“Mercedes Airlines”

 

A car that every car nerd knows not to mess with, is the Mercedes-Benzes clr, also known as the flying car. The Mercedes CLR GTR is a remarkable racing car celebrated for its outstanding performance and sleek design. Powered by a potent 6.0-liter V12 engine, it delivers over 600 horsepower. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes approximately 3.7 seconds, with a remarkable top. speed surpassing 320 km/h.

We’ve all heard about the BMW V12 LMR’s great victory at Le Mans, but it wasn’t the race winner that captured headlines in 1999. A set of spectacular crashes stole the show that year, when Mercedes’ prototype CLRs kept launching into the air, backflipping wildly, and landing in a mangled mess. Three such crashes occurred throughout the Le Mans race weekend, forcing Mercedes to bow out of the race just three hours into the 24-hour slog. Twenty years on, the horror of those flipping Mercedes remains fresh in our minds.

Many people joke that the car was “too aerodynamic”.Starting in 1997, the ACO allowed certain race cars (LMP and LMGTP) to have a rear diffuser added to their flat bottoms. The diffuser’s start point was set at the rear wheel centerline, but designers could choose where it ended, as long as it matched the end of the bodywork. The Mercedes CLR had a rear diffuser that extended much further back than other cars. For comparison, the rear overhangs of some cars were: Toyota GT-One – 990 mm, Audi R8C – 940 mm, Nissan R391 – 880 mm, while the CLR’s was 1140 mm.

At the front, the CLR’s overhang was 1080 mm, which was on the longer side compared to other cars. Underneath, it had a small front diffuser, which was less pronounced than those on the Toyota GT-One or BMW LMR.

The CLR had a 2670 mm wheelbase, making it the shortest in its category. Longer wheelbases are generally preferred for stability in Le Mans cars. For comparison, the wheelbases were: Toyota GT-One – 2850 mm, Audi R8C – 2700 mm, BMW LMR – 2790 mm. Additionally, none of the CLR’s competitors had such long front and rear overhangs. This car was a legend.