FBI Seizes $18 Million Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR as Part of Ryan Wedding Investigation
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Crime may not pay, but classic cars do. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) showed off its latest seizure that was taken as part of its investigation into top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive Ryan Wedding and it’ll have enthusiasts salivating.
The haul? An ultra rare 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster that has been valued by the FBI at CA$18.1 million (US$13 million). And it’s not hard to understand why. Just 26 CLK GTRs were ever produced (28 if you count the two prototypes) and this is one of just six roadsters.
More than just being rare, the car is also a racing legend. In order to race in the GT1 Championship endurance racing series, which Mercedes won in 1997 and 1998, entrants had to produce 25 roadgoing versions of its race cars.
This is one of those street versions, but in name and by technicality only. Mechanically identical to the racecars, the street legal versions had only the most minimal modifications. Things like anti-lock braking, air conditioning, and nicer upholstery made these a little more comfortable than the racing versions, but owners had a few more horsepower to play with than the racecar drivers.
Indeed, power came from a 6.9L V12 that made 622 hp and 539 lb-ft of torque in the coupes, and 604 hp and 572 lb-ft of torque in the Roadster. That power was routed to the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential transmission.
Despite the lower power, the Roadsters’ rarity means that they command a higher price when they roll across the auction block. Whereas Hagerty values coupe versions at around CA$9.5 million, a 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster (in near perfect condition) sold for US$10.2 million in 2023 (around CA$14.25 million), suggesting that the FBI’s estimates aren’t too far off the money.
The vehicle was seized in Miami and is one of a number of luxury assets the FBI alleges Wedding and his associates used to launder money, reports the Toronto Star. In addition to cars, the agency claims that motorcycles and crypto currency were used to move funds.
Wedding, a former Olympic snowboarder for Team Canada, is one of the FBI’s 10 most wanted fugitives, and is alleged to have led a drug trafficking organization that moved large volumes of cocaine between Mexico, California, and Canada. The agency further alleges that the organization was responsible for a number of murders, including the assassination of an FBI witness.
