5 Dictators and Their Cars
A fascinating insight into the use of cars to promote an image of absolute control
A picture paints a thousand words and dictators who have climbed the greasy pole of tyrannical rule and megalomania know better than any that their car gives a picture of absolute control and oppression like no other. Here is a roundup of history’s meanest men and their wheels:
1-Hitler
Say dictator and most people will come up with the image of Hitler’s Nazi salut from his Mercedes-Benz Grosser Offener Tourenwagen. Before Trump had The Beast, Hitler had a specially designed maximum protection 30-millimeter bullet-resistant, armour plated Mercedes. Hitler celebrated victory parades after the Nazis’ defeats of France, Yugoslavia and Greece from the open top of his Mercedes - something I’m sure their PR team would like to forget.
Hitler saluting from his Mercedes-Benz 770k Grosser Offener Tourenwagen at the Wehrmacht parade for his 50th birthday - Berlin, April 1939. credit- Ullstein Bild via Getty Images.
2- Mussolini
This dictator got a little sporty with his open top terror mobile by choosing an Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Pescara Spyder and cementing his life long love affair with Alfa. Mussolini even hired Ercole Boratto, a former Alfa Romeo factory test driver as his chauffer. Mussolini entered his Alfa in races across Europe including the Mille Miglia, where he converted the engine to run on alcohol - an environmentally friendly alternative. And they say dictators don’t care.
Mussolini’s Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Pescara Spyder. credit -Ned Lawler.
3- Chairman Mao
You can’t be seen using foreign cars if you are making China a force in its own right. So out with the dictators’ favourite Mercedes-Benz 600 Grosser and in with The Hongqi CA770 - a Chrysler Imperial but with a ‘made in China’ sticker. As it could withstand machine gun fire it seems Mao may have realised you don’t gain popularity points killing 40-70 million people. Doesn’t stop you though clearly.
Mao’s Hongqi CA770s being produced in the factory. credit - unknow
4- Brezhnev
Brezhnev is interesting because in true motoring enthusiast form he had a collection of 150-300 cars. As well as this number of cars being a power symbol in themselves, many of them were gifts from world leaders, including a Rolls Royce from dear Queenie, Elizabeth II and many Lincoln Continentals from Nixon. Apparently it was well known that to sweeten old Brez’s iron heart you had to turn up with some flashy wheels.
Richard Nixon giving Leonid Brezhnev a new Lincoln Continental. credit - Autoweek.com
5- Vice President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangu
(son of the country's dictator, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo)
This Instagram flaunter’s 26 supercar collection paid for by Daddy was seized on corruption charges in France. As 76% of Equatorial Guinea's 1.2m population live in poverty and yet Teodoro’s impounded collection made $26.9 million at auction, it is safe to say that the oil-wealth of the country was not being split equally. A world record of $8.7 million was set for the highest amount achieved for a Lamborghini Veneno, whilst the 2003 Ferrari Enzo fetched $3,102,722, with just 13 miles on the clock. (Note to self: If you are going to embezzle don’t buy 26 supercars and flaunt it on Instagram.)
Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue’s cars being impounded in Paris 2011. credit -GT Spirit.
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Comments (14)
The man in the photo is not a nazi he is just doing some hand singles, telling the driver to take the third reich
😂😂😂
YES!
TITO and his love affair with the Grosser.
Yep. I was going to say! He also had a bunch of big winged Chevies from the early 1960's.
I saw him in one as a kid. Looked awesome; the car and the man himself.
As far as I know, Belgrade keeps a collection of 6 running - one Rolls and 5 Grossers...
And there are few more in Slovenia and Croatia.
All those cars being impounded, I dont mind if that truck drops off those cars at my home 😎
I'll see what I can do ;)
😃😃😃😃😃 🤪
You forgot Castro's custom made Tatra. Our Prime Misister ( albeit not a dictator) in 1980's , Rajiv Gandhi, was a car enthusialst. He had an original Range Rover , an Imported Jeep and some Cadillacs.
I don't think many people would know, but Josef Stalin was madly, deeply in love with "capitalist" American Packards. Not only he owned number of them, but ZIS designers knowing that, made sure his official, private and Parade cars bear resemble to Packards. Even what meant to be "people's car " Pobieda had a front not dissimilar to pre-war Packards.