Gaddafi's Fiat 500 Castagna EV captured by rebels

Gaddafi's Fiat 500 Castagna EV, 500, 31.08.2011

Brutal dictator and a car guy

As Libya celebrates its newfound freedom, two rebels have claimed an interesting prize - Muammar Gaddafi's Fiat 500 Castagna EV.

Seized at the dictator's bunker in Bab Al-Azizia, the bespoke convertible was ordered by Gaddafi - through an intermediary - in June 2009. He demanded the vehicle be delivered by September with a number of custom touches including a two-tone paint job, a cream leather interior, wood trim and numerous Libyan-themed accents.

Motivation is provided by a lithium-ion battery which powers a 46 PS (34 kW / 45 hp) electric motor. This reportedly enables the car to hit a top speed of 160 km/h (99 mph) and travel up to 260 km (162 miles) on a single charge. Interestingly, the €100,000 ($144,100 / £88,550) vehicle was also ordered with a massive recharging system which allows the battery to be replenished in just 10 minutes.

In related news, one of Gaddafi's sons apparently abandoned a Bugatti Veyron in Milan, Italy. There's no word on what will happen to it, but hopefully it will find a nice home.

Source: corriere.it

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hunker7

Just bought tickets to Milan :)

August 31, 2011 4:06 pm

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GTurbo

Saw this in the papers. Can't get to enjoy a customised 500 worth almost ?90,000 of blood money? Tough mate!

August 31, 2011 4:28 pm

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sideskraper

That's a pretty impressive little Fiat.

August 31, 2011 6:43 pm

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feel sorry for the people... is that how he blew the people's money~? btw 10 min quick charge. that is amazing.

September 1, 2011 1:25 am

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buruchaga

Libya was better under iron hands just that the people's disaffection were th for so long a rule. Democracy is a problem in Africa and libya would be new to it. By the way, Gaddafi bought an European car for that much and the money was used to pay those European workers.

September 2, 2011 2:32 am

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bmw2002m

Speaking of that nutjob Gaddafi, is his son Saif (or whatever his name is) a bit delusional? They have lost nearly all their power over the country and here is is talking of winning the war. Nonce!

September 1, 2011 3:47 am

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CDspeed

That's a shame, aside from the color it's actually cool, it looks like a cocept car its so well done. I hope it gets sold off and not destroyed, maybe it could be auctioned off to raise money for a Libyan charity.

September 1, 2011 4:31 am

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batmobile

... As Libya celebrates its newfound freedom ... lol - do you make this tripe up yourself? Freedom? Loony fundamentalist rebels who lynch anything dark hardly inspire my notion of freedom. Sounds like Iraq all over again. As for Gadaffi, at least he had nice cars ... oooh and green too.

September 1, 2011 6:00 am

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tootall

"the bespoke convertible was ordered by Gaddafi - through an intermediary - in June 2009." Geez why couldn't they just used the word "Broker?"

September 1, 2011 6:34 am

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THERENAISSANCEMAN

at least , those "rebels" are in a far more responsible frame of mind as to preserve this interesting piece of automotive relic with the promise of turning over its monetary equivalent to help rebuild war-ravaged Libya . i couldn't say the same thing to the US Army who loaded Saddam Hussein son's blue Lamborghini LM002 with explosives and blasted it to smithereens for the pretext of a car bomb experiment .Ditto for a white Lamborghini Countach wantonly flattened by the sheer bulk of an Abrams tank . Perhaps that within the limited scope of a typical US soldier's Neanderthalian understanding , these destroyed privately-owned vehicles qualify as Weapons Of Mass Envious Distraction .

September 1, 2011 12:01 pm

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vilivo

Oh, the ignorance. This is a case of a yrant being replaced by cavemen with ambitions to becoming tryants... the ONLY country n Africa where a major regime change id not bring only more uffering is South Afica. Sure, Gadafi had hundreds killed, as he was a madman, but that toll will rise by quite a margin now, when every gun-wielding maniac will try to get his moment on the throne. Bring the bloodbath... sad...

September 2, 2011 6:50 am

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