Mercedes and dictators

[Martin 280s]

Last night I watched "The Last King of Scotland" about the rise of Idi Amin and the fall of Uganda. As I was watching I noticed a number of MBs, namely the presidential 600 pullman, his doctor's 'Pagoda', a c111 flashes across the screen and also a W109 can be seen a couple of times.

That started me thinking, "Why do dictators prefer MBs over other marques?"

Suggestions please!

[Martin 280s]

Here's a good article I found on the web!

Why do dictators always drive big flashy cars?

Hitler may have dreamed up the VW Beetle but he chose to be driven around in massive Benzes.

Lenin was a Rolls-Royce man but after World War II Stalin ordered a gargantuan ZIS 110, a Russian rip-off of a Packard 180 sedan.

Argentinian despot Juan Peron (and his dodgy wife Eva) showed a bent for Cadillacs and Packards.

In the Mao era, China's elite prowled around in massive Red Flag limousines. When he wasn't busy garnering 130 per cent of the popular vote, President Marcos of the Philippines was conveyed in a Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman, as was Yugoslavia's Tito and Romania's Ceausescu (though Ceausescu also had a 1974 Buick Electra).

Spain's Generalissimo Franco was a Benz man too, with a six-wheel G4.

What about President Gaddafi? He usually chooses an armoured and stretched S-Class Merc.

However, Libyan officials recently announced that their Great Leader had personally shaped the design of a new car known as the Rocket.

It might look like it was sketched by Homer Simpson but the Rocket is apparently ''further proof that the Libyan revolution is built on the happiness of man''. It is also ''the world's safest car'', though that might be because it is usually surrounded by guards with machine guns.
The Rocket is a substantial 5.5metres long.

Even if one disregards cruel comments about phallic objects, there is clearly a connection between big and flash cars and leaders who won't brook dissent. Even those supreme rulers, presidents for life and monarchs who don't try to design cars certainly like to buy them. Details of the Sultan of Brunei's car collection are closely guarded but by some estimates runs into the thousands.

None of your common muck, either. We're talking hundreds of Rollers, Ferraris and Bentleys for starters. Some of them are bespoke designs that cost millions apiece.

In the Sultan's defence, though, he has a large family and they can't be expected to use Brunei's rather miserable public transport system.

Religious and spiritual leaders don't mind a showy set of wheels either. Before the introduction of the fish tank-like modern Popemobile, His Holiness was conveyed in presidential-style limousines built by Mercedes and Ford (the latter being the massive Lincoln-based Lehmann-Peterson).

Remember the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, the Indian mystic who convinced thousands of Westerners to dress in orange and liberate themselves from monogamy and other silly vestiges of their repressive upbringings? The Bhagwan wasn't quite a head of state, though he presided over a largely self-contained ''city'' in Oregon.

Before he was arrested and exported from the US in 1985, he had acquired more than 90 Rolls-Royces, mainly Silver Spirits and Silver Spurs.

These he used only for short drives, usually around his compound to be waved at by his devoted followers.

Why so many? Bhagwan didn't like to use the same one twice, according to the recent book Breaking the Spell by Australian Jane Stork.

''When he owned a car in every colour and combination made, he had a paint shop built in his garage and had new cars painted in unique colours and designs before he ever drove them. Only he drove them and then only to go for his daily drive.''

Stork adds that Baghwan was such a terrible driver that a back-up vehicle followed discretely behind ''to pull him out of ditches''.

North Korea's Kim Jong-il has a weakness for Benzes and, less obviously, Nissans. More bizarrely, the Stalinist state supposedly transports its top echelons in local copies of the SsangYong Chairman.

Why anyone would copy the SsangYong Chairman is hard to divine. It's a little like being a Billy Joel impersonator. It doesn't matter how much work you put into it, or how well you do it, the best you can ever be is as good as Billy Joel.

What do you make of the eccentric choices of our best-known dictators? And what would you drive if you could successfully pull off a military coup in Australia?

Tony Davis

Posted on October 1, 2009 5:44 PM

[Big_Richard]

intimidation factor - No one would question the influence and power of a head of state driving around in a big monstrosity.

Hardly the same effect could be achieved with a Suzuki Liana

[Hemersam]

The Baghwan (sp?) loved all those EXPENSIVE cars? Sounds like he set the stage for the "prosperity gospel" of our notorious TV evangelists (most of whom eventually get convicted of some crime or another, almost always involving great sums of money). What was that saying about a chump being born every second?
Hemersam

[alabbasi]

In Iraq during the 80's, you could not buy a new Mercedes unless you were in the government.

[KenM]

Why anyone would copy the SsangYong Chairman is hard to divine. It's a little like being a Billy Joel impersonator. It doesn't matter how much work you put into it, or how well you do it, the best you can ever be is as good as Billy Joel.

Now look here, just wait on a minute, what the hell is wrong with being as good as Billy?? I mean I know he's not William Shakespeare or Mark Twain, or even Nick Cave or Kevin Rudd but really, is he THAT bad??
Actually, come to think of it you may have a point...
Cheers,
Ken

[Takernz]

In the Mao era, China's elite prowled around in massive Red Flag limousines. When he wasn't busy garnering 130 per cent of the popular vote, President Marcos of the Philippines was conveyed in a Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman, as was Yugoslavia's Tito and Romania's Ceausescu (though Ceausescu also had a 1974 Buick Electra).

The Mercedes 600 was the property of Philippine government and official car of during the administration of President Diosdado Macapagal (father of our current president). In June 30, 1965 when Marcos was elected president, our country went well and economic tiger in Asia, and riding his usual ride, and until during the Martial Law which started in September 21, 1972 until his ouster through people power in Febuary 25, 1986, during those times, it was our darkest days, our country was in chaos the economy nose dives and he was accused of plunder and the 600 was gone, no one knows where until now, when Corazon "Cory" C. Aquino assumed office the presidential car was W124 sedan , during the president Fidel V. Ramos administration, just a day after Princess Diana died (also in her W140 600SEL sedan when she died), our government purchased W140 S600L long wheel base sedan with usual equipments specific for this car, bullet-proof glass, Kevlar armor on all doors, high strength floor to protect occupants against bombs exploded under the car e.g. IEDs (just upgraded after terrorist's method to kill American soldiers in Iraq), run flat tires and tuned to 500hp instead of usual 408 hp 6.0L V12 engine .

[motec6.9]

All very nice but the car Lady Dianna was in belonged to the hotel and was a s280 base model not the 600 as first reported by the press but then im used to the press being wrong

[alabbasi]

All very nice but the car Lady Dianna was in belonged to the hotel and was a s280 base model not the 600 as first reported by the press but then im used to the press being wrong

Correct, she bought an R129 SL once but was made to sell it and buy something British as it was seen as un-patriotic. Now I see the the Police in the UK driving around in BMW's. Funny how that works out.

[Takernz]

yeah, I read about that. She bought a red 300SL??? and the Queen earned her ire on her and growing pressure from British public, she was forced to sell it.  Now, they have Mercedes-Benz ambulance, cop car, prime movers, light and medium vans  running around London, and they have Mercedes Enthusiasts magazine in UK and I bought a june 2005 issue, how funny hehehehehe

[alabbasi]

I see the the Police in the UK driving around in BMW's. Funny how that works out.

That's because there is nothing purely 'British' anymore

Very true, Britain pretty much got out of manufacturing anything but weapons.

[oscar]

Loved the Last King of Scotland BTW, including merc fest too.

I think dictators are generally like one hit wonders that storm onto the charts, fall into money and splurge.  I'd unashamedly be the same.  Buy the biggest and the best and the most.  But personally I think all leaders, dictators or otherwise, should be getting around in something regal and gigantic during official tours.

Stark contrast was seeing Prince William on TV the other day being chauffered in a Holden Statesman upon arrival in Sydney with a motorcade of other Holdens.  How boring.  Those unfamiliar with it, it's worth about $60k AUD and looks like nothing special.  Non descript really compared to all the other new 4 door saloons on the road.  Even if he was picked up by four new S Class saloons they don't really cut the mustard. IMO.   In Aus there used to be govt owned old Rolls Royces or something similar that was used for foreign dignatories.  At a time when the Commonwealth fleet consisting of mostly locally produced Holden and Fords was being scrutinised for cost, some pollies started catching taxis to Parliament House to make their point and I've got a faint memory that the old girls might have been passed on for sale at the same time.  What a shame.

[Martin 280s]

Michel,

I think the only 'British' manufacturers are Bristol and Morgan but they rely on imported engines.