As far as celebrity car ownership goes, Britney Spears' garage is perhaps the least interesting of all A-listers. Yet, some of the cars she drove over the years, while factory stock and far from impressive for a celebrity, have become icons on their own.
This is one such icon. It's been dubbed the "most dangerous car in Los Angeles," and it became the most photographed celebrity car of 2007, bar none. As Brian Grams, Director of the Volo Auto Museum, once said, some celebrities would give an arm and a leg to be able to get the kind of media coverage this car got on any given day in 2007.
This was Britney Spears' car in the months following her filing for divorce from husband Kevin Federline. Ownership coincided with some of the most chaotic events in the pop star's life, which climaxed with her shaving her head, attacking the paparazzi with an umbrella, and eventually being put on an involuntary psychiatric hold that paved the way for a 13-year double conservatorship.
This happened at a time when the paparazzi were always around Spears, often trying to provoke responses from her and filming her non-stop. That explains how the car became this famous and probably also accounts for some of the fender-benders she got into while at its wheel.
This is a 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK350 convertible, far from impressive on its own. In a world in which celebrities can dream up the most insane customizations and can afford to drive the latest and awesomest machines, Spears has always kept her auto tastes rather… mundane.
Photo: Volo Auto Museum
She bought the car new from the local dealership, and despite the repeated mishaps and the fact that it had become very recognizable, she enjoyed it for months in a row. She drove it often, be it to the recording studio, when running personal errands, or out partying.
This convertible is the car she banged several times, even ending up with a hit-and-run charge, and got pulled over for speeding in. If you're a celebrity car collector looking for that "extra” item to add to your lineup, it could be it. And it just so happens that it's for sale.
The Volo Auto Museum in Illinois is looking to move some inventory, and the CLK350 is on that list. It's often been on display at the Museum – and proven quite a hit with visitors – but it's time for it to go, the Museum notes in the listing.
Last registered with over 29,000 miles (46,700 km) on the odo, the factory-stock CLK350 comes with a 3.5-liter 268-hp engine mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission, and all-black exterior over all-black interior in premium leather.
It rides on 17-inch alloy wheels and has 10-way power seats and memory positions, dual climate zones, auto headlights, one-touch windows, and keyless locks. There's a record of its many fender-benders, but it's been well maintained and, more importantly, comes with the kind of celebrity pedigree other cars can only dream of. Just imagine the stories it could tell...
The fact that this is the car that Spears drove right before the conservatorship, which effectively annulled her right to drive herself, makes this rather unremarkable ride even more appealing. Estimated at $75,000, it's asking a hair under $70K, $69,998.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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