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The CLK DTM Is A Race-Inspired Wild Ride From Merc's Past


Unless you're very familiar with Mercedes' old CLK lineup, the fact that something like this CLK DTM AMG even exists might surprise you.

The CLK DTM was a limited edition version of the regular CLK, built in 2004 to celebrate the model's successful German Touring Car (DTM) campaign in 2003 that ended with a championship title.

Under the hood, there's a 5.4-liter V8, much like the one on the CLK 55 AMG, massaged to deliver a whooping 580 horses and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque that'll get you from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 4 seconds.

Before taking it on the road, reviewer Doug DeMuro first ran through this car's long list of quirks and features. Among them we could note the not-so-round steering wheel, the major discrepancy in design between the upper dashboard and the new door panels, the steering wheel-mounted buttons and plenty more.

It's also not the most practical car in the world, but then again, it was built with performance in mind, which this car certainly delivers, both in terms of acceleration as well as agility. In fact, DeMuro found the CLK DTM extremely engaging to drive, and had a huge smile on his face as the exhaust system sounded off. He also says that the steering feel is excellent, which doesn't surprise us at all. But is it worth $450,000? Watch the video right after the jump and find out.

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