Every now and then, a car appears in an auction catalogue that makes us stop scrolling.
And this is definitely one of them.
A 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMG.
One of just 100 coupés ever built.
A supercharged 5.4-litre V8 producing 582bhp.
And an original owner who happens to be a Formula One World Champion.
Yes, this extraordinary Mercedes was delivered new to Jenson Button in December 2004, and he kept it for almost 15 years.
Now it’s heading to Iconic Auctioneers’ NEC Classic Motor Show sale on Saturday 14 November 2026, with an estimate of £400,000–£500,000.
It’s fair to say we’re rather looking forward to seeing what happens when this one goes under the hammer.
Will we be bidding?
Almost certainly not!
But that’s part of the fun of classic car auctions. You don’t need half a million pounds burning a hole in your pocket to appreciate something as remarkable as this.
And the more you discover about the CLK DTM AMG, the more interesting it becomes.
To understand why this particular Mercedes is so special, we need to go back to the German Touring Car Championship.
The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, better known as DTM, has produced some extraordinary racing machinery over the years.
And during the early 2000s, Mercedes-Benz was enjoying considerable success.
With Bernd Schneider behind the wheel, the AMG-Mercedes team dominated the championship.
The team secured consecutive championship victories in 2002 and 2003, with Schneider winning nine of the ten races during the 2003 season.
Those were remarkable achievements.
And Mercedes decided that something rather special was needed to celebrate them.
The answer wasn’t simply a commemorative badge or a special paint colour.
Instead, the company developed a limited-production road car inspired by its championship-winning racing machinery.
The Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMG.
And this was no ordinary performance version of the CLK.
One of the most interesting things about the CLK DTM AMG is who actually developed and built it.
The project was undertaken by HWA AG, the specialist company responsible for developing and running Mercedes-Benz’s factory DTM racing programme.
HWA had enormous experience preparing competition machinery.
And that expertise was applied to the road-going CLK DTM.
According to Iconic Auctioneers, the development programme involved more than 30,000 kilometres of testing on public roads and racing circuits.
That gives some indication of how seriously Mercedes approached the project.
This wasn’t simply a conventional CLK with a body kit and a more powerful engine.
It was developed as a distinctive, limited-production high-performance road car with genuine connections to Mercedes’ motorsport operation.
And those connections become particularly apparent when you look at the styling.
There’s something gloriously outrageous about the appearance of the CLK DTM AMG.
The enormous wheelarches.
The deep front spoiler.
The dramatic air intakes.
The substantial rear wing.
And those huge alloy wheels tucked beneath the widened bodywork.
It looks as though somebody has taken a touring car off the racing circuit, fitted some number plates and decided to drive it home.
Which, in spirit at least, is precisely the appeal.
The bodywork was inspired by Bernd Schneider’s championship-winning DTM machine.
Carbon fibre was used extensively, helping distinguish the car from an ordinary CLK.
The wheels measured 19 inches at the front and 20 inches at the rear.
And the whole thing sat low and purposeful, with a stance that immediately identified it as something very different from the Mercedes coupés you might encounter in everyday traffic.
We particularly like the fact that Mercedes didn’t attempt to make it subtle.
The CLK DTM was intended to celebrate racing success.
And it certainly looks the part.
Here’s a detail we particularly enjoyed discovering.
The road-going CLK DTM AMG actually produced more horsepower than the DTM racing car that inspired it.
Under that aggressively styled bonnet sits a supercharged 5,439cc V8.
The engine belongs to Mercedes-AMG’s celebrated M113 family and produces a substantial 582bhp.
That’s an extraordinary figure for a road car introduced in 2004.
And, according to the auction catalogue, considerably more power than its championship-winning competition counterpart.
The engine was paired with an AMG Speedshift five-speed automatic gearbox, incorporating steering-wheel-mounted paddles.
That meant drivers could enjoy rapid manual gear selections or allow the transmission to operate automatically.
Performance was suitably impressive.
Mercedes quoted acceleration from 0–62mph in just 3.9 seconds.
And the electronically limited top speed?
199mph.
In 2004!
Even today, those are serious numbers.
And when you consider the CLK DTM’s racing-inspired bodywork and mechanical development, it’s not difficult to understand why these cars became so desirable.
Inside, Mercedes continued the competition-inspired approach.
Despite the CLK’s origins as a comfortable four-seat coupé, the DTM version was strictly a two-seater.
There were no rear seats.
Instead, the cabin featured substantial lightweight bucket seats trimmed in leather and Alcantara.
Carbon fibre appeared throughout the interior, including the door panels and various trim components.
The AMG sports steering wheel was finished in high-grip material, while the instruments included a white-faced speedometer marked to 220mph.
That’s quite something to have staring back at you from the dashboard.
The familiar Mercedes COMAND system was retained, providing a reminder that this was still a road-going luxury performance car.
But the overall atmosphere was rather different from a conventional CLK.
And each car carried a special engraved plaque identifying it as one of the limited production run.
Just 100 coupés were built.
Mercedes subsequently produced another 80 cabriolet versions.
Which makes this fixed-roof DTM AMG an exceptionally rare machine.
The CLK DTM AMG was never intended to be an affordable performance car.
According to the original catalogue information, its asking price in November 2004 was £243,386.
That’s an enormous amount of money for a Mercedes coupé more than two decades ago.
You could have bought a small collection of very desirable performance cars for that sort of money.
But the CLK DTM wasn’t aimed at ordinary Mercedes customers.
It was a very limited-production machine intended for collectors and enthusiasts who wanted something with genuine motorsport connections.
And among those fortunate enough to acquire one were several Formula One drivers.
Kimi Räikkönen.
Takuma Sato.
And, of course, Jenson Button.
Which brings us to the particular car now being offered by Iconic Auctioneers.
This Obsidian Black Metallic example was delivered new to Jenson Button in Jersey in December 2004.
At the time, Button was already establishing himself as one of Britain’s leading Formula One drivers.
He had just completed the 2004 season with BAR-Honda, finishing third in the World Drivers’ Championship.
It was a significant moment in his career.
And taking delivery of one of just 100 CLK DTM AMG coupés must have been a rather enjoyable way to celebrate.
What’s particularly fascinating is how long Button kept the car.
He didn’t sell it after a year or two.
He retained it until 2019.
Almost 15 years.
And during that time, an extraordinary amount happened in his racing career.
When Button acquired the Mercedes, his first Formula One victory was still ahead of him.
That eventually arrived at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2006, driving for Honda.
But the following seasons were difficult.
Honda struggled to achieve the results it had hoped for, and at the end of 2008 the manufacturer announced its withdrawal from Formula One.
For a while, Button’s future looked uncertain.
Then came one of the most remarkable stories in modern motorsport.
Ross Brawn acquired the former Honda team.
It was renamed Brawn GP.
And in 2009, Jenson Button won the Formula One World Championship.
Six victories during the early part of the season helped establish an advantage that ultimately secured the title.
It was an extraordinary achievement.
And throughout that remarkable period, Button still owned this Mercedes CLK DTM AMG.
He subsequently moved to McLaren, where he continued competing at the highest level of motorsport.
He remained with the team through the 2016 season, before making a final Formula One appearance in 2017.
By the time he sold the Mercedes in 2019, it had accompanied him through some of the most important years of his career.
That’s a wonderful piece of provenance for an already exceptional car.
We often see rare performance cars advertised with impressive lists of previous owners.
But there’s something particularly appealing about an example that remained with its original owner for such a substantial period.
Especially when that owner was one of Britain’s most successful racing drivers.
Iconic Auctioneers reports that Button retained the CLK DTM until 2019, when it was sold to a collector in Japan.
That collector has now entrusted the car to Iconic Auctioneers for its forthcoming NEC sale.
The documentation includes a Guernsey Registration Certificate in Jenson Button’s name, together with Mercedes-Benz technical documentation and service records.
Those documents are particularly important when establishing the history of a valuable collector car.
And in this case, the documented ownership is one of the most compelling aspects of the entire package.
But there’s another detail that makes the car especially interesting.
The mileage.
The odometer reading when the car was recently photographed was 18,114 kilometres.
That’s approximately 11,321 miles.
Not a huge distance for a car that’s now more than 20 years old.
And according to Iconic Auctioneers, the history file includes evidence of regular servicing during Button’s ownership.
The catalogue specifically records service invoices at 4,519km, 5,054km and 9,659km, before the car was exported to Japan in 2019.
The Mercedes is also accompanied by its unique CLK DTM owner’s wallet, two keys, a complete toolkit, tyre compressor, oil filter and first aid kit.
These may sound like relatively minor details alongside a 582bhp V8 and a famous previous owner.
But for serious collectors, original documentation and equipment can be an important part of a vehicle’s appeal.
Especially when dealing with something as scarce as a CLK DTM AMG.
And this particular example has another interesting feature.
The Mercedes offered by Iconic Auctioneers is right-hand drive.
That makes it particularly interesting from a British perspective.
Although the CLK DTM was developed in Germany, this example was supplied new to Button while he was living in Jersey.
Its specification reflects that original connection.
Finished in Obsidian Black Metallic, with the dramatic flared bodywork, substantial alloy wheels and competition-inspired interior, it looks every inch the specialist AMG machine.
The photographs are particularly impressive.
And we suspect it will attract considerable attention when it appears at the NEC Classic Motor Show.
After all, how often do you get the opportunity to examine one of just 100 examples of a car like this?
Let alone one with Jenson Button’s name in its history file.
Now we get to the part that makes us particularly interested in watching the sale.
Iconic Auctioneers has given Jenson Button’s Mercedes CLK DTM AMG an estimate of £400,000 to £500,000.
That’s serious money.
But this is a very unusual car.
One of just 100 coupés produced.
Developed by HWA, the company behind Mercedes’ DTM racing programme.
A supercharged 582bhp V8.
Just 18,114km showing.
And almost 15 years of ownership by a Formula One World Champion.
It’s a combination that makes the car particularly interesting to collectors.
But what will somebody actually be prepared to pay?
That’s the fascinating thing about auctions.
An estimate provides a guide, but the final result depends on the people bidding on the day.
And with something as rare and specialised as a CLK DTM AMG, there may be buyers watching from several different parts of the world.
We certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see considerable interest.
Although, as always, the auction itself will provide the answer.
The Mercedes will be offered by Iconic Auctioneers at The Iconic Sale, held during the NEC Classic Motor Show in Birmingham on Saturday 14 November 2026.
It’s one of those lots we’re particularly looking forward to seeing.
And while most of us won’t be bidding at this sort of level, that’s never stopped us enjoying an auction.
Quite the opposite.
Part of the attraction of attending these events is the opportunity to see extraordinary machinery that would otherwise be almost impossible to encounter.
A car like this might spend most of its life in a private collection.
But at auction, enthusiasts get an opportunity to admire it, learn about its history and watch the bidding unfold.
And there’s something rather enjoyable about that.
We might not be going home with Jenson Button’s Mercedes.
But we’ll certainly be interested in finding out who does.
Prospective bidders should note that Iconic Auctioneers has issued a Sale Room Notice concerning import VAT, duty and registration charges if the car remains in the UK. Full details should be checked in the official listing before bidding.
View Jenson Button’s Mercedes CLK DTM AMG at Iconic Auctioneers.
One of the things we enjoy most about classic car auctions is the sheer variety of vehicles that appear.
One minute you might be watching an ordinary family car that brings back childhood memories.
The next, a rare British sports car.
And occasionally, something completely extraordinary.
Like a Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMG.
It’s a car with genuine connections to one of the most successful periods in Mercedes’ touring-car racing history.
A road car developed by the same specialist company responsible for the competition machinery.
And an example that spent almost 15 years in the ownership of Jenson Button.
There’s plenty to appreciate, whether you’re a Mercedes enthusiast, a Formula One fan or simply somebody who enjoys seeing unusual cars.
And that’s why we’re looking forward to the sale.
Not because we’re shopping for a £500,000 Mercedes.
But because it’s fascinating to see extraordinary cars like this emerge from private ownership and enter the auction spotlight.
So here’s the question.
A 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMG.
Just 100 coupés built.
A supercharged 582bhp V8.
More than 20 years old, with just over 11,000 miles showing.
And almost 15 years of ownership by Jenson Button.
Iconic Auctioneers expects it to make between £400,000 and £500,000.
But where do you think the bidding will finish?
Would you expect it to remain within the estimate?
Could it exceed £500,000?
Or might somebody acquire it for less than the guide suggests?
And perhaps the more interesting question for enthusiasts is this:
If money were no object, would you choose this CLK DTM AMG, or is there another extraordinary Mercedes you’d rather own?
Either way, we’ll be watching the auction with considerable interest.
And we suspect we won’t be the only ones!
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