The Federal Bureau of Investigation has added an unexpected trophy to its evidence warehouse: a 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster valued at roughly $13 million. The car, one of only six roadster variants ever built, was seized as part of an ongoing multinational operation targeting former Olympic snowboarder and current FBI Top Ten fugitive Ryan Wedding.
A Hypercar Pulled Into a Criminal Dragnet
The seizure unfolded under Operation Giant Slalom, an expansive investigation tracing Wedding’s alleged leadership of a violent, billion-dollar drug and money-laundering empire. Federal officials say the organization sprawls across multiple countries and operates with the sophistication of a cartel, with Wedding himself believed to be hiding in Mexico.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi compared the fugitive to notorious kingpins, noting that investigators believe he oversees one of the most profitable criminal networks operating today. For a syndicate allegedly responsible for roughly $1 billion in illegal drug revenue each year, a $13 million hyper-collectible Mercedes is small change, but symbolically powerful.
The Crown Jewel: One of Six Ever Made
For car collectors, the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR is practically mythological. Built in the late 1990s and early 2000s to satisfy homologation rules for GT1 racing, the car served as AMG’s bridge from track to street. Only 28 road-legal versions were ever made: 20 coupes, six roadsters, and two prototypes.
That scarcity has cemented the CLK GTR as one of the most coveted Mercedes models of all time. Roadsters, with their roofless silhouette and lighter construction, are considered the rarest and most desirable. This particular car was reportedly kept in pristine condition, making its sudden life as federal evidence all the more surreal.
A Mechanical Time Capsule
Beneath the sculpted carbon-fiber bodywork sits a mid-mounted 6.0-liter naturally aspirated V12 paired with a six-speed sequential transmission. Rated at just under 600 horsepower, the engine is capable of revving to 7,000 rpm and delivering an exhaust note that borders on orchestral.
When it debuted, the CLK GTR was less a “supercar” and more a rules-compliant race machine with license plates. Its chassis, aero profile, and powertrain were derived directly from the GT1 car that once stormed down the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans.
What Happens to the Car Now?
That’s the million-dollar or, in this case, $13-million question. When the government seizes high-value assets tied to criminal enterprises, those items typically end up being auctioned off, preserved for trial, or utilized for restitution purposes. For something this rare, the decision becomes trickier.
If the car ultimately goes to auction, it could break existing CLK GTR price records. If it remains in federal custody, it may quietly sit in storage for months or years, far from the climate-controlled garages it’s accustomed to.
A Case That Keeps Getting Stranger
As investigators continue their pursuit of Wedding and unravel the financial architecture of his organization, the CLK GTR stands as a strange emblem of excess and audacity. It’s not every day the FBI ends up holding one of the rarest Mercedes ever built, a reminder that even the most exotic machines can’t outrun the reach of a global investigation.
