Five famous dictators and their power wheels
The men on this list are known for their absolute power and iron fisted control over their subjects. These dictators splurged on luxury items, but cars were a fascination for many of them. Cars make a powerful statement to the public about wealth, status and control, and these autocrats surely knew how to leave an impact on the world. We compiles a list of cars these men used.
1. Muammar Gaddafi
Libyan tyrant Muammar Gaddafi ruled the country from 1969 to 2011. Reports suggest, during his 42-year reign he owned a number of cars which included a heavily armoured BMW 7-Series and a Mercedes S-Class. The oil-rich dictator, reportedly, also had a kind approach towards the environment and had a fleet of electric cars, the most notable one being the Fiat 500. Gaddafi allegedly spent a whopping Rs 1.8 crore on this customised car which was built by Italian coachbuilder Castagna Milano. One may ask what makes this Fiat so expensive. Well, Gaddafi had the Fiat trimmed with real gold. The Fiat badge was replaced with an outline of the continent of Africa, with Libya cut out in green. Rebels seized this Fiat and Gaddafi’s other trappings of power after putting an end to his 42 years in control. The Libyan tyrant also reportedly designed a car called the ‘Saroukh el-Jamahiriya’ or Libyan Rocket. The exterior of the car resembled the nose and tail of the rocked, hence the name.
2. Adolf Hitler
One of the most evil men of all times, Adolf Hitler, had a penchant for Mercedes-Benz cars. The Mercedes-Benz 770 was touted as his favourite and was commonly used by the Fuhrer for parades. Mercedes-Benz had also, reportedly, constructed 30 W31 Type G4s for the Nazi party in 1934. These seven-seater cars were used by the high rank officials of the Nazi regime only during parades and inspections. The German dictator also owned a 1942 Mercedes-Benz 320 Cabriolet D convertible, one of the only eight made for the top Nazi party officials.
3. Benito Mussolini
An Italian politician, journalist, and leader of the National Fascist Party, Benito Mussolini, reportedly favoured the Alfa Romeos. He allegedly owned a number of them during his 18-year regime. Last year, an Alfa Romeo that he had given to his mistress was auctioned off in Paris. Reports suggest, the Italian dictator was impressed with Hitler’s parade cars and hooked Lancia and Pininfarina to create his special ‘Torpedo Ministeriales’ cars.
4. Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein and his sons Uday and Qusay had a penchant for expensive luxury cars. The dictatorial family was fond of customised Mercedes and rare classics. Among the haul found after American forces toppled the dictator was a pink Ferrari Testarossa, a Ferrari F40, a couple of Porsche 911s and the dictator’s delight, a Mercedes S600 limo.
5. Idi Amin
Idi Amin was one of the most brutal dictators to wield power in post-Independence Africa. The ‘uncrowned’ king of Scotland had a barbaric image and has been blamed for the deaths of nearly five lakh people in mass executions and tribal purges during his eight-year rule between 1971-78. The dictator of Uganda, reportedly, owned seven Citroen SMs, which were produced between 1970-75. Like most dictators, Mercedes-Benz was reportedly his favourite brand and the Mercedes-Benz Pullman was allegedly his favourite car.
