Filed under: Car Buying, Auction Action, Government/Legal, Rolls-Royce
On the Block: Saddam's Rollers up for sale
It'd be hard to find a vehicle that conveys a greater sense of authority and superiority than a Rolls-Royce. How about a Rolls-Royce that previously belonged to a dictator? A year and a half since his execution, several uber-luxury automobiles that belonged to Saddam Hussein are now popping up for sale.
Following previous posts on Saddam's '88 Mercedes 560 SEL and Lamborghini LM002 – to say nothing of fellow executed despot Benito Mussolini's Alfa Romeo – comes the sale of a burgundy Rolls-Royce Corniche owned by the deposed Iraqi dictator. The car was acquired by an Iraqi investor and is being sold by Autocontinental, an importer in Surrey, England. The convertible appeared briefly on eBay before disappearing, suggesting there was either a legal issue or the car was sold. Among the prospective buyers cited by the dealership was a U.S .army colonel who wanted to acquire the license plate SADDAM for the ride. Even if the Corniche has already been sold, don't worry, because there are more coming to market, including another Corniche in blue and a gilded Maybach that Saddam never even drove before his regime collapsed.
[Source: Telegraph]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Alex 9:14AM (7/31/2008)
I always thought the army destroyed all of his and his sons' cars. Like, ran them over with tanks destroyed. Their rationale was that they didn't want to cars turning into road-side bombs. I can respect that.
Personally i would have loved to have seen the military sell all the cars in auction and use the proceeds to help pay for the country's reconstruction.
Reply
mole 9:28AM (7/31/2008)
pardon me if i'm wrong.. I thought that's a Bentley Arnage?
Reply
TJ 10:03AM (7/31/2008)
nope. you are wrong.
Gregg 10:45AM (7/31/2008)
Honest mistake. The current Arnage still uses the same body, with some cosmetic modifications, as the previous generation Roller did.
yacoub 9:28AM (7/31/2008)
wow, Mussolini's Alfa is stunning!
Reply
mole 9:32AM (7/31/2008)
pardon me if i'm wrong...but isn't that a bentley arnage?
Reply
mole 9:33AM (7/31/2008)
sorry for double posting..the comment was laggy
TJ 10:02AM (7/31/2008)
nope. you are wrong.
k.w.a 10:05AM (7/31/2008)
Rolls and Bentley used to look almost identical back in the day..before BMW bought Rolls and VW bought Bentley. you can tell it's a Rolls because it has the Rolls Royce grille on it
Dave 9:39AM (7/31/2008)
The Parthenon grille says it's a Rolls.
Reply
MajorGeek 10:15AM (7/31/2008)
Link to Ebay from referring site was not working when I posted it, heres the link:
http://tinyurl.com/5jjfck
Reply
IK47 10:43AM (7/31/2008)
I thought they didn't allow these type of things to cross the border
some law about not being allowed to take war trophies
either way, I don't why anyone would want to own the car of that miserable murderous tyrant.
Reply
gabe ramos 11:10AM (7/31/2008)
Saddam did absolutely nothing to deserve what we did to him. USA had no right to invade his country and destroy his cities he built, pillage his belongings, and create a "democratic" government. Not saying Saddam was not a bad person, I am saying that the USA had NO authority to go into that country.
Reply
Vintage 11:22AM (7/31/2008)
Uh, I think he did a lot to deserve what happened to him.
I do agree that we had no business doing it, but that guy was a prick, and deserved everything that came to him and his family.
gabe ramos 11:26AM (7/31/2008)
Nobodies family should suffer for what their other members do. Imagine if your uncle was Saddam, and you lived peacefully in Iraq, all of the sudden BOMBS some down and blow your school, water supply, stores, and home to pieces. What did YOU do to deserve that treatment?
USA is not the world police. We cannot say he deserved this, because American's have done worse atrocities to Blacks, Japanese, AND Jews themselves. Also, we exploit third world countries for our profit, but condemn Hitler & such for genocide and slavery. We committ these acts when we go to Africa and test aids drugs on children, whom never have a chance at Freedom.
To keep it on topic, $5 grand is a STEAL for a rolls with fricking flame throwers
letstakeawalk 11:30AM (7/31/2008)
We should avoid discussing politics on this automotive site - it makes everything stink.
But as far as authority goes, take it up with the UN:
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/SC7564.doc.htm
Rob 11:38AM (7/31/2008)
Sure we had the authority. The authority of 14 UN resolutions. If that isn't authority, I don't know what is. I agree with Alex. The cars should have been sold and the proceeds used to help some of the people Saddam imprisoned.
J M C 3 12:27PM (7/31/2008)
Uh Gabe.
We were attacked on Sept 11th .Remember?
Planes full of our citizens were flown into the tallest office towers in New York filled with mommies and daddies who were just trying to make an honest living.
My town alone lost 41 people including a Young man with 3 babies who'll never know their father.
Now ,due to people like You perhaps ,the US has lost it's resolve to confront Iran on their nuclear program.
You will soon lose Your freedom that You enjoy in America if that happens.
LETSTAKEAWALK-Thank You for Your contribution.
Reply
RJP 12:40PM (7/31/2008)
This is not so much politics, but more like Internet LOLitics.
Blake Luttrell 12:56PM (7/31/2008)
WTF does Saddam have to do with 9/11?