Deadlines, late nights and flying backwards are commonplace in our industry, but once in a while we get those unbelievable days that make it all bearable. Enter not only one, but two Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMGs ? my day just got a whole lot better. If you want to turn heads then cruise the streets in and around Modderfontein with this pair. Why Modderfontein? It's simple, the two cars are part of Autohaus Danmar's Performance Car showroom.

At R3 999 000 and R4 599 900 for the coupe and cabriolet respectively, this pair aren't exactly cheap, but I reckon if I hit the big time the Coupe would be the first item on my dream garage shopping list. The CLK DTM AMG has everything I want: aggressive looks, brutal performance, an incredible sound track, and a heritage. And, unlike many super cars, it has a top-notch quality finish.

Heritage I hear you ask. Yes, it is a strong one. Mercedes-Benz's CLK became the most successful car in the German Touring Car championship (DTM). The DTMs here pay homage to this proud record by proudly strutting with a wide, squat stance, massive flared fenders, rear diffuser and carbon-fibre wing.

It is not all looks however, at 200km/h the rear wing generates 36kg of down force and a number of body panels are made from genuine carbon-fibre and are not a slapped on graphic.

CLK DTM AMGs are by no common, in fact only 100 units were made and less than twenty cabriolets grace the planet. Counting the right-hand drive units isn't a hard task as only twenty-five were ever made.

Climb into either one of the DTMs and you are struck by even more carbon. The door panels are racy flat sheets of carbon, but unlike some other German 'road racers' there are still electric window controls and proper door handles instead of the makeshift fabric pull type. You also get the likes of aircon and a radio.

Carbon fibre continues to the dash binnacle, centre console and the back of the seats. The cabriolet is a true four-seater while the coupe only has space for a driver and passenger as the rear is dominated by a carbon-fibre strut brace ? in my mind way better looking than anyone in the back.

Suede and aluminium are also abundant on the inside of both cars. Like most choice race and rally cars, the steering wheel and seat inserts are suede. Strap into the six-point harness and together with the top-drawer side support you won't get flung around like a rag doll in a shoebox. Good thing because the massive 255/35/R19 front and 285/30/R20 tyres couple with the aerodynamic aids to corner like a toboggan.

A multi-link rear with adjustable coils and diff-lock handle the back end while the front is kept planted by a McPherson set up with adjustable shocks and springs. Turn in and feedback are phenomenal ? point the nose, follow the line and squirt the power.

Surprisingly acceleration and deceleration don't see the DTMs rocking up and down and all the power or stopping power gets channelled to the ground without the ride becoming insanely harsh. Yes it is worse than a Maybach when it comes to comfy cruising, but who cares when it pulls like a Boeing on take-off.

Read the figures if you don?t believe it. Thanks to its relatively minimal weight (1742kg) and a supercharged 24-valve V8 that produces 428kW at 6100rpm and 800Nm of torque at 3000rpm, the 100km/h sprint comes up in a claimed 3.9 seconds. The standing kay is completed in 20.8 seconds and, if you really have no passion and want to know, the fuel consumption average is 13.7 l/100km ? I can't believe I put that in a test like this, but it is quite impressive for a car of this performance ilk.

Power is delivered to the back end via an AMG Speedshift autobox. Cog changes are completed seamlessly via the metal paddles mounted behind the steering wheel. A dab on the right takes you up the ratios while the left brings you back down. If you feel like cruising it is possible to leave the AMG in full auto mode.

So it performs like a bomb, faster and madder then many of us can handle. Stars like Kimi Raikkonen, Juan Pablo Montoya and Mika Hakkinen have ranked among its happy owners.

But we haven't got to the best part. Call me windgat because I think the best part of a DTM, in either cabriolet or coupe form, is the sound. Not only is there the guttural sound of the V8 thumping out the twin pipes but also the whirr of a supercharger winding up. Like the looks the sound is in your face, meaningful and at the forefront of the hair-raising motoring.

The Mercedes-Benz CLK has been a winner on track and, with a well engineered and thought out plan, the Mercedes-Benz DTM AMG is a winner on the road.

> Thanks to Autohaus Danmar Performance Cars (0861 264 264) for the pair of DTMs and a day to remember.