Yesterday, Retromobile kicked off in Paris' Porte de Versailles exhibition centre. The annual show is famous for throwing more than a few surprises. This year, we were particularly impressed with two road-going competition cars from Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari. The rarest of the pair was the Mercedes-Benz CLK-LM Strassenversion, which was brought by French dealer Classic Sport Leicht. It was one of just two road-going CLK-LMs built to homologate the competition car, which qualified on pole at Le Mans in 1998. That was also the last time, this road car was seen in public. With the other destroyed in the mandatory crash test, this is also the only example remaining. Following a long spell in Japanese ownership, the unique CLK-LM Strassenversion only recently returned to Europe. At Retromobile, it was displayed alongside one of the equally rare competition versions.
Around three decades earlier, Ferrari faced similar homologation issues when the Italian company tried to pass the 250 LM as a GT car. In the final effort to convince governing bodies the mid-engined machine was really not a prototype, Ferrari handed a chassis to Pininfarina to create a proper road car. Known as the 250 LM Stradale, it featured many detail changes including a longer wheelbase, full bumpers and a plexiglass rear window. We have seen the original Stradale many times as can be seen in our 55-shot gallery but on display on Lukas Huni's stand at Retromobile was one of the competition cars that was converted by Ferrari a few years later. Still equipped with bumpers and the plexiglass rear window, chassis chassis 5995 today sports a striking silver livery highlighted by the French Tricolore.
A full report of the show, with all its surprises, and the three Paris auctions will follow early next week.
Enjoy the links:
1965 Ferrari 250 LM Pininfarina Stradale Speciale - Images, Specifications and Information
1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK-LM Strassenversion - Images, Specifications and Information
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