12: Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR
Although Mercedes often comes off as a reserved automaker, the brand has ventured into the performance market. The standard CLK was an elegant, well-designed personal luxury coupe and convertible. But Mercedes decided to take the platform a step further with the stretched design of the CLK GTR. This was not a production vehicle but a purpose-built machine made to race in the FIA GT Championship in 1997. The car had a masterful LS600 6.0-litre V12 engine, delivering smooth power in the range of (447 kW; 600 hp) and 538 lb-ft (729 N⋅m) of torque.
The CLK GTR would compete in two rounds of the 1998 season. The CLK GTR holds the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most expensive production car ever built at the time with a price of USD $1,547,620. There were a total of 25 of these built during the initial run and the car is still among the most prized sports cars on the road.