Some of the listings we find are great deals on great cars, some listings are well written, and some listings feature photography worthy of a coffee table book. Other times we just enjoy featuring a listing for the sheer fact it may be the closest we get to a similar car. This is one of those times. Recently listed in Dubai is this 2007 CLK DTM Cabriolet for what we think is actually a great deal on a phenomenal car. It can be found listed here on Hemmings for $318,000.
If you’re unfamiliar with why these are so cool, let’s start with the basics. In the early 2000’s, Mercedes Benz dominated the German Touring Car Championships or Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM). As a celebration and engineering flex, the masterminds at AMG created a homologated edition of the then-new W209 CLK. 200 units of these cars were destined for market, half of which would be cabriolets. Although the CLK DTM was never sold for the North American market, it is still possible to title and register it here-We’ll get to that further along. While the better-known younger brother CLK63 Black Series was powered by the 6.2 litre M156, the CLK DTM borrowed it’s powerplant from the SL55 at the time. AMG waved a wand over the already-hot supercharged 5.4 litre engine and stuffed 582 horsepower into this W209. With forged pistons, new intake and exhaust, revised cam duration and more boost for the supercharger it produces 572bhp at 6100rpm and 590lb ft at 3500rpm. The CLK DTM was then made lighter, wider, and stiffer to best resemble a true DTM race car for the road...or the track.
Aesthetically the CLK DTM looked as good as it drove with wider wheel arches, optimized aero, and a more utilitarian interior. The gauge cluster manages to simplify it’s readout for the driver in about half the space typically allotted on Mercedes of this era. In combining the tach and speedo while leaving room for larger, more visible oil and coolant temp readouts this is purely a feature most usable on the track or at high speeds. Climate and COMMAND are positioned in the as normal but any auxiliary switchgear is hidden under a panel just ahead of the shifter. ESP, EDW, and even the retractable soft top are controlled with airplane switches instead of those oversized panels typically used. The seats, trim, and even the tiny shift knob are created with weight savings in mind.
To most, this is considered one of the modern halo cars produced by AMG in the last few decades only overshadowed by the CLK GTR or pre-merger cars. The good news for prospective buyers in the United States is that this car can actually be imported, titled, and tagged legally on a “show and display” rule but that will still dictate less use than the average buyer would expect. Altogether these are some of the best cars to come out of AMG and will always have a place on the podium. What seems like the cost of an exquisite home now may be a fraction of what these could be worth 10 years down the winding road.
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