A night on the town with the ultimate in unicorn hypercars

Every now and then there is a moment when you have to pinch yourself to verify that what you are seeing is real. Thanks to DK Engineering, I just had one of these moments …

For a couple of years in the late 1990s, the GT1 category came to life with a series of homologated street cars that tore apart the best racetracks in the world. For just one night, DK Engineering bought three of the most sought-after GT1 road racers together for a night drive.

After dominating the BPR Global GT series, the McLaren F1 GTR won a total of four of the top five places at the 1995 Le Mans 24 Hours. A total of 28 F1 GTR racing cars would be built, along with 65 street cars, simply referred to as the F1.

Next up is the Porsche GT1. Instead of taking a great road car and turning it into a racing driver like McLaren, Porsche took advantage of the rulebook, built a racing car and made a road-legal variant for homologation purposes. Part 993, Part 962, the Porsche GT1 street version has made the game come a long way, and with fewer than 25 cars in existence, you’d be lucky enough to ever spot one on the road.

The Mercedes CLK GTR completes our trio (and is solely responsible for killing the GT1 series with its impressive dominance). Although the GT1 class was canceled in 1999, Mercedes-Benz continued to be required to build the required cars. Of the total of 26, only 20 coupés were produced, which share the radiator grille, headlights and taillights of the standard CLK road car. At the time, it was the most expensive production car ever built, and it sold for $ 1,547,620.

Tonight, these three silver unicorns have teamed up for a brief moment to celebrate the pinnacle of wild, street legal racers. I ask DK Engineering’s James Cottingham how long it took. “About 18 months,” he says. “We followed the market closely and kept missing things, and then the Porsche GT1 came on the market. I was just in a position where I could make a deal. It was one of those things. I realized how many people were interested in selling a car like this compared to other deals you do, so they started looking for a McLaren and a CLK. “

If we’re going to be really pedantic we could suggest that the McLaren really should be a GTR, but in the circumstances, I think some flexibility is allowed when it comes to bringing cars like this together. But where can you find a McLaren these days, except maybe in the Classic Driver Market? James continues, “These cars are rarely advertised. People tend to do this and should rely on their advisor. Last year there were rumors of a McLaren F1 on the other side of the world that had been offered a lot. I just made it my goal to buy the car outright and bring it back to Europe and under control; Thanks to the large network around the world, our extensive knowledge of how to conduct this type of business, and the seller’s confidence in DK’s ability to deliver on its promises, it turned out to be a relatively straightforward process.

“In the middle of it all suddenly came the CLK GTR. I had told a few friends over the long term that I would love to have a CLK. I thought it was a really good car and something to have for a while. When you look at everything else it seems like value for money. I mentioned it to a couple of people and two months later, out of the blue, I got a call from a friend saying, “A car came up.”

The Mercedes that roams the streets late at night is the car that draws your attention both visibly and audibly. He’s just so present. Maybe the McLaren is the car to take home for a long-term relationship, but for a night of fun it’s pretty hard to find a reason not to choose the CLK GTR because of its audacity. Similar to the 918, the Porsche GT1 sits in the middle of this trio. It looks wild when parked alone. Inside it’s a classic Porsche; There is an intimacy that puts you instantly at ease. I could drive this car home without thinking about it.

The CLK GTR was sold asap. DK Engineering’s Christmas booklet triggered a request that could not be refused. By the time you read this, the car will be in the USA with its happy new owner. Likewise, the Porsche GT1 was quickly sold to a lucky collector in Hong Kong. Before our nightly drive, we met in Millbrook as a testing ground for the car’s first shakedown since its thorough re-commissioning, which included minor, personable paint jobs, a re-inspection, a full mechanical restoration and an engine rebuild.

For James, the CLK GTR is also the one he would pick for just one special ride. “I don’t get to use cars that much, and as you know, it’s usually a racing environment when I use them. The CLK GTR has something to do with two fingers, which always puts a smile on my face. “

Going to the gas station with these three unicorns glowing in the fluorescent light will make you feel bad about picking a specific car. They all have their place in motorsport history and individually set new standards for how extreme a road car can be. At a time when new rules for hypercars have been set for Le Mans, we may be on the verge of yet another golden age of racing cars that end-users can relate to.

Not many people were able to get this trio together for a photoshoot. To the best of my knowledge, I have never seen these three models together in one place. While DK Engineering has made a name for itself as the go-to restoration company for Ferraris of the 1950s and 1960s, it has grown into a company that can now offer a comprehensive service to its global customer list. Maybe there is only one last place left in the CLK GTR before it is cleared away …