2004 CLK320 Mercedes

Although the customization obsession has only had Darrick Yu in its grasp for the past six years, Yu already wants a do-over. It wasn't the system in his previous vehicle that he wishes to change, but the fact that he never competed with it. "One thing I regretted with my Lexus IS300 was that I never got to show the car," he relates. With Yu's current ride, that isn't a problem. "I knew right off the bat when I bought this car that I wanted to make the Mercedes for competition," he says. "I wanted a car which would separate itself from others," Yu continues. "A wide body CLK320 supercharged with custom everything. You don't really see that often on the streets!"

Well-Laid PlansBefore the car even made it into the country, Yu had begun to plan, ordering the body kit and wheels. The body and engine received a lot of upgrades as did the interior by Lorenzo DiMichieli and Tyron Jordan of Quality Mobile Video. DiMichieli had done the install in Yu's Lexus, so Yu trusted him to execute the simple yet uniquely elegant system he was after.

Perfect HarmonyCombining a factory-coordinating look with the flair required of a competition vehicle is no easy feat. In fact, the two goals seem to clash, but DiMichieli and Jordan pulled everything together. The trunk exemplifies the two directions working in harmony. JL Audio subs are proudly displayed on either side of the space while the amps float in the center. Despite the flashiness of the setup, the trunk works well with the Benz's overall theme due to the coordinating colors and symmetrical design.

In the cabin, Morel components make up part of the front stage. Placed within the lower door panels, the 5 1/2" speakers remain unobtrusive in the modified pewter-painted panel. "The theme throughout the car is to still keep the original OEM look but also make things unique and flow with the car," Yu explains.

In the center stack, the installers remolded the original dash to get the Pioneer head unit to look as if it belonged there. Then, the tweeter pod assembly on top provides an obvious clue that this pewter-painted dash isn't stock. The paint choice and slender nature of the assembly help it mesh with the vehicle, but the three JL Audio tweeters combined with the Pioneer center channel definitely aren't standard equipment. Yu enjoys the unusual, "futuristic" look.

Another showy touch is the monitors embedded in the trunk lid and the additional monitor hidden behind the rear seats. "We decided for show purpose only that we wanted to display something when the seats were folded down during shows," Yu explains. That explains the DVD player and the 5-inch monitor. With this hidden away and trunk closed up, the Benz could pass for a very unique daily driver. But that's not its fate. "The car is not daily driven," Yu states. "However, I do drive it often so I can appreciate what I've built." Judges appreciate it as well, bestowing the car with too many awards to list. Next time you attend an import show on the West Coast, see if you can spot a few golden trophies arrayed in front this one-of-a-kind CLK.