RE: Ultra-rare Mercedes CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet for sale
RE: Ultra-rare Mercedes CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet for sale
Wednesday 8th October

Ultra-rare Mercedes CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet for sale

Merc keeps us well-fed with big V8 track specials, but none have ever come close to the manic DTM...


Track-focused convertibles have never really done it for me. Obviously, I understand the appeal: all the benefits of a drop-top (wind in your hair, more exhaust noise in your ears, etc) in a sharper, more engaging package. But all the hard work that goes into making something feel honed and agile goes straight out the window once you lump in hefty chassis bracing required to make up for the lack of a roof. Don’t get me wrong, I love a convertible in the right conditions, but for those times when I’m going for a proper drive, I’d always go for a coupe.

There are some exceptions to my drop-top hangup, mind. The first is any of McLaren’s LT Spiders, because they’re utterly marvellous. Being built around a carbon tub means they’re just as stiff as the hard tops with any weight gain limited to the roof mechanism. Then there are the cars that were never designed with a roof in the first place, like an Ariel Atom or Caterham Seven, and so don’t flop about the moment you drive over anything that isn’t billiard table smooth. Finally, there are the cars that are just too damn cool to ignore. Think E30 BMW M3 Convertible, Boxster RS Spyder and this exceedingly rare Mercedes CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet.

Mercedes already had a big V8 CLK when the DTM arrived in 2004. The ‘regular’ 55 was a punchy thing with 367hp on tap that could whisk it from a standstill to 62mph in a little over five seconds. The DTM, however, would take the CLK platforms to heights never ventured before. The 5.5-litre M113 engine would be carried over, though now with a supercharger bolted to the top. Power and torque leapt up to 582hp and 590lb ft respectively, lowering the 0-62 time to just 3.9 seconds. Those are solid numbers today, let alone 21 years ago. 

 

Just as attention-grabbing was the bodykit. While the CLK DTM shared little with the race car, given that the latter was a silhouette that loosely resembled the road car, Mercedes did its very best to make its track special at least look like the car that won the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (aka DTM, as you know) a year prior. Specifically with huge bolt-on arches made from carbon fibre, a carbon diffuser and boot spoiler that all looked very DTMish indeed. The coupe also did away with the rear seats and the 55’s cushy chairs up front for carbon-backed buckets.

The Cabriolet, meanwhile, arrived a couple of years after the tin top and featured a number of small changes (soft-top roof aside), mostly in the cabin. The bucket seats were redesigned with lower bolsters to make it easier to get in and out of, while the rear bench was reintroduced and specially made for the DTM. It doesn’t look especially comfortable, mind you, being just a few bits of padding glued to two carbon fibre buckets that loosely resemble seats. Still, having a slightly numb bum is a price worth paying to sit closer to that thunderous V8 exhaust note.

So it’s a bit more special than a dolled-up CLK 55, and even makes the run-out 63 Black Series look tame. It’s much rarer than the latter, too, with only 80 Cabriolets ever made, six of which were right-hand drive examples like the car we have here. Naturally, it looks to be in superb condition, though it’s nice to see that it’s actually been used over the last 20-odd years having covered 28,500 miles. No sign of an asking price on the listing, but these are widely regarded as Merc’s maddest moment of the 21st century, and one that a lot of people are dying to get their hands on. Proceed accordingly. 


See the original advert

Author
Discussion

el romeral

Original Poster:

1,748 posts

155 months

Thursday
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What a car, I just love those front wheel archescloud9

harveys

167 posts

142 months

Thursday
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Got the perfect reg for this… H15 CLK

Motorsport3

553 posts

210 months

Thursday
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Chris Harris seemed to have fun in one of these, chasing a train.

https://youtu.be/M5yCHAp9VzY?si=-qpT-dpWfP4QzWj6

To be sure it will be reassuringly expensive

Gad-Westy

15,926 posts

231 months

Thursday
quotequote all
This is a very cool car but rear wings and convertibles don’t mix. I’d far prefer it without.

S600BSB

6,797 posts

124 months

Thursday
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Really love that.

Motormouth88

643 posts

78 months

Thursday
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Gotta be 250k

Numeric

1,495 posts

169 months

Thursday
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Gad-Westy said:
This is a very cool car but rear wings and convertibles don t mix. I d far prefer it without.
I really like the coupe especially in a dark colour, all bulges and theatrics but as a silver convertible? To my eyes it suddenly comes over all after market body kit.

Odd as it's still basically the same fabulous car.

WPA

12,469 posts

132 months

Thursday
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Prefer the coupe as bodykit and spoiler just do not look right on the convertible

evojam

725 posts

178 months

Thursday
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That supercharged M113 makes it a real autobahn weapon above 150mph..

Night Owl

54 posts

Thursday
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Awesome thing. I especially love those old Merc interiors, where everything looks more utilitarian than speedboat plasti-luxury.

If we are going to translate DTM, we should translate it fully: die Deutsche Tourenwagen-Meisterschaft. biggrin

Freakuk

4,124 posts

169 months

Thursday
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Spoiler looks a bit Halfords to me.

Remove that and you have a perfect car.

Gecko1978

11,877 posts

175 months

Thursday
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I like it but....in essence a c63 from recent history is probably as much fun a day you don't need the daft spoiler.

Also if you have to tell people it's a rare car 1 of 7 red an not something you made at home it's also a bit daft


Nice but I would have a 507 coupe ans lots of road trips

Lo-Fi

1,185 posts

88 months

Thursday
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"what car are you driving these days?"
"Oh, I've got a CLK DTM AMG".


GreatScott2016

1,979 posts

106 months

Thursday
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Gad-Westy said:
This is a very cool car but rear wings and convertibles don t mix. I d far prefer it without.
100%. I’m not a convertible fan at the best of times, but add a spoiler and it just worsens the whole look, at least to me.

Snubs

1,330 posts

157 months

Thursday
quotequote all
Great car but I never like that wheel design; they look like cheap aftermarket jobs to me rather than OEM.

In defence of it being a convertible, I bet the sound at full chat is incredible.

Obi Wan

2,191 posts

233 months

Thursday
quotequote all
I’ve always liked the coupe but I’m not sure about the convertible.

Leins

10,001 posts

166 months

Thursday
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Obi Wan said:
I ve always liked the coupe but I m not sure about the convertible.
i’m the same. I looked around one in a CapeTown showroom years ago, parked beside a coupe and an SLR, and it was the fixed-roof DTM that was by far my favourite

Rusty Old-Banger

6,006 posts

231 months

Thursday
quotequote all
I must be the only one who thinks it looks nicely understated in silver, wheels aren't too mental, and would only stand out to those who know their cars. I love it. I bet the price is frightening though.

Geoffcapes

999 posts

182 months

Thursday
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I've seen a coupe in the flesh and that looks bonkers. The cabriolet must look insane!

TheJimi

26,704 posts

261 months

Thursday
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What a thing.

I'd bin the rear wing, but otherwise, yeah, I like that!