This 1 Of 100 Mercedes CLK DTM AMG Was An F1 Champ's Personal Hoonmobile
An ultra-rare AMG once owned by Jenson Button
Is buying a car formerly owned by an F1 driver a good idea, or a terrible one? We're asking because a gorgeous Mercedes CLK DTM AMG is heading for auction, and the history file lists Jenson Button as the original owner. That's the Jenson Button who competed in 18 seasons of Formula 1 starting in 2000, and claimed the Drivers' Championship in 2009.
It's probably safe to assume then, that this AMG has been enjoyed to the max on multiple occasions. But at least you know those thrashings were handed out by someone how knows how to drive one of the rarest AMGs ever built. Only 100 of these very special coupes were created to celebrate Bernd Schneider annihilating the 2003 opposition in Germany's DTM touring car series.
Button bought this right-hand drive car new in 2004, and owned it until 2019 when he sold it to a Japanese collector. Now it's back on the market, with only 11,255 miles on the clock. The snag is you'll have to be almost as wealthy as an F1 driver to afford it. Iconic Auctioneers estimates the ex-Button DTM will go for between $530,000 and $663,000 during the November 2026 auction.
Higher top speed than a 2027 Mercedes-AMG CLE 646
These DTM road cars weren't actually built by AMG, which was owned by Mercedes at that point, but not yet known as Mercedes-AMG. Which explains the clunky CLK DTM AMG moniker. The work was subcontracted to HWA, the company that ran AMG's race teams for Mercedes in the 2000s and is currently producing epic DTM-inspired 190E Evolution restomods.
The DTM's fender flares, rear wing, and multi-spoke wheels were inspired by Schneider's race car, which also influenced the choice of materials used in construction. The hood, fenders, doors, front bumper, rear apron, and wing were fashioned from composites to reduce weight. So were the front bucket seats, while the rears were jettisoned in the name of saving weight.
Regular CLK55 AMGs of this era didn't get one of the period supercharged V8s, instead working with a naturally-aspirated 5.4-liter V8 good for 362 horsepower. Which makes the DTM road car the only C209 CLK to get a boosted V8. Adding a supercharger to the 5.4L mill pushed output to 582 hp, enough for a 3.9-second 0-100 kph time and an electronically-limited 199-mph top speed.
Interestingly, AMG recently revealed what might be considered a spiritual successor to the DTM, and it's no quicker, despite being 20 years younger. The 2027 Mercedes-AMG CLE 646 will demolish an M4 and comes with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that makes 646 hp. But it runs to 62 mph in the same 3.9 seconds as the DTM and calls time at 193 mph. Which one would you pick? See the full CLK DTM AMG auction listing here.
