Built to celebrate Bernd Schneider's DTM championship win in 2003, the Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMG offered customers an experience as close as one could get to a championship winning DTM car—but certified for road use. Overseen by AMG, construction of this limited production model was charged to HWA AG, the firm responsible for Schneider’s all-conquering 2003 racer. The differences between the CLK DTM and CLK 55 AMG were far more than just skin deep.

At its heart was a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 producing 582 horsepower, which was mated to Mercedes-Benz’s Speedshift 5G-Tronic automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Its performance credentials remain highly impressive even by modern standards, with a 0–62 mph time of just four seconds and a top speed of 200 mph. Renowned for its brutal power delivery, the CLK DTM’s surfeit of torque meant that smoking the rear tires under hard acceleration was a regular occurrence well into third gear, making for a truly hair-raising driving experience.

The CLK DTM AMG Coupe, of which 100 were made, proved to be incredibly popular and was incredibly well-received by some of the best racing drivers of the era. CLK DTM AMG owners included Juan Pablo Montoya, Mika Häkkinen, Kimi Räikkönen, and Jenson Button. Looking to capitalize on that popularity, Mercedes-Benz produced a subsequent run of just 80 CLK DTM AMG Cabriolets, offering the same performance with the added thrill of open-top motoring and seating for two additional occupants.

The cabin reflects the model’s competition heritage, with the rear seats of the production C209 thrown out to make space for two front bucket seats fitted with four-point harnesses. The focused and purposeful interior features a squared-off steering wheel inspired by the track variant, bare carbon fiber door panels, and a rear brace behind the bucket seats to aid in chassis stiffness. Toggle switches, placed in what would be the ash tray on a standard CLK, control the traction control, stability control, and transmission settings, allowing the driver to unleash the DTM’s full potential with the flick of a switch. The front fenders, bumpers, and rear fender flares are all made of carbon fiber and other custom touches by HWA AG can be found throughout the car. One fascinating difference between the Coupe and Cabriolet is that the Cabriolet has a composite front hood while the Coupe has the standard metal hood from the CLK.

This particular CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet wears the quintessential color combination of Brilliant Silver over Anthracite leather and was originally specified for its home market of Germany. In 2021, this car was imported to the United States under the “Show or Display” exemption and subsequently federalized by G&K Automotive Services in Santa Ana, California.

Since its federalization, this CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet has accrued only minimal mileage and has been maintained in a significant private supercar collection. Presenting beautifully throughout, at the time of cataloguing the odometer indicates fewer than 3,275 miles. Please note that the consignor chose to keep the car on its original tires for display and originality purposes. If the next owner wishes to drive the car on the street, it is advisable to replace the tires.

A vanishingly rare sight in Europe, let alone the United States, the CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet is surely one of the most compelling roadgoing racers of the 21st century. Bristling with competition technology and built by the very firm that delivered Bernd Schneider his third championship victory, this remarkable piece of Mercedes-Benz history is perhaps the ideal stablemate to an SLR McLaren Roadster or CLK GTR and will surely remain highly sought after in years to come.