The basic idea of this thread first came to me in 1982 when I read about ZIL in the Guinness Book of Records and the Encyclopaedia Britannica. The idea finally took shape in 1997, when the second generation Toyota Century was released.



1) ZIL

ZIL limousines were the official vehicles of the heads of state of the Soviet Union and Russia from 1935 – 1996. ZILs were also used by other senior officials of the Soviet and Russian governments. There used to be special lanes in Moscow that were reserved for senior government officials (kind of like how BRT lanes in Lagos are reserved for buses) and these lanes were called ZIL lanes because most senior government officials were driven in ZILs.

ZIL-41047 (produced from 1985-2002).
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I heard of ZIL limousines for the first time in the early 1980s when I read an edition of the Guinness Book of World Records and discovered that a ZIL was listed as the largest car in the world (a record that it held for a long time). The car could sit 7 people.

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ZIS-101 standing in the Kremlin, the persons on the photo are, from left to right, Ivan Likhachev (Director of ZIS), Sergo Ordzhonikidze (Minister of Heavy Industry), Iosif Stalin (General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union), Vyacheslav Molotov (Minister of Foreign Affairs), and Anastas Mikoyan (Minister of Trade).

The company was founded in 1916 as the Russian Automotive Society (AMO), but it did not produce any vehicles until 1924, due to the Russian Civil War. The company’s name was changed to Zavod Imeni Stalina (Plant Named Stalin) or ZIS. After the denunciation of Stalin in 1956, the company’s name was changed to Zavod Imeni Likhachova (ZIL). Likhachova was a director of the company.

Soviet President, Mikhail Gorbachev, in a ZIL limousine during a state visit to Windsor Castle in 1984

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX_UmIgjBm4

The ZIL and the Lincoln Continental.

The two most powerful men in the world met in a series of ground breaking summits in 1985 and 1986. That was when the friendship between President Ronald Reagan of the United States and Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union began.

I remember the Reykjavik summit in 1986 and I was fascinated by the presidential limousines. Of course both countries flew their respective presidential limousines to Iceland. The footage I saw back then showed Reagan arriving the meeting point in his Lincoln Continental as his Secret Service bodyguards walked beside the limo. Then Gorby arrived in his ZIL 41047 with his KGB bodyguards walking beside the limo. Gorby left the meeting point first and then Reagan left (his Secret Service guards were running beside the limo).

Unfortunately the footage of the Reykjavik Summit that I found on YouTube does not have a clear shot of the moment when both leaders left the meeting point (it looks like the cameraman was hiding from the Secret Service and KGB), so I am first going to post a video of their series of meetings in Geneva in 1985. You can clearly see the limousines in that video



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qOGj0iQ5hw


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIOOt2T8JZ4

Boris Yeltsin, who was elected president of Russia in 1991, preferred S Class Mercedes Benz cars to ZILs and so ZILs were no longer used as presidential limousines by the mid-1990s. However, ZILs were still used by other government officials. For example, the Russian defence minister usually addresses the Victory Day military parade from the back of an open top ZIL.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu rides a ZIL Cabriolette during the Victory Day military parade to celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the victory in WWII
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The last ZIL to serve as the official vehicle of the Russian president was the ZIL-41047, which served as the official car of Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev and Russian president Boris Yeltsin. The ZIL-41047 was produced from 1985 – 2002. Production briefly resumed in 2010.

Washington DC.USA,31th May,1990 Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev waves from his limousine as he rides from the Russian Embassy to the White House for summit meeting with President George H W Bush

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ZIL-41047
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frk3CFx0Bx0

President Putin is known to favour Russian made products over Western made products, so the ZIL company tried to entice him to use a ZIL as his official car by making a car specifically for him. The ZIL-4112 was developed from 2006 – 2012. The company hoped to get the approval of Putin, but he did not really like the car. Instead, he chose another Russian car that was specifically made for him. That car is called the Aurus Senat and it was unveiled at Putin’s inauguration in 2018.

ZIL-4112
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oWhmQQY8Fk

https://naijachronicles./2018/07/21/ten-limousines-that-are-almost-unheard-of-in-nigeria/

2) Hongqi (Red Flag)
Soviet leader Josef Stalin gave several ZIL limousines to Chinese head of state Mao Zedong and these were the vehicles that were used by senior leaders like Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou En-Lai. However, Chairman Mao felt that there should be a Chinese made state limousine that was suitable for conveying Chinese leaders and visiting foreign dignitaries.

Dongfeng CA71
The Dongfeng CA71 (officially known as ‘China’s first car’ ) was born in 1958 on the special request of Mao Zedong, who demanded a for Chinese state limousine. It was manufactured in a factory that was built with Soviet assistance and that was initially built to manufacture ZIL trucks. It was built by First Automobile Works (FAW).

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A famous 1958 photo, where FAW engineers showed Mao the CA71 for the first time.

The Dongfeng CA71 ‘Jinlong’ was design-wise loosely based on the first-generation Simca Vedette, which was made from 1954 until 1958. At least one Vedette was shipped to China to serve as an example for the CA71 during the latter’s development process. The 2.0 (1930cc) litre four-cylinder engine was based on the design of the 1955 Mercedes-Benz M121. In the CA72 it developed 70 horses.

Dongfeng means East Wind, and refers to the then-popular saying the east wind prevails over the west wind, which meant that the eastern Communist states were stronger than the West. This Dongfeng has nothing to do with the present-day Dongfeng Motors. It is the same name with the same characters, but Dongfeng Motors was only established in 1992. Before 1992 it was called Second Automobile Works, second only to First Automobile Works.
Because the CA71 was small, the Hongqi CA72 was the preferred state limousines. Hongqi means Red Flag in Chinese and the Hongqi marque is the luxury arm of First Automobile Works (FAW).

Hongqi CA72
Introduced on August 1, 1958, the first Hongqi was the CA72. The original Hongqi cars were a luxury item used for the transport of foreign dignitaries and the party elite. By September, a convertible version intended to be used by dignitaries in National Day parades had appeared. The CA72's design was based on a 1955 Chrysler. From the beginning, the full-size Hongqi was equipped with a 147 kW (200 PS; 197 hp) V8 engine. The grille was based on a traditional design of a Chinese fan, and still remains in use on Hongqis today.

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Hongqi CA72

Hongqi CA770, etc
First introduced in 1963, the CA770 model remained in production until 1980 albeit in limited numbers. Around 1,600 of these V8-engined Hongqis were built in total, and over the years various versions were released including a 1965 long-wheelbase model with three rows of seats and a 1969 armoured version (CA772).

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When President Richard Nixon visited China for the first time in 1972, the U.S sought permission to fly in their presidential limousine, but Mao Zedong said that there was no need for that, because there were vehicles in China that were good enough to transport Nixon. Nixon agreed, because of the historic nature of the visit. He used Chinese made Red Flag limousines during his trip, though the limousine was taken apart by the U.S secret service and swept for bugs and other dangerous materials.

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Although Chairman Mao claimed not to have been driven in a Hongqi until Nixon's 1972 visit, he did take a personal interest in the cars from the beginning.

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Legendary Chinese Premier, Deng Xiaoping, inspects the troops from the back of a Hongqi limousine at the military parade to mark China Day on October 1st, 1984

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Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, inspecting the troops from the back of a Hongqi limousine on China Day, October 1st, 1999

Audi 100, Lincoln Towncar, etc
Foreign cars, such as the Audi 100, were made in China under the Hongqi marque between 1995 and 2005, but those cars are not the subject of this thread.

Hongqi HQ3
Hongqi released the HQ3 in 2006. It was manufactured from 2006-2010 and it was based on the Toyota Crown Majesta which was jointly produced by FAW and Toyota. The HQ3 was available as the HQ300 which had a 3.0 V6 engine and the HQ430 with a 4.3 litre V8 engine.

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Hongqi HQ3


Hongqi HQE
The rare Hongqi HQE is a large four door limousine that was first produced in 2009. It serves as the official vehicle for the most senior Chinese officials. It was the parade vehicle with which Chinese president, Hu Jintao, inspected the troops during the military parade to mark the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China in 2009.

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Hongqi L7 and L9
The mass produced versions of the Hongqi HQE are called the L7 (for the short wheel base model) and the L9 for the long wheel base version.

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Chinese President Hu Jintao in a Hongqi L7 during the China Day parade on October 1st, 1999.

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The Hongqi L7 that was used by British Prime Minister, David Cameron, when he visited China

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Hongqi L5

Released in 2013, the Hongqi L5 is renowned for currently being the most expensive Chinese-made car ever. It is available for purchase at CN¥5 million Renminbi (US$800,000). It is the official state car of China, as it is used by the General Secretary of the Communist Party (Paramount leader) Xi Jinping. The sedan is currently offered only in China.

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3) Nissan Prince Royal

The Nissan Prince Royal is a limousine that was made for the Imperial Household of Japan.

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His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Japan, Emperor Akihito in a Nissan Prince Royal.

In September 1965, the Prince Motor Company announced that they would be providing two vehicles for the Emperor. The first would be ready by 1966, the other by 1967. In May 1966, Prince Motor Co. merged with Nissan Motor Co. and so Nissan was added to the name of the car. The Prince Motor Company had an established relationship with the Imperial Household Agency previously, when they presented the first Prince Gloria to Crown Prince Akihito as a one-year anniversary wedding gift and an earlier gift to the Crown Prince called the Prince Sedan in 1954. The Prince Royal was the second Japanese built post-war vehicle to use a V8 engine; the first was the Toyota Crown Eight in 1964.

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When the Emperor is riding inside, the Imperial Standard is displayed on the top of the grille. An additional roundel, known as the Imperial Seal of Japan is also displayed at both the front and rear of the car in place of a license plate, and on the exterior of both rear passenger doors, displaying a 16 petal chrysanthemum, in golden colour, in reference to the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan.

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The vehicle has coach doors for the centre-rear that open with a wider angle. Interior features a total of eight passenger seats. There are three rows of seats. The two centre rear seats are folding type for security personnel. In between the centre seats is a beverage bar. The rear seats were covered in supple 100% wool upholstery, while the driver has leather seats. The windows have curtains and double pane glass, allowing the passenger compartment to be pressurized for additional security protection. A telephone is used to communicate to the driver. When the Prince Royal was in service, additional government transportation used the Nissan President for various transportation needs.

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The vehicles were retired on July 7, 2006, when the Toyota Century Royal was presented for service to replace them. Previous vehicles used to transport previous Emperors were a Rolls-Royce Phantom V used in the 1960s which replaced the Mercedes-Benz 770s that were used from the 1930s.

Motorcade of the Emperor of Japan, featuring a Nissan Prince Royal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFUlsIdZE3I

The Nissan Prince Royal was made exclusively for the Emperor of Japan, but there was a similar car that was sold commercially. It was called the Nissan President. There was a North American version of the Nissan President. It was called the Infiniti Q45 and it was produced from 1990 to 1996 and 2001 to 2006.

4) Toyota Century

The Toyota Century is the official car of the Emperor of Japan. Production of the Century began in 1967 and it is called the Century in honour of the 100th birthday of Sakichi Toyoda (born 14th February 1867), the founder of Toyota Industries.

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The Toyota Century is Toyota's flagship car in Japan (while the Lexus LS is its flagship outside Japan). It is the most exclusive car in Japan and it is usually used to ferry heads of state, chief executive officers, and Yakuza bosses. During Japan's Bubble Economy, sales of the Century doubled (from 1,027 in 1985 to 2,117 in 1989). But even the Century wasn't enough for these heady days of luxury, and in October 1989 the Century Limousine appeared. This was 650 mm (26 in) longer for an overall length of 5,770 mm (227.2 in), on a 3,510 mm (138.2 in) wheelbase, approximately the same dimensions as a Cadillac de Ville series, Lincoln Town Car, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, or a Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit.

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Stretched second generation Toyota Century

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The Century remains the first and only Japanese front-engine, rear-wheel drive production car equipped with a V12, and it is Toyota's first V12 engine. As this is a top level luxury flagship, private owners are comfortable with the yearly road tax bill.


The Century was Toyota's most luxurious model at its inception in 1967, and maintained this status throughout the 20th century. Today, it is positioned above the Lexus line-up, and remains the most luxurious and prestigious model to wear the Toyota badge.


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Like other cars in the top of the luxury class, the Century is designed with the rear passengers in mind. Hence, the rear seats recline and the front passenger seat has a fold-down centre section so that a passenger in the back may stretch his feet forward. The rear seats are equipped with a massage system. The exterior door handles open the doors electrically since the sound of the door being opened mechanically is perceived as being "too obtrusive". The doors do not need to be closed directly; instead the door only needs to contact the latch, causing the door to pull itself completely closed electrically.



Although the Century is generally not exported, it is frequently used by officials stationed in overseas Japanese offices and embassies.



In contrast to other luxurious cars (such as the Maybach or Rolls-Royce), the Century has not been positioned and marketed as a sign of wealth or excess. Marketing literature states roughly that, "the Century is acquired through persistent work, the kind that is done in a plain but formal suit."

First Generation (1967-1997)
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The first generation Toyota Century (which was produced from 1967-1997) was based on the 1964 Toyota Crown (the 2nd generation Crown). Nigerians who are familiar with the 3rd and 4th generation Toyota Crown, which were common in Nigeria in the 1970s and 1980s, would easily see the resemblance between the Toyota Century and those Toyota Crowns. (Alhaji Lateef Jakande used one of those Toyota Crowns when he was governor of Lagos [1979-1983] and minister of works [1993-1995].

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Second Generation (1997-2017
The second generation Century made its debut 30 years later and it was produced from 1997-2017.
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The second generation Century was discontinued on 4 February 2017, after almost 20 years of production.

Toyota Century Royal
The Toyota Century Royal is the official state car currently used by the Emperor of Japan, being a specially prepared Toyota Century, a one-off ¥52,500,000 (US$500,000) custom car. The car was produced at the request of the Japanese Imperial Household Agency, to be used by senior members of the Imperial House of Japan. This special version has wool cloth upholstery, internal granite entry steps and Japanese rice paper headlining for the passenger compartment, as well as undisclosed security measures. The front passenger compartment is upholstered in leather.

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Emperor Akihito in a Toyota Century Royal

Five vehicles were originally ordered but, due to the individual cost for each, only four were built.and one car, called Empress 1, is used by the Imperial Palace. Another was built as a hearse in 2008, known as Empress 2, and was used for the funeral of Prince Mikasa 27 October 2016. Empress 3 and Empress 5 which, due to additional security equipment installed, cost ¥94,500,000 (US$851,445) each, are assigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The designation "Empress 4" is not used because the number 4 is considered unlucky. Each vehicle that is used for official transport is given a small round badge attached to the grille at the right, with the Kanji character representing "Empress" (Japanese:皇) along with an Arabic number.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xr_4y5w1V0
Emperor Akihito’s motorcade, featuring a Toyota Century Roayl
This vehicle replaced the fleet of four 40-year-old Nissan Prince Royal limousines that were beginning to show their age. After the Prince Royals were no longer deemed appropriate by the Imperial Household Agency, the Emperor and Empress had been seen riding in a conventional Century until the Century Royals were ready for service. The Century Royal is exclusive to the Imperial Household and was presented for service on July 7, 2006. When the Emperor is riding inside, the Imperial Standard is displayed on the top of the grille. An additional roundel, known as the Imperial Seal of Japan is also displayed at both the front and rear of the car in place of a license plate, and on the exterior of both rear passenger doors, displaying a 16-petal chrysanthemum in golden colour, denoting the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan.



The limousine stretches around 20 feet in length and 6.5 feet across, —the same length as a Maybach 62 and both longer and heavier than a 2003 Rolls-Royce Phantom. The Emperor was previously driven in a Nissan Prince Royal (1967–2008), Cadillac Series 75 (1951–1970), Mercedes-Benz 770 W07 Series (1932–1968), Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost (1921–1936), Daimler (1913–1927).

Third Generation (2018- present)

The third generation Century was unveiled at the October 2017 Tokyo Motor Show. The third generation is due to be released 25 June 2018, with prices starting from ¥18 million to the top grade Century Limousine at ¥60 million. It is to be offered in four exterior colours, with culturally significant names; Kamui Eternal Black, Lake Mashū Shrine Blue Mica, Asuka (Black Ash) Red Mica, and Seika Radiant Silver Metallic.


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It shows that its appearance was influenced by the Century Royal, which was produced at the request of the Japanese Imperial Household Agency to be used by senior members of the Imperial House of Japan in 2006. The full model update maintains the visual tradition of the Century model, while incorporating appropriate technological upgrades and advances such as Toyota Safety Sense P-series collision avoidance support. Unlike other Toyota products, which have the Toyota badge, and hybrid installed vehicles with a separate "hybrid badge" with an additional Toyota or Lexus badge with a blue background, the Century has the traditional Fushichō badge and the word "Century" in block letters on the trunk lid and does not carry the Toyota badge or designation. On the "C" pillar there is a badge in blue with a gothic-style "C" for Century with a label "hybrid" below. This badge is a traditional Century styling feature that first appeared in 1967.

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As with previous generations, rear passenger comfort and convenience is made a priority. The rear seats have a recline feature, with integrated heaters and massage function, as well as an adjustable power leg rest for the rear seat opposite the driver. The sound system comes standard with 20 speakers. A LCD screen is installed for rear seat passengers that let occupants control many aspects and features as a convenience. The standard upholstery fabric continues to be offered in 100% wool with a unique heather pattern, with leather remaining available optionally.

Bonus) Citroen DS

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I know, I know, this car should not be in this list. The Citroen DS was very popular in Nigeria in the 1960s, ‘70s and early 1980s, so it is not a car that is unheard of in Nigeria. However, I saw a thread on the home page of Nairaland and the thread creator claimed that Citroen cars are not popular in Nigeria and that they are not known in Nigeria. That was a shock to me. So I guess that this car is unheard of to younger generation of Nigerians. That’s why it is a bonus on this list.

The Citroen DS was an iconic and record breaking car that was produced in sedan, station wagon, coupe, convertible and limousine body configurations from 1955-1975. It was very popular in Nigeria because it was the perfect car to show off with, due to its many unusual technological features. It was nicknamed the “Goddess” because “DS" is pronounced in French as "Déesse" (goddess).



Hydro-pneumatic system

The most important technological feature of the car, to Nigerians, was the fact that the driver could lower or increase the height of the car. A control in the cabin allowed the driver to select one of five heights: normal riding height, two slightly higher riding heights for poor terrain, and two extreme positions for changing wheels. Nigerians loved lowering and increasing the height of the car, especially where there were other people to see you do it.

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Citroen DS stretch limousine

This ability to lower and increase the height of the car was due to the novel hydro-pneumatic suspension including an automatic levelling system and variable ground clearance, developed in-house by Paul Magès. Basically, this also meant that the Citroen DS was designed to be level, no matter the condition of the road. The car could go into potholes and over bumps and yet it would still be level. This was because the roads in France were pretty bad after the Second World War and so the car was designed to provide excellent ride quality, despite the condition of the roads.

At rest, Citroën DS will slowly sink to the ground as the engine-driven hydraulic system is depressurized.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFYJeRh5mpc
Raising the Citroen DS

In conventional cars, hydraulics are only used in brakes and power steering. In the DS they were also used for the suspension, clutch and transmission.


At a time when few passenger vehicles had independent suspension on all wheels, the application of the hydraulic system to the car's suspension system to provide a self-levelling system was an innovative move. This suspension allowed the car to achieve sharp handling combined with very high ride quality, frequently compared to a "magic carpet".

The Safari version saw use as a camera car, notably by the BBC. The hydro-pneumatic suspension produces an unusually steady platform for filming while driving.

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The DS did not have a jack for lifting the car off the ground. Instead, the hydraulic system enabled wheel changes with the aid of a simple adjustable stand. To change a flat tyre, one would adjust the suspension to its topmost setting, insert the stand into a special peg near the flat tyre, then readjust the suspension to its lowermost setting. The flat tyre would then retract upwards and hover above ground, ready to be changed.

The DS system, while impressive to use, sometimes dropped the car quite suddenly, especially if the stand was not placed precisely or the ground was soft or unlevel.


Assassination attempt on President Charles de Gaulle

The Citroen DS was, of course, the official car of the President of France, General Charles de Gaulle and many people believe that it played a part in saving the general’s life during an assassination attempt.

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President Charles de Gaulle in a Citroen DS

Algeria was a colony of France and the French had the view that their colonies were actually part of France. However, the Algerians had begun a bloody war for independence and, in 1962, President de Gaulle decided to grant Algeria independence.

This did not go down well with some French people who felt that Algeria should always be part of France. They felt that de Gaulle was betraying France by granting independence to Algeria. The French militant group, OAS, which had a lot of former military officers in its ranks, decided to kill de Gaulle for granting independence to Algeria.

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General Charles de Gaulle in a Citroen DS

De Gaulle and his wife were being driven from the Elysee Palace to Orly Airport in Paris when 12 OAS gunmen opened fire on the presidential Citroën DS. As History tells it, “A hail of 140 bullets, most of them coming from behind, killed two of the president’s motorcycle bodyguards, shattered the car’s rear window and punctured all four of its tires.” Other reports said the bullets blew out two or three tires instead.

At any rate, the DS was way too high tech to get shut down by something as simple as gunfire. While it went into a skid at first, the car’s suspension kept it level and drivable, even without the aid of tires. De Gaulle’s driver managed to escape the situation, and the president and his wife made it to the airport unharmed. This attempted killing was dramatized in the film “The Day of the Jackal.”


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp0yPa0zcKw
Dramatization of the assassination attempt on President De Gaulle in the 1973 epic movie “The Day Of The Jackal” (adapted from Frederick Forsyth’s classic book)

The DS’ role in thwarting the attempt on his life made De Gaulle love the car even more. He refused to travel in anything else. And in 1969, when Fiat sought to take a troubled Citroën over in 1969, De Gaulle limited their stake to 15 percent. Citroën would end up staying in French hands as part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.

British Pathe’s news broadcast from 1961 about the assassination attempt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSvLyLy4iuo


Swivelling lights

Another amazing feature on the Citroen DS was the fact that the headlights could swivel. This design had four headlights under a smooth glass canopy (two headlights on the left and two headlights on the right) and the inner set swivelled with the steering wheel. The lights turned left if you turned the steering wheel to the left and they turned right if you turned the steering wheel to the right. This allowed the driver to see "around" turns, especially valuable on twisting roads driven at high speed at night. The directional headlamps were linked to the wheels by cable.

Behind each glass cover lens, the inboard high-beam headlamp swivels by up to 80° as the driver steers, throwing the beam along the driver's intended path rather than uselessly across the curved road. The outboard low-beam headlamps are self-levelling in response to pitching caused by acceleration and braking.

Citroen DS’ swivelling headlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjWxF4_G-pM

However, this feature was not allowed in the US at the time, so a version with four exposed headlights that did not swivel was made for the US market.





Awards and records

Development of the Citroen DS began in 1937, but then Nazi Germany invaded France in 1940, so Citroën chairman Pierre-Jules Boulanger told his engineers to hide their designs and prototype cars from the Germans for fear that they would weaponize them. Citroen were developing two ground breaking cars at this time, the DS and the 2CV (The 2CV was one of the most popular small cars in Europe in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s and it competed with the Volkswagen Beetle).

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After 18 years of secret development as the successor to the Traction Avant, the DS 19 was introduced on 5 October 1955 at the Paris Motor Show. In the first 15 minutes of the show, 743 orders were taken, and orders for the first day totalled 12,000. During the 10 days of the show, the DS took in 80,000 deposits; a record that stood for over 60 years, until it was eclipsed by the Tesla Model 3 which received 180,000 first day deposits in March 2016.

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The Citroen DS was featured in the US TV series “The Mentalist”. It was driven by the star of the show, Patrick Jane.

The DS placed third in the 1999 Car of the Century competition (recognizing the world's most influential auto designs), and fifth on Automobile Magazine's "100 Coolest Cars" listing in 2005. It was also named the most beautiful car of all time by Classic & Sports Car magazine after a poll of 20 world-renowned car designers, including Giorgetto Giugiaro, Ian Callum, Roy Axe, Paul Bracq, and Leonardo Fioravanti.



Noted for its aerodynamic, futuristic body design and innovative technology, the DS set new standards in ride quality, handling, and braking and was the first production car equipped with disc brakes.


Replacements

French car makers, Peugeot, Renault and Citroen have all made executive cars since 1975, but none has reached the iconic status of the Citroen DS. Citroen has produced the CX, XM and C6, Peugeot has produced the 604, 605 and 607, while Renault has produced the 25, Safrane and Vel Satis, but none of these cars has been nearly as popular as the Citroen DS. In fact, the three French companies have given up on the executive segment (e.g. Peugeot did not produce a replacement for the 607).

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In 2009, Groupe PSA created a new brand - DS Automobiles, intended as high quality, high specification variations on existing models, with differing mechanics and bodywork. This brand ranges across four models, the DS3, DS4, DS5, and the China-only SUV DS 6. The DS3, launched in March 2010, is based on Citroën's new C3, but is more customisable and unique, bearing some resemblance to the original DS, with its "Shark Fin" side pillar. These have created their own niches, with the DS4 being a mix of a crossover and a coupe and the DS5 mixing a coupe and an estate. Many feature hybrid-diesel engines to maximise efficiency. However, I do not believe that any of these cars will be nearly as prestigious and popular as the original iconic Citroen DS.

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5) Citroen CX

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The Citroen CX was the replacement for the Citroen DS and it was produced from 1974-1991. It was sold in Nigeria, but it was nowhere close to being as popular as the DS (in fact, it was a fringe car in the Nigerian auto market). It was made in fastback, station wagon and limousine configurations.

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The car is considered by some enthusiasts as the last "real Citroën" before Peugeot took control of the company in 1976. The CX was also the final successful model of the "big Citroën" era, which began in 1934. It also uses the same hydro-pneumatic self-levelling system as the DS and driver can lower or raise the car.

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In France, the CX Prestige model was used by the French government, including former president Jacques Chirac, who kept using the CX officially many years after it had left production.

In addition to the numerous CX models owned by Erich Honecker, head of East Germany, many other officials found the car suitable as well, with their government purchasing 5,000 of the Citroën GS model.

Elena Ceaușescu, Deputy Prime Minister of Romania (and wife of Romania's Communist leader Nicolae Ceaușescu), was given a CX Prestige by King Juan Carlos I of Spain, which she used until her execution in 1989.

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Citroen CX stretch limousine

Rainier III, Prince of Monaco and his wife Grace Kelly owned two CX's, a 1981 CX Reflex D Break and a 1980 CX 2400 Pallas, which were both auctioned in July 2012.

Mário Soares the Prime Minister of Portugal used a CX with the license plate POR, while the CX of Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark sported the license plate Crown 101.

Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, had a special Landaulet created by Henri Chapron for his 1981 wedding.

Other royal and government figures that drove CX include Harald V, King of Norway, Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, and Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands.

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Italian investigative journalist Carmine Pecorelli was investigating former prime minister Aldo Moro's 1978 kidnapping and murder, when he himself was shot and killed by an unknown assailant, while driving his CX in Rome, in March 1979.

Prominent owners also include Carlos Santana and Johan Cruyff.

6) Monteverdi High Speed 375/4

The "Monteverdi High Speed" is a series of sports cars with different bodies (coupes and convertibles) produced from 1967-1976 by Swiss automaker Monteverdi. However, Monteverdi also produced a 4 door limousine/sedan from 1971 to 1978 and it was called the Monteverdi High Speed 375/4.

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The wheelbase of the vehicle (coupe/convertible) was extended to 3.15 meters; the technical key data - especially the drive technology - remained unchanged. With a consistent front end joined from the A-pillar four wide-opening doors (with door handles from the Fiat 128), a sharply drawn roof section and an extended trunk, the top of the belt line continued straight.

The interior was covered with leather, air conditioning, power windows and on request a Sony TV; the car could be used without restrictions as a chauffeured limousine. Individual copies were accordingly delivered with a partition between driver and passenger compartment.

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External details were repeatedly object of change, sometimes Monteverdi also followed the customer request. For example, a late model was delivered with two rectangular headlamps borrowed from the Ford Granada, a matte black radiator grille and rubber-covered bumpers. In addition, after initially the already known from the 375 L tail lights of the Alfa Romeo Giulia were installed in the last models, tail lights from the Triumph TR6 were used, which had previously been seen on Monteverdi's Berlinetta, and gave the sedan a more modern appearance.

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About 30 sedans were built from 1971 to 1978 and half a dozen of them were purchased by the Emir of Qatar.

7) Holden Caprice

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The Holden Caprice is a full-sized car which was produced by Holden (General Motors) in Australia from 1990 to October 2017. It should not be confused with its American cousin, the Chevrolet Caprice, whose 1971-1976 and 1991-1996 versions were common in Nigeria. The Holden Caprice is a different car and it is almost unheard of in Nigeria.

The Holden Caprice was the official car of the Prime Minister of Australia. (The Prime Minister now uses a BMW 7 Series).

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Prime Minister John Howard in a Holden Caprice

The Governor General of Australia also used a Holden Caprice for her day to day activities. He/she used a Rolls Royce Phantom for important state occasions.
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The official car of the Governor General of Australia

Holden is part of General Motors (GM) and so the Holden Caprice has also been sold in other GM territories under other names (e.g. Daewoo Veritas, Buick Royaum, Chevrolet Caprice, etc.).

www.nairaland.com/attachments/7406007_holdencaprice2_jpege946380904ae906e11f549bf17c97d80

Holden announced that it would stop manufacturing Holden cars in Australia in 2017. Instead it now imports vehicles from other General Motors companies (Opel, Vauxhall, Chevrolet, Isuzu, Buick, etc.), rebadges them and sells them as Holden vehicles in Australia. It also still sells Holden vehicles that were manufactured before 2017.

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8 ) Maserati Quattroporte

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This car always reminds me of “The Godfather” series of movies (the Quattroporte featured prominently in those movies).

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Maserati is known for making two door sports coupes (sports cars and super cars) and so it was a surprise when they decided to make a large four door car. So they named it the “Four Door” (Quattroporte means “four door” in Italian).

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The Maserati Quattroporte has been produced from 1963-1969, 1974-1990 and from 1994 – present.

The first generation Quattroporte was produced from 1963-1969.

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The second generation Quattroporte was produced from 1974-1978

The third generation Quattroporte was produced from 1979-1990

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The fourth generation Quattroporte was produced from 1994-2001

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The fifth generation Quattroporte was produced from 2003-2012

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And the sixth generation Quattroporte was first produced in 2013 and is still being produced.

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Both the president and prime minister of Italy use Maserati Quattroportes as their official cars.
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The Maserati Quattroporte is not unheard of in Nigeria (I have seen a few), but it is very rare.

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9) Excalibur Grand Limousine

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Brooke Stevens was a famous American industrial designer who designed race cars in the 1950s. In 1951 he designed a race car that had a retro look. The car was called the Excalibur J. He had hoped that a major car manufacturer would produce the cars commercially, but that never happened.

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Stevens got another opportunity in 1964. He had been a design consultant at Studebaker for four years and he was asked to design a show car that would be exhibited at several car shows in order to boost Studebaker’s image. Stevens designed a car that looked like a 1928 Mercedes Benz SSK, but with a modern touch. It was a “contemporary classic”. Studebaker was initially enthusiastic about the project, but they backed out as soon as the car got to New York for the New York Auto Show.

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Studebaker felt that a “contemporary classic” conflicted with their newly embraced image of a “common sense car”.

Stevens was determined to display the car at the New York Auto show anyway and he was able to get a small space in which to display it. The car was a crowd puller.

The success of the car inspired Stevens to establish a company (with his sons) that would manufacture the cars. Most of the original Excalibur cars were retro looking sports cars, particularly roadsters. By 1966 they had built 56 copies of the Excalibur.

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Excalibur roadster

The company failed in 1986, but it was revived several times. One of the ideas that new investors hoped would revive the company was the Excalibur Grand Limousine, which was conceived in 1987. Unfortunately the company failed several more times before production ceased in 1990. The Excalibur Grand Limousine is one of the rarest limousines in the world.

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10) Mitsuoka Galue

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The Mitsuoka Galue is a name used on two series of luxury cars, which are based on more conventional British and American cars. Both series are available as of February 2008.

The first series consists of three generations of medium-to-large cars: the Galue-I, the Galue-II and the Galue-III.

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Mitsuoka Galue – 1st Generation
The Galue-I was based on the Nissan Crew, and shared its RB20E 2-litre engine and other mechanical parts with the Crew. The styling of the front and rear was changed to give a more classical appearance; specifically, the chrome grille resembled that found on Bentley models such as the R-type. The rear lights were taken from the Cadillac Fleetwood (Japan-Spec because of the amber indicator lens). The interior was fitted with leather seats and wood trim. Additions such as chrome on the door handles and wire wheels were also available. The Galue-I was made from 1996 to 1999 as the Galue, then when the Galue-II was introduced the name was changed to Galue-I and production continued until 2001.

Mitsuoka Galue - 2nd generation
The Galue-II was based on the Nissan Cedric Y34 and Gloria Y34 hardtops. (The Cedric and Gloria were very similar in styling and mechanicals.) Once again the front and rear styling was modified, and the interior fittings upgraded. The Galue-II's styling was more extrovert than that of the Galue-I, including spoked alloy wheels instead of the disc wheels or wire wheels found on the Galue-I; this may well have been necessary to harmonise with the styling of the Cedric hardtop. The mechanicals were taken from the Cedric; 2.5-litre and 3-litre V6 VQ-series petrol engines were offered. Production ran from 1999 to 2005, when the Cedric and Gloria were replaced by the Fuga; Mitsuoka then replaced the Galue-II with the Galue-III.

Mitsuoka Galue – 3rd generation
The Galue-III was based on the Nissan Fuga, with styling once again modified to suit the new lines. The bumpers were noticeably slimmer than they had been on the Galue-II and the grille surround was thicker, making a considerable difference to the appearance of the front of the car. The interior was upgraded, though since the standard Nissan now had a comparatively luxurious interior the effect of Mitsuoka's modification was less easy to see. 2.5-litre and 3.5-litre VQ-series engines from the Fuga were used. The model was produced from 2005, at first as the Galue and from February 2008 as the Galue-III.

Galue Convertible

Mitsuoka also offered a Galue convertible in China, the Middle East and South Korea from 2007. Despite the shared name, the only similarity between the Galue-III saloon and the convertible is the front and rear styling. The rest of the car is based on the Ford Mustang, including the car's 4.0-litre V6 and 4.6-litre V8 engines. In 2010, the engines were upgraded to 3.7-litre and 5.0-litre units for the V6 and V8, respectively.

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Second series: Galue 204
The second Galue, called the Galue 204, is a smaller model, based on the Toyota Corolla Axio. Like the larger Galues it uses the same mechanicals (including 1.5-litre or 1.8-litre engines) and has modified styling and interior fittings. Although the grille is similar to the Galue-III's, it now has wire mesh instead of chrome slats, and thus is rather reminiscent of the Bentley Eight. The frontal styling includes circular chrome grilles beneath the headlamps, which are reminiscent of the grilles found on such cars as the Bentley R-type and the Jaguar Mark 2 behind which electric horns were concealed. The Galue 204 is intended to capitalise on the trend towards more economical cars by allowing people to buy a smaller car which is still luxurious and has some elements of classic styling. The 204 in the new model's name is Mitsuoka's internal code for the design: the 2 refers to the class of car while the 04 is the generation of the design.

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Firstus commentus

Ishilove:
Firstus commentus

SECONDUS COMMENTUS

Interesting. So why do African leaders use cars made by foreign companies when they have indigenous local companies producing cars.

naptu2 nice list of vehicles. I enjoyed reading it line by line. Thanks once again.

Starting indigenous right from the head of government brings the political will to local industries. Starting local means treating ear infections in Nigeria and actually having a design request to challenge local professionals.
Nice read, well done!

At last! I've completed the thread!

MACHINES!

tensazangetsu20:
Interesting. So why do African leaders use cars made by foreign companies when they have indigenous local companies producing cars.

Because the indigenous local company that produces automobiles in the Country is from the East.

And the people of the East planned & orchestrated the first military coup responsible for Nigeria's present predicament by sparing their own leaders from East while killing off the leaders from the North & West.

It did not end there, the peope from the East are always labeling the rest of the people from the West & the North unprintable & derogatory names such as Afonja, Ewedu & Amala people, Ofe Manu, Ewu Hausa, Ewu Terrorists, Terrorist Allah & Paedophile prophet.

As such, the people from the West & the North - who have tightened & solidified their grip on power view & treat the people from the East as their common enemy.

And so they agreed that, enriching your enemy by patronizing & buying his products is self-defeating & tantamount to setting their own houses ablaze should in case war breaks between them in the foreseeable future.

.

95% of Nairalanders will not read this thread till the end.... including me.

SHEY BUBU GO ENTER ALL THESE OLD CARS

It's Naptu, the former wicked producer before Explorers took his place.

Nice thread. Great machines.

So now we have heard of them.

Next!

My advice to the OP is that he should check his available data balance because this kind of research is not easy and consumes data. Good work

Hongqi L7 and L9 are OK