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17 Years After Its Debut, the Mercedes CLK DTM AMG Is Still an Epic Track Weapon

The collaboration between Mercedes and AMG gave birth to some fantastic vehicles throughout the years, but few are as outrageous as the legendary CLK DTM AMG. A masterpiece of German engineering, it was a race car in road-legal guise that could hold its own against many supercars of the era.
Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMG 17 photos
Photo: Daimler AG
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To celebrate the dominance of the CLK in the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) and Bernd Schneider’s 2003 title, Mercedes-AMG introduced an extreme, limited-production version of the CLK 55 for the 2004 model year.

The car abandoned the sleeper look of conventional AMG models and featured a carbon fiber widebody inspired by its DTM sibling. It also came with a rear spoiler and a motorsport-derived diffuser made from the same material.

Mercedes-AMG’s independent motorsport division HWA, which was responsible for the development of the DTM race cars, received the task of developing this outstanding road-legal machine.

Mercedes\-Benz CLK DTM AMG
Photo: Daimler AG
Engineers chose a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 found on the E55, S55 or SL55 models and didn’t settle for its standard output, so they extensively upgraded it with race-derived components. These include a reinforced crankcase, forged pistons, new cams with a more aggressive profile, enhanced cylinder heads, or a higher-revving twin-scroll supercharger.

To make sure optimum temperature was maintained at all times, they also revamped the cooling system while exhaust gases were quickly and harmoniously pushed out through a new high-flow system finished off with fan-type pipes.

When raising the hood, the powerplant was highlighted by a carbon fiber cover, which indicated that you were staring at the most powerful M113 K variant ever created. It pushed out 574 hp and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque, figures that are still impressive today.

Mercedes\-Benz CLK DTM AMG M113 K Engine
Photo: Daimler AG
Even more impressive was the CLK DTM’s ability to reach 60 mph (96 kph) from a standstill in 3.8 seconds, not to mention its electronically limited 200-mph (322-kph) top speed. To put it into perspective, the Ferrari F430, which also debuted in 2004 and had a V8 heart, could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and reach a top speed of about 196 mph (315 kph).

The car did not come with a manual, but its 5G-Tronic automatic was improved and could shift distinctively faster than the version found on standard CLK 55 models. Those who wanted more control could do the work themselves by switching to sequential mode and using the paddle shifters mounted behind the steering wheel.

As you can imagine, the folks at HWA didn’t stop there and worked their magic on the chassis, which needed to cope with all that raw power. The suspension was completely overhauled, and race-spec, height-adjustable coilovers as well as redesigned steering knuckles were installed. Both axles were widened, and the rubber elements were replaced with stronger uniball joints. Furthermore, the limited-slip differential received its own external cooler.

Mercedes\-Benz CLK DTM AMG
Photo: Daimler AG
Stopping power was provided by AMG performance composite brakes with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston calipers in the rear that were fed fresh air through carbon fiber ducts.

If you thought those were the last components made from the lightweight material I would mention in this article, think again because we're about to step inside this monster, where carbon fiber was extensively used.

The bucket seats, door panels, braces (found on the coupe), and several other elements are all completely or partially made from carbon fiber. The steering wheel was spared, but it's by no means identical to the one on the mass-produced CLKs since it features an Alcantara-covered rim and a button on each spoke.

The rear seats were removed in the coupe but fitted back in place on the convertible variant, which launched in 2006. It also came with a navigation system and slimmer front seats to create more legroom for rear passengers.

Mercedes\-Benz CLK DTM AMG Convertible
Photo: Daimler AG
Unlike today, this very special vehicle was launched with little publicity and was available exclusively for European markets. Only 100 coupes and 80 convertibles were produced, and even if you could spare €236,060 ($287,353), you had to be invited by Mercedes to purchase one. According to multiple reports, early customers that got this elusive invite were F1 drivers Kimi Räikkönen, Jenson Button, and Takuma Sato.

Many of these cars ended up in the garages of serious car collectors with a soft spot for AMG-branded Mercs, so they rarely end up under the hammer. When they do, they fetch anywhere between $350,000 to $450,000.

Although 17 years have passed since it was introduced, the CLK DTM AMG remains one of the best high-performance cars to ever come out of Affalterbach. It’s a symbol of German engineering at its finest, and it paved the way for the epic track-oriented Black Series models.
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About the author: Vlad Radu
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Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times.
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