com. from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ Petrány, Máté (21 February 2013). "The Original Prototype For The Mercedes CLK-GTR Was A McLaren F1 GTR". Jalopnik. from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ Radu, Vlad (29 June 2021). "Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR: The McLaren F1 GTR Slayer Turned Road-Legal Supercar". autoevolution. from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ Gilbertson, Sholto (26 June 2015). "1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster Chassis no. WDB2973971Y000008". Bonhams. Goodwood Festival of Speed. from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ a b Perkins, Chris (6 July 2018). "The Mercedes CLK GTR Was Homologated Six Days Before its First Race". Road & Track. Online. ISSN 0035-7189. from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Petroelje, Nathan (4 October 2019). "The "uplifting" tale of Mercedes' troubled CLK race car program". Hagerty. from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d Marius. "The Car That Killed the GT1 Class: Mercedes CLK LM". Dyler. from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ Houghton, Grace (21 July 2021). "Mercedes-Benz' CLK GTR captures the barely-tamed spirit of '90s endurance racing". Hagerty. from the original on 8 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ Frere, Paul (22 February 2016). "Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR: A Race Car You Can Drive on the Street". Road & Track. ISSN 0035-7189. from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ Zurschmeide, Jeff (19 September 2015). "1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster". Sports Car Market. ISSN 1527-859X. from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ "Le Mans Pole For Webber". The Canberra Times. No. 11. 6 June 1998. eISSN 2653-0996. OCLC 220340116. ProQuest 1012356267. from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "1998 Le Mans 24 Hours winner, full results and reports | Motorsport Database". Motor Sport. ISSN 0027-2019. from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ "PLUS: AUTO RACING – LE MANS 24 HOURS; Porsches in Control At Halfway Mark: PLUS: AUTO RACING – LE MANS 24 HOURS". The New York Times. 7 June 1998. eISSN 1553-8095. ProQuest 2235956739. from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Brooks, John (7 June 2022). "DSC Retro: Nissan At Le Mans In 1997 & 1998". dailysportscar.com. from the original on 7 June 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ Rusz, Joe (January 1999). "Mercedes' win, Porsche's chagrin". Road & Track. Vol. 50, no. 5. p. 149. ISSN 0035-7189. from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022 – via EBSCO Information Services.
- ^ "Daimler AG – Annual Report, 1998". DaimlerChrysler. 1998. ProQuest 1790818723. from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Aubernon, Cameron (10 October 2018). "Ultra-rare Mercedes-Benz Moves Like a Bat out of Hell". MBWorld. from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d "1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK LM Straßenversion". Classic Sport Leicht. 5 June 1998. from the original on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
- ^ Rusz, Joe (September 1998). "Been there, done that". Road & Track. Vol. 50, no. 1. p. 152. ISSN 0035-7189. from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022 – via EBSCO Information Services.
- ^ O'Connell, R.J (13 May 2020). "GT1 Week: The All-Japan Files". dailysportscar.com. from the original on 16 December 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ Madjov, Filip Stefanov (20 April 2021). "Mercedes CLR, quella volta che la Luftwaffe partecipò a Le Mans". rollingsteel.it (in Italian). from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ Brosselin, Ambroise (8 October 2015). "Mercedes CLR 1999, pour quelques kilogrammes d'appui…". autmotivpress.fr (in French). from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ Jones, Mark Alan (3 January 2001). "The Mercedes Century Photo Album". Atlas F1. Vol. 7, no. 1. from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ "Why the Mercedes CLRs kept taking off at Le Mans 1999 – Chain Bear explains". Chain Bear. 19 June 2019. from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022 – via YouTube, autosport.
- ^ "Homologation Form in Accordance With Appendix J of the International Sporting Code" (PDF). Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile. 1 July 1998. (PDF) from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ Orlove, Raphael (25 December 2017). "The Mercedes CLK-LM Had The Greatest Tacked-On Bumper Of All Time". Jalopnik. from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ a b Anderson, Brad (8 September 2015). "Rare Mercedes-Benz CLK LM Shown at Chantilly 2015". GTSpirit. from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ Elliot, James (10 March 2014). "Rétromobile 2014". Classic & Sports Car. ISSN 0263-3183. from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ Duchiron, Florian (8 April 2014). "Mercedes expose ses étolies à Paris, dont une CLK LM et une 300SL". autonews (in French). from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ "Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille on 5/6 September 2015: Chantilly brings together the finest automobiles and "art de vivre" at its best" (Press release). Stuttgart: Mercedes-Benz. 26 August 2015. from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ Joseph, Noah (9 November 2015). "Mercedes-Benz Museum introduces classic car sales". autoblog. from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ "Motorworld Classics 2016: ALL TIME STARS Takes Stock After One Year". Contify Automotive News. 6 October 2016. ProQuest 1829500897. from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Anthony, Paul. "1998 FIA GT Championship, winner standings, and races – Motorsport Database". Motor Sport. from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ "The 20th anniversary of the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. 15 June 2018. from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
External links edit
- Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG: Milestones – Episode 4: 1998, YouTube, 18 September 2017. A brief video of the CLK LM & GTR's racing history.