The high-performance division of Mercedes-Benz – AMG – has developed a limited edition of the CLK Cabriolet which is claimed to be the world’s fastest open-top 4-seater. Referred to as the CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet, it has a 428-kW/582-bhp AMG 5.5-litre, supercharged V8 (maximum torque is 800 Nm!), a newly developed AMG sports suspension, optional sports tyres and aerodynamics refined in the wind tunnel. Claimed performance: 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.0 seconds and a maximum speed of 300 km/h (can go faster but it is electronically-limited). The great demand for the CLK DTM AMG Coupé, which was likewise a limited edition of 100 units and rapidly sold out, provided the initial impetus for the development of the powerful high-performance AMG Cabriolet. It was also modelled on the most successful car in the German Touring Car Masters – the racing version of the Mercedes-Benz CLK with which Bernd Schneider was able to win the DTM championship in the 2003 season. The equipment of the CLK DTM AMG Cabriolet also takes its lead from the racetrack: AMG sports bucket seats with leather/Alcantara upholstery guarantee optimal lateral support, while the buckskin-covered, oval AMG racing steering wheel and the AMG instrument cluster with its 360 km/h speedometer scale lend an unmistakable motorsport touch to the interior. The exterior design demonstrates the transfer of top-class technology from the world of motor racing: a deep-drawn front apron with large air inlets, prominently flared wheel arches, 19 and 20-inch AMG light-alloy wheels and the diffuser-look rear end with its aerofoil are reminiscent of the successful CLK racing tourers from the DTM. Numerous body components are made from particularly strong and lightweight carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CRP), for example the bonnet, doors, front wings, flared rear wheel arches and aerofoil. The suspension has been designed to cope with the high-performance engine. In line with usual motor racing practice, a height-adjustable torsion suspension system is used. The rear axle has been redesigned with completely new spring links and wheel carriers, as well as reinforced drive shafts. The usual rubber elements are replaced by uni-ball joints on both axles to produce outstandingly precise handling. A multi-disc limited slip differential on the rear axle ensures optimal traction, while acceleration skid control (ASR) and the Electronic Stability Program ESP® have been adapted to suit the increased performance potential. Despite a performance potential worthy of the racetrack, the CLK DTM AMG is said to have all the virtues typical of any Mercedes model. The first of the limited-edition CLK DTM AMG Cabriolets will be delivered to customers during the first half of 2006.
World’s fastest cabriolet
- Thread starter Jack11it
- Start date
-
Click here to become an Official Member of BMW Club Malaysia Download Form
