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Vladimir Putin has ridden in a customised submarine
while the President of Uruguay drives an old Volkswagen Beetle. Here are
some of the more unusual forms of transport heads of states have used.
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The current Italian president'scar is an armoured Maserati but the
president also has a more interesting vehicle at his service - a three
wheeled Piaggio Ape sits at his residence, the Villa Roseberry in
Naples. It is blue, decorated with the President's livery and has trims
in wood and leather seats.
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The North Korean leader has a 200ft
superyacht according to American basketball star Dennis Rodman who spent
time on it. Rodman described the vessel as a "cross between a ferry and
a Disney boat". According to satellite imagery, the Kim family has a
large private compound in the east of the country that houses private
villas, beaches and a large boat shed. In June, Kim Jong-Un was pictured
with a £4.5 million luxury cruiser which he used to navigate the
country's east coast during a 10-day official tour. The 95ft yacht could
be in violation of UN sanctions on the sale or export of "luxury goods"
to the North Korean government.
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In June, Russian president Vladimir
Putin used a James Bond-esque submarine to view a shipwreck in the Gulf
of Finland. The Russian leader descended 60 metres (200 ft) to see the
remains of the naval frigate Oleg aboard a submersible worth
approximately $2.4 million.
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Technically Air Force One is the call sign of any Air Force
aircraft carrying the President. However in practice it is used to refer
to one of two highly customised Boeing 747 planes used to transport the
president. Capable of refuelling mid-air, Air Force One has unlimited
range. It would be able to function as a mobile command centre in the
event of an attack on the United States, with advanced communications
equipment. The President has 4,000sq ft of floor space on three levels.
The Presidential suite features a large office, lavatory, and conference
room. Air Force One also includes a medical suite that can function as
an operating room, and a doctor is permanently on board. The plane’s two
food preparation galleys can feed 100 people at a time. The quarters for
those who accompany the president are slightly less opulent.
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The Royal train is used by the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the
Prince of Wales on longer journeys around the UK. It has been a
permanent fixture of regal life since the reign of Queen Victoria but
according to the Keeper of the Privy Purse, it may soon be forced to
come to a halt. In an admission to a committee of MPs in October, he
warned the current rolling stock only has five to 10 years of service
left.
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The President of Uruguay Jose Mujica has been dubbed by some as
the "poorest president in the world". He donates 90 per cent of his
wealth to charity and he drives a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle. This replaced
the official state car which was a far fancier armourmed Chevrolet Vecta.
Upon taking up office in 2010 he said his net worth amounted to the
value of the car- a mere £1,300.
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The Pope has a specially designed 'Popemobile' which allows him to
be more visible when greeting large crowds. It is usually an open-topped
armoured vehicle, although Pope Francis prefers to jump in and out of
his vehicle to greet the faithful. In September he was given a1984
Renault 4 economy car with 186,000 miles on the clock. He has reportedly
given up the flashier Mercedes-Benz after appealing to priests not to
drive expensive cars. He has also been seen recently in a Ford Focus.
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The King of Saudi Arabia owns one of the largest superyachts in
the world, the Prince Abdulaziz. At a length of 147m the boat was the
longest and tallest motor yacht in the world for 22 years. At full
capacity, the yacht requires a 60-65 man crew and offers accommodation
for up to 64 guests. It even has a helicopter landing pad.
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