Rulers and Their Cars: When World Leaders Took the Wheel

The tradition of creating special vehicles for heads of state has a long history, as many of them were true car enthusiasts. For example, the first official car of US presidents was steam-powered. In 1907, Secretary of War William Taft initiated the purchase of two White Pullman tourers for the government. Although Theodore Roosevelt preferred horseback riding, Taft continued to actively use these cars after becoming president in 1909. According to Autocar.co.uk, reports .

Interestingly, although the automobile was invented in Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm II considered it a "passing fad" and did not own a car until the 1900s. One of the first motoring rulers in the world was Sultan Abdulhamid II of Turkey, who unexpectedly chose a British-made electric car. This vehicle, built by London's Acme & Immisch Electric Works, could reach speeds of 5-6 mph.

The Maharajas of India were also among the earliest automotive enthusiasts. Maharaja Waghji Rawaji II of Morvi wanted to travel at 40 mph during his tour of Britain in 1897 but was amazed by the speed, asking to brake when reaching just 20-22 mph. The Maharaja of Tikari was much bolder, participating in races in his Renault in 1906.

Another notable Asian motorist was Amir Habibullah Khan of Afghanistan. He became enamored with a Wolseley-Siddeley car during his visit to India in 1907. A few years later, he ordered equipment from the British firm worth £3.1 million in today's money. Wanting his people to learn about this new invention, the Amir sent a group of Afghans to Mumbai to train in car maintenance.