Which country had a ‘Petrol Head’ Prime Minister

[Brinyan]

Reading through a 2012 edition of C&SC last evening, I came across an advert for a glorious Peugeot 205 T16 for sale. It stated it was newly delivered to a Royal person, who then became his country’s Prime Minister. Who was that then ? Assume it’s not referring to the UK, as can’t imagine Major, Blair, Brown or Cameron charging around in a Group B legend.

[Puddenchucker]

Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Thani of Qatar

https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mo23/monterey/l...

[CKY]

Puddenchucker said:

Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Thani of Qatar

https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mo23/monterey/l...

Yeah had to be really, couldn't see Thatcher or one of the other stiff collars driving around in something as cool as that.

I don't know why but I was shocked the sale price was as low as that, was expecting >$500k - me being out of touch, or a sign of the times...?

[Turbobanana]

Most folk will remember the inept Mark Thatcher, son of Maggie, who famously got lost for 6 days in a Peugeot 504 while competing in the 1982 Paris-Dakar Rally.

But how many will recall Carlos Menem Jr, son of the former Argentine president, who was a WRC driver mostly in Ford and Lancia products, and was good enough to take class honours in Group N on a few occasions?

Edited by Turbobanana on Thursday 7th December 09:07

[GordonGekko]

The Sultan of Brunei must be very near the top

The Hussains fairly well up there too;

The Maktoums as well

[Castrol for a knave]

Biden has a 67 Corvette and has had a good range of interesting cars

His father ran a Chevy dealership.

[stevewak]

Running a mile from the Brexit debate but Guy Verhofstadt, Federal Europe enthusiast and grand fromage in EU parliament, is an Aston enthusiast and raced at the Goodwood Revival this year.

[Bob CD]

Without getting into too much detail, many of the Middle Eastern members of Royalty and therefore government ministers enjoy and have been involved in motor sport, particularly in Bahrain.

However, the standout is probably the current minister of sport in Saudi Arabia, Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal who began his career in Formula BMW and has since raced in many series, including Le Mans several times and most recently the VLN (Nurburgring Endurance events) which surely couldn't be more different than his early driving experiences across sand dunes.

There is also, I think, a member of the Suharto family of Indonesia still racing GTs in Asian championships.

[21st Century Man]

Boris was a bit of a petrolhead, he did the odd bit of motoring journalism, I seem to remember a piece about a new Lamborghini and the Nissan GTR. I don't think he was a very good enthusiast driver though, he was rubbish on TG star in a car. Cameron had a Skoda vRS and an original Fiat 500.

[AMGSee55]

Ian Duncan-Smith has/had a Morgan +4 as I recall.

[Dynion Araf Uchaf]

21st Century Man said:

Boris was a bit of a petrolhead, he did the odd bit of motoring journalism, I seem to remember a piece about a new Lamborghini and the Nissan GTR. I don't think he was a very good enthusiast driver though, he was rubbish on TG star in a car. Cameron had a Skoda vRS and an original Fiat 500.

Boris was not and never has been a petrol head. He got given that job because of connections and it sounded like a weeze. His reports were dire.

Not a president but Carlos Reutemann was a Governor in Argentina.

[stevewak]

Dynion Araf Uchaf said:

Boris was not and never has been a petrol head. He got given that job because of connections and it sounded like a weeze. His reports were dire.

And the mileage log on collection always made interesting reading, more or less the same as on delivery.

[Yertis]

Alan Clark MP would have made an entertaining PM.

[7 5 7]

[Riley Blue]

Though not PMs, there have been some petrol heads at Westminster. Lord David Steele was one, having competed in classic rallies in a Riley and MP Sir Greg Knight has been re-elected chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicle Group http://www.historicvehicles.org.uk/index.php

Then there was always this.... https://www.hagerty.co.uk/articles/automotive-hist...

[P5BNij]

Riley Blue said:

Though not PMs, there have been some petrol heads at Westminster. Lord David Steele was one, having competed in classic rallies in a Riley and MP Sir Greg Knight has been re-elected chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicle Group http://www.historicvehicles.org.uk/index.php

Then there was always this.... https://www.hagerty.co.uk/articles/automotive-hist...

David Steele also owned a Rover P5 Saloon at some point, and Lord Carrington had a Jensen Interceptor in the '70s.

[Equus]

Dynion Araf Uchaf said:

21st Century Man said:

Boris was a bit of a petrolhead, he did the odd bit of motoring journalism, I seem to remember a piece about a new Lamborghini and the Nissan GTR. I don't think he was a very good enthusiast driver though, he was rubbish on TG star in a car. Cameron had a Skoda vRS and an original Fiat 500.

Boris was not and never has been a petrol head. He got given that job because of connections and it sounded like a weeze. His reports were dire.

They were published as a book, too, mind: LINK

Bearing in mind that this is Boris we're talking about, the fact that he was dire, clueless and thoroughly inept at something doesn't necessarily indicate that it didn't interest him.

[iDrive]

P5BNij said:

Riley Blue said:

Though not PMs, there have been some petrol heads at Westminster. Lord David Steele was one, having competed in classic rallies in a Riley and MP Sir Greg Knight has been re-elected chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicle Group http://www.historicvehicles.org.uk/index.php

Then there was always this.... https://www.hagerty.co.uk/articles/automotive-hist...

David Steele also owned a Rover P5 Saloon at some point, and Lord Carrington had a Jensen Interceptor in the '70s.

David Steele had a Lynx Eventer too

[21st Century Man]

Menzies Campbell and his beloved twenty year old 5.3 V12 XJS which he'd had from new. He was forced by party pressure to sell, which he reluctantly did so, though he dragged his heels over it.

[Stuart70]

Yertis said:

Alan Clark MP would have made an entertaining PM.

Not so sure about that, but he certainly was a petrolhead - 911, Citroen DS decapotable, Rolls Royce and others.
His diaries make for an interesting read on cars, politics, relationships, arrogance and narcissism (not all of them intentionally covered!).