Rides of Heads of State (Part 16)

It's back! After a long hiatus, the Rides series returns. After googling the terms "Mercedes" and "prime minister" to death, I have come up with a new, and productive, strategy to use the Internets to research the topic-- I scoured through the official websites of Banana Republic and ex-Soviet bloc dictators to give you the following:

101. Azerbaijan. After examining dozens of pictures of the president and his overly Botoxed first lady, I found this picture of his Merc limousine.


102, 103. Cameroon, Madagascar. Here is a picture of strongman Paul Biya talking to one of his young subjects in front of his black Merc W220. Madagascar's president has the same car.

104. Uruguay. In keeping with South America's unique penchant for unconventional state rides, El Presidente rides in a Chevy/Holden/Opel Vectra. At least it's a step up from his last ride, a Mitsubishi Galant. Yak!


105. Sierra Leone. In honor of the outgoing, and honest, president of Sierra Leone (Kabbah), I give you this shot of him arriving in his...(drumroll please)...black Merc.


106. Palestine. This is not an official state recognized by the U.N. yet, but that did not stop me from listing Taiwan and the Vatican in this list previously. Abbas rides in this obviously armored Merc.


107. Israel. Since the country's founding, the PM and the ministry heads have been driven in Volvos. When someone recently proposed that the cars be replaced with German (gasp) Audis, that someone was immediately flogged and voted off the island.

Updated tally:
S-class: 40
7 series: 11
Land Cruiser: 8
Maybach: 6
A8: 6
Phaeton: 4
Caddy: 3
G-wagen: 2
Holden-Chevy-Opel: 3
Jag: 2
ZIL: 2

One of each of the following: Lancia, Hyundai, Skoda, A6, Peugeot, Renault, Lincoln, VW van, London taxi, Daimler, Suburban, Toyota Century, Hongqi, Bentley, Rolls, Ford Fairlane, Aston Martin, Touareg, SEAT, Volvo

CKY