Mercedes-Benz CLK-DTM AMG, a gem for 100 lucky drivers

2004 was a very special year for the brand with the star, as Bernd Schneider had once again won the DTM championship title. In this way, the driver and the brand had achieved their ninth victory in the series and the third in the modern era. The brand decided to reward all its fans and developed only 100 units of the Mercedes-Benz CLK-DTM AMG fully homologated road version.

The Mercedes-Benz CLK-DTM met one of the most sought-after car stereotypes of the era. The model was a Coupé, Light and Short. You may well think this description is very similar to the one used by BMW for one of the best M3s in history: the BMW M3 E46 CSL. The Mercedes-Benz CLK-DTM is more than four and a half metres long and was sold by invitation only. Can you imagine receiving one?

This is the Mercedes-Benz CLK-DTM AMG

It is important to note that only 60 of the 100 units built of this luxury sports car were fitted with left-hand drive. The road-going Mercedes-Benz CLK-DTM features the V8 engine internally designated M113. This engine is one of the most widely used by AMG in its sports cars of the W208 series. This powerplant had 32 valves.

Specifically, the CLK-DTM was powered by a 5.4-litre V8 with an Eaton supercharger and produced 590 CV at 6,000 rpm and 800 Nm at 3,500 rpm. The bodywork did not go unnoticed either, as much of it was made from carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer. The wheel arches shaped the model and blended perfectly with the sculpted waistline of the sporty coupé. At the rear, the model featured ventilation intakes derived from the competition cars.

Furthermore, the bodywork was designed from scratch and has strong features around the diffuser and the carbon-fibre rear spoiler. The CLK-DTM uses dual-size wheels of 20 inches on the rear axle with 285/30 tyres, and on the front axle 19-inch wheels with 225/35 tyres. The driver-assistance systems were improved, and the suspension was quite firm, but together with the ventilated brakes and anti-roll bars it formed a fantastic combination.

This sports coupé was capable of reaching 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds and accelerating to a top speed of 320 km/h. The Mercedes-Benz CLK-DTM also featured a limited-slip differential and a five-speed automatic gearbox. Inside, its bucket seats at the front stand out, and the rear seats were removed. All these ingredients were used by the brand with the star to manage the birth of the McLaren SLR.