Rebels storming Syria’s presidential palace this weekend unearthed a haul of supercars worth millions of dollars. Bashar al-Assad’s impressive car collection included models from Lamborghini, Ferrari and Aston Martin allegedly stored in several garages across the country’s capital of Damascus.
Rebels in Syria overthrew the Assad regime after taking control of the country’s capital city and storming the country’s presidential palace. Assad himself had already fled to Moscow by the time rebels broke in, an impressive haul of supercars was left behind at his residence in Damascus, reports CNN.
After a cell phone footage walkthrough of the presidential palace shared online, CNN reporters went inside one of “several” garages owned by the deposed dictator. Inside, cars from Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin were all lined up and ready to run. The supercar connoisseur haven also held a beautiful Toyota FJ Cruiser.
The collection includes a gleaming Ferrari F430, a Rolls-Royce Ghost and “dozens and dozens” of armored cars, reports CNN. There’s also a lineup of classic American cruisers and vintage Mercedes limos that CNN says shows off the “corruption” and “opulence” of the Assad regime.
The value of the collection is estimated to be in the “millions of pounds” adds Sky News. The big ticket item in the collection is a Ferrari F50:
A rare Ferrari F50, a Lamborghini Diablo and a Rolls-Royce are among dozens of luxury cars found at Bashar al Assad’s palace. Just 349 F50s were made between 1995 and 1997 and the V12-engined car has a top speed of 233mph.
It originally sold for about £350,000, but one went for $5.5m (£4.3m) in a Sotheby’s auction earlier this year.
Also parked up in the vast garage in the Syrian capital of Damascus was another classic 90s supercar that adorned many teenage walls - a Lamborghini Diablo. While not as rare as the F50, the best examples can go for well over £300,000 [$380,000] today.
It’s not known whether the collection of cars was for Assad’s personal use, but as a dictator he’s probably not one for renting his cars on Turo. Now that the palace has fallen, however, maybe you could get a turn in his Bentley Continental GT, Aston Martin Rapide or Audi R8.
It’s not yet known what will happen to the haul of supercars now that the despot’s rule has come to an end, but footage has already surfaced of rebels taking home luxury items such as handbags and chairs from the palace. I guess it’s a little trickier to sneakily make off with a bright red Ferrari, though.