The good folks at Mercedes-Benz appear to crave our attention, because lately it seems we can't go more than a few weeks before another set of spy shots appears on our doorstep. These photos reveal the most exclusive Mercedes since, er, the SLR-actually, even more exclusive. We hear this CLK-DTM will be limited to perhaps as few as 100 examples worldwide when European deliveries begin in August or September.

The CLK-DTM is intend-ed as a road-going link to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters sports car series in which the CLK competed (a race version of the C-Class replaced it for the '04 season), as well as a tribute to Hans Werner Aufrecht. Aufrecht is the "A" in AMG, having founded (along with Erhard Melcher) what is now Mercedes' in-house tuning arm. The car was developed by HWA, Aufrecht's independent racing company. HWA prepares and campaigns Mercedes-AMG's factory DTM effort.

Details about the $250,000-plus CLK-DTM are scarce. Besides the obvious exterior links to the race version, expect the car to weigh about 100 pounds less than the standard CLK55 AMG's 3635 pounds, due in part to the removal of the rear seats.

Power comes from a jacked-up version of the 5.4-liter supercharged AMG-tuned V8 linked to a five-speed automatic. Our sources say we should expect 582 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Such mojo should easily propel the CLK-DTM from 0 to 60 mph in less than four seconds, and to a 199-mph top speed. We expect suspension, brake, wheel and tire upgrades above and beyond those offered on typical AMG cars. The roll cage visible in our photos is intended for production and not just as a Nordschleife safety precaution.

Alas, the CLK-DTM likely won't be offered to North American customers. Mercedes told us: "We have no plans for the U.S. market. It would simply be far too expensive and even too obscure for the U.S. audience, partly because DTM has very little exposure here."

That is the official line, but we hear rumblings at least two cars are U.S.-bound. Either way, we can't help but wonder whether SLR owners will feel cheated. We certainly will if the CLK-DTM remains a Europe-only special.