Kleemann’s GLK is one hot ride. Starting with a Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG, the Kleemann crew added a supercharger and pushed horsepower up to 540, and the GTK produces 516 pound-feet of torque. The power is sent to the rear wheels via Mercedes’ seven-speed automatic transmission before being split by a limited-slip differential.

What do those numbers translate to on the road? A 0-62 mph time of 3.7 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 186 miles per hour.

The GTK’s rear end looks reasonably Mercedes-like, but the front end is completely bespoke. The body panels are all carbon fiber, and we love the muscular wheel arches. Without a clear shot of the front end of the car, it’s hard to decide how we like the Kleemann treatment, but the profile shot looks pretty mean.

Other upgrades from the SLK include 20-inch Kleemann alloy rims wrapped in custom-made Toyo TR-1 tires, 14.9-inch front discs with eight-piston aluminum calipers, and 13.5-inch rear discs with four-piston calipers. All brake discs are vented.

The bad news is Kleemann has no plans to produce this concept for the public. Styling cues from the GTK are going to appear on upcoming Kleemann products, as well as the S- and CL-class vehicles Kleemann is producing now.

Do you look forward to seeing these styling cues on other Kleemann vehicles, or should everything on the GTK remain a concept? Let us know in comments.

KLEEMANN GTK, danish design, world performance.

In 2004, KLEEMANN made ambitious plans for creating unique and exclusive KLEEMANN sportscars. Now, after 3 years of design and development, KLEEMANN bring their vast technology know-how and experience to the next level by introducing the GTK concept car.

KLEEMANN, best known for their long experience in Kompressor technology and exclusive styling products for Mercedes-Benz cars, now enters the battlefield of the exclusive sportscar manufacturers. This was made possible when KLEEMANN employed the internationally experienced car designer Christian Brandt. Christian has headed the top secret GTK design project, which was not only a sportscar project, but also a design and technology development platform for future KLEEMANN performance and styling solutions for Mercedes-Benz cars.

- The KLEEMANN styling solutions have always been designed with the deepest of respect for the elegant, powerful and exclusive design of the Mercedes-Benz cars. In order to go to the next level of KLEEMANN design, we felt that we needed to create a complete car. Designing a complete car enables us to create styling solutions for the Mercedes-Benz cars from a much bigger perspective than we have done previously by creating enhancements for production cars, says Christian Brandt, and adds:

- The GTK design project has been a big inspiration for both current and future KLEEMANN products. The wheel of the GTK has inspired the new TS-7 wheel with its unique directional one-piece design, and elements from the GTK design are similar to some parts of the current styling solutions for the KLEEMANN S-class and CLS-class. Current design projects planned for launch in the next 6-12 months for new Mercedes-Benz models will feature significant shapes and details from the GTK design. As all other KLEEMANN styling solutions, the design of the GTK is based on the unique KLEEMANN design code of elegance and simplicity acknowledging the Nordic design traditions of simple and organic shapes. The positive feedback from the market over the past couple of years confirms us in the belief that the KLEEMANN design direction we set in 2004 is right and appealing to the international market, Christian Brandt concludes.

Sophisticated and reliable technology
The KLEEMANN GTK features carbon fibre body panels as well as many existing high performance KLEEMANN products, such as Kompressor system, alloy wheels, brakes etc. These new products have been developed and tested since 2005 in a Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG and the GTK is structurally based on the SLK.

- When we chose to base the GTK on the Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG, we wanted to offer exclusive sportscar design with the built-in everyday reliability, safety and comfort of the Mercedes-Benz cars. That way we could focus on developing specific elements making the car’s design and performance unique for KLEEMANN, says technical director Claus Ankjaer and adds:

- In the creation of the GTK we faced several new challenges, and the experience we gained from solving these challenges, enable us to develop and manufacture even more sophisticated and reliable performance solutions for existing and future Mercedes-Benz car models, Claus concludes.

Featuring the normally aspirated SLK 55 AMG engine fitted with a complete KLEEMANN Kompressor system, the GTK boasts 540 HP of power and 700 Nm of torque. This power is transferred to the road through a 7-speed automatic gearbox, a KLEEMANN limited slip differential and ultra low profile Toyo T1-R tires on 20