Mercedes-Benz CLK LM

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by X750 (talk | contribs) at 21:04, 16 November 2022 (→‎Straßenversion). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Mercedes-Benz CLK-LM
A Mercedes-Benz CLK LM in motion at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed
The Mercedes-Benz CLK LM at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed
CategoryGT1
ConstructorMercedes-AMG
Designer(s)Gerhard Ungar[1]
HomologationMercedes-Benz CLK LM Straßenversion
PredecessorMercedes-Benz CLK GTR
SuccessorMercedes-Benz CLR
Technical specifications
ChassisCarbon-fibre monocoque
SuspensionDouble wishbone suspension with pull-rod actuated coil springs over dampers
Length4,900 mm (192.9 in)
Width1,999 mm (78.7 in)
Height1,112 mm (43.8 in)
Wheelbase2,670 mm (105.1 in)
EngineMercedes-Benz GT108B 4,986 cc (304.3 cu in) V8 naturally aspirated, mid engined
Transmission6-speed sequential
Power600 PS (441 kW; 592 hp)
Weight940 kg (2,072 lb)
FuelMobil
LubricantsMobil
BrakesVentilated steel calipers on all wheels, AP Racing
TyresBridgestone
Competition history
CompetitionFIA GT Championship
Notable entrantsGermany Mercedes-AMG
Notable drivers
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
983098
Constructors' Championships1 (1998 FIA GT)
Drivers' Championships1 (1998 FIA GT)

The Mercedes-Benz CLK LM (C298) is a Group GT1 sports car designed and built by Mercedes-Benz in partnership with Mercedes-AMG (a then independent company) to compete in the FIA GT Championship. In order to satisfy the requirements of competing in the FIA GT Championship, a singular road-legal version was built to homolgate the car, which was known as the Mercedes-Benz CLK LM Straßenversion. The CLK LM would go 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]

Background

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 would purchase McLaren F1 GTR chassis #11R from French privateers Larbre Compétition, which was then fitted with AMG's own bodywork and the S70/2 would be substituted for Mercedes' own engine, 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 would debut at Mercedes' home track, the Hockenheimring, where Bernd Schneider qualified on pole, however he would retire with brake problems, and the sister #11 would finish 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 would modify the CLK GTR to suit the long straights of 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.[10][9][11] The engine also had a revised crankshaft, with the GT 108B featuring a flat-plane crank as opposed to the crossplane crank of the previous V12.[12] Changes to the bodywork would include 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 would win the championship's first two races at Silverstone and Oschersleben before being replaced by the CLK LM.[13]

Racing history

At the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans Bern Schneider would qualify the #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, with the sister #36 CLK LM rounding out the top three.[14][15] The engine would ultimately prove 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 would pit a few laps later with the same problem.[17]

Despite 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, where it would qualify on pole and win every single race, posting six 1-2 finishes.[9][10][18] Klaus Ludwig and Ricardo Zonta would capture 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

The rising costs and Mercedes' use of homologation specials would cause 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 ITCC would force Mercedes to turn their attention to the Le Mans Grand Touring Prototype (LMGTP) class, where homologation wasn't 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 would fall through, with MCTI eventually fielding a custom Porsche Boxster.[23]

The LM's successor, the Mercedes-Benz CLR LMGTP, would inherit much of the CLK LM's genes, the V8 was enlarged to 5.7 L (347.8 cu in), rechristened the GT 108C, and the roofline would be lowered by 10 mm (0.4 in) among other changes.[24][25] The CLR, despite being a purpose-built Le Mans racecar, would unfortunately be beset by aerodynamic issues that resulted in its infamous somersaults at the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans.[26] Following the incidents, Mercedes would withdraw from all sportscar activities in 1999 and never enter Le Mans again.[27]

Straßenversion

Mercedes-Benz CLK LM Straßenversion
Overview
ManufacturerMercedes-Benz
Production1998
Model years1998
AssemblyAffalterbach
Body and chassis
ClassSports car (S)
Body style2-door coupé
LayoutRear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive
ChassisCarbon fibre monocoque
Powertrain
Engine5,956 cc (363.5 cu in) Mercedes-Benz M119 DOHC V8, naturally aspirated, mid engined
Power output600 PS (592 hp; 441 kW)
Transmission6-speed Xtrac sequential
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,670 mm (105.1 in)
Length4,900 mm (192.9 in)
Width1,999 mm (78.7 in)
Height1,119 mm (44.1 in)
Kerb weight1,000 kg (2,205 lb)
Chronology
PredecessorMercedes-Benz CLK GTR Straßenversion
SuccessorMercedes-AMG ONE

The CLK LM Straßenversion or Strassenversion (German for "Street version") is the road-legal homologated version of the CLK LM. Mercedes would produce two chassis, #001 and #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 would be 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 would make 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 26th of June.[32] The car would also make an appearance at the 2015 Chantilly Arts and Elegance Richard Mille, which Mercedes-Benz was sponsoring.[33][34][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.[35][36]

A silver CLK LM racecar is viewed from the rear three-quarter perspective, the car's wickerbill and fixed carbon-fibre wing are prominent features of the car.
The CLK LM at the 2014 Rétromobile

Racing results

Complete FIA GT Championship results

(key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.

Complete FIA GT Championship results
Year Entrant Class Drivers No. Rds. Rounds Pts. Pos.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1998 Germany Team AMG-Mercedes GT1 Germany Bernd Schneider
Australia Mark Webber 		1 All
All 		HOC
1 		DIJ
9* 		HUN
1 		SUZ
1 		DON
1 		A1R
2 		HOM
4 		LAG
2 		146 1st
Germany Klaus Ludwig
Brazil Ricardo Zonta
Germany Marco Werner 		2 All
All 		HOC
2 		DIJ
1 		HUN
2 		SUZ
2 		DON
2 		A1R
1 		HOM
1 		LAG
1

* Despite retiring, they had completed over 75% of the race distance, and were thus classified.

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

(key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
Year Team Class No. Drivers Position
1998 Germany Team AMG-Mercedes GT1 35 Germany Bernd Schneider
Australia Mark Webber
Germany Klaus Ludwig 		Ret
36 France Jean-Marc Gounon
Brazil Ricardo Zonta
France Christophe Bouchut 		Ret

References

  1. ^ Garrett, Jerry (1998). "The rules melee that is Le Mans". Car and Driver. Vol. 44, no. 5. p. 168. ISSN 0008-6002. Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022 – via EBSCO Information Services.
  2. ^ "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. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  3. ^ "1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK LM FIA GT1 World Champion car". Classic Sport Leicht. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  4. ^ Newbold, James (30 May 2020). "DTM made the "same mistakes" as ITC - 1996 champion Reuter". motorsport.com. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  5. ^ Petrány, Máté (21 February 2013). "The Original Prototype For The Mercedes CLK-GTR Was A McLaren F1 GTR". Jalopnik. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  6. ^ Radu, Vlad (29 June 2021). "Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR: The McLaren F1 GTR Slayer Turned Road-Legal Supercar". autoevolution. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  7. ^ Gilbertson, Sholto (26 June 2015). "1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster Chassis no. WDB2973971Y000008". Bonhams. Goodwood Festival of Speed. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  8. ^ 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. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  9. ^ a b c d e f Petroelje, Nathan (4 October 2019). "The "uplifting" tale of Mercedes' troubled CLK race car program". Hagerty. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  10. ^ a b c d Marius. "The Car That Killed the GT1 Class: Mercedes CLK LM". Dyler. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  11. ^ Houghton, Grace (21 July 2021). "Mercedes-Benz' CLK GTR captures the barely-tamed spirit of '90s endurance racing". Hagerty. Archived from the original on 8 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  12. ^ Frere, Paul (22 February 2016). "Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR: A Race Car You Can Drive on the Street". Road & Track. ISSN 0035-7189. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  13. ^ Zurschmeide, Jeff (19 September 2015). "1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster". Sports Car Market. eISSN 2164-3555. ISSN 1527-859X. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Le Mans Pole For Webber". The Canberra Times. No. 11. 6 June 1998. eISSN 2653-0996. ISSN 0157-6925. OCLC 220340116. ProQuest 1012356267. Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022 – via ProQuest.
  15. ^ "1998 Le Mans 24 Hours winner, full results and reports | Motorsport Database". Motor Sport. ISSN 0027-2019. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  16. ^ "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. ISSN 0362-4331. ProQuest 2235956739. Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022 – via ProQuest.
  17. ^ Brooks, John (7 June 2022). "DSC Retro: Nissan At Le Mans In 1997 & 1998". dailysportscar.com. Archived from the original on 7 June 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  18. ^ Rusz, Joe (January 1999). "Mercedes' win, Porsche's chagrin". Road & Track. Vol. 50, no. 5. p. 149. ISSN 0035-7189. Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022 – via EBSCO Information Services.
  19. ^ "Daimler AG - Annual Report, 1998". DaimlerChrysler. 1998. ProQuest 1790818723. Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022 – via ProQuest.
  20. ^ Aubernon, Cameron (10 October 2018). "Ultra-rare Mercedes-Benz Moves Like a Bat out of Hell". MBWorld. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  21. ^ a b c d "1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK LM Straßenversion". Classic Sport Leicht. 5 June 1998. Archived from the original on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  22. ^ Rusz, Joe (September 1998). "Been there, done that". Road & Track. Vol. 50, no. 1. p. 152. ISSN 0035-7189. Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022 – via EBSCO Information Services.
  23. ^ O'Connell, R.J (13 May 2020). "GT1 Week: The All-Japan Files". dailysportscar.com. Archived from the original on 16 December 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  24. ^ Madjov, Filip Stefanov (20 April 2021). "Mercedes CLR, quella volta che la Luftwaffe partecipò a Le Mans". rollingsteel.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  25. ^ Brosselin, Ambroise (8 October 2015). "Mercedes CLR 1999, pour quelques kilogrammes d'appui…". autmotivpress.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 17 September 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  26. ^ Jones, Mark Alan (3 January 2001). "The Mercedes Century Photo Album". Atlas F1. Vol. 7, no. 1. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  27. ^ "Why the Mercedes CLRs kept taking off at Le Mans 1999 - Chain Bear explains". Chain Bear. 19 June 2019. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022 – via YouTube, autosport.
  28. ^ "Homologation Form in Accordance With Appendix J of the International Sporting Code" (PDF). Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile. 1 July 1998. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  29. ^ Orlove, Raphael (25 December 2017). "The Mercedes CLK-LM Had The Greatest Tacked-On Bumper Of All Time". Jalopnik. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  30. ^ a b Anderson, Brad (8 September 2015). "Rare Mercedes-Benz CLK LM Shown at Chantilly 2015". GTSpirit. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  31. ^ Elliot, James (10 March 2014). "Rétromobile 2014". Classic & Sports Car. ISSN 0263-3183. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  32. ^ Duchiron, Florian (8 April 2014). "Mercedes expose ses étolies à Paris, dont une CLK LM et une 300SL". autonews (in French). Archived from the original on 11 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  33. ^ "Previous Years". Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  34. ^ "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. Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  35. ^ Joseph, Noah (9 November 2015). "Mercedes-Benz Museum introduces classic car sales". autoblog. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  36. ^ "Motorworld Classics 2016: ALL TIME STARS Takes Stock After One Year". Contify Automotive News. 6 October 2016. ProQuest 1829500897. Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022 – via ProQuest.

Further reading

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mercedes-Benz_CLK_LM&oldid=1122292887"