It took Mercedes-Benz and AMG just 128 days to develop the CLK-GTR for the FIA GT championship launched in 1997. Powered by a V12 engine, the CLK-GTR dominated the 1997 season, winning six of the eleven races and completing four 1-2 finishes along the way. Mercedes-Benz ended the season at the top of the team rankings, while Bernd Schneider also won the drivers’ title for the brand.