A 1974 Paykan Hillman-Hunter owned by former Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu will be offered for auction on Thursday.
Limousine
The limousine, which was a gift from the last Shah of Iran, is one of seven vintage care going under the hammer in Bucharest.
It has a starting price of 4,000 euros and is the star item in Armark’s online auction headlined“All-Star Game.”
“For sure, Nicolae Ceaușescu used this collector’s car for his official meetings or to drive to special events, “ said Artmark PR Alina Panico.
National symbol
“This model was considered a national symbol of Iran because it had innovative features for this period. Relations between Iran and Romania (at that period) were on the up and up, “ she said.
It’s not the first time Paykan Hillman-Hunter has been offered for auction.
“Twenty years ago this car was auctioned at a special event where a there were other items owned by the dictator’s family,” Ms Panico said. “A car collector bought it.”
ARO 306
The late Romanian leader owned 12 rare cars, including an off-road ARO 306 which was his favorite. He also owned the first ever Dacia 1100 that was manufactured in Romania.
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, offered Ceausescu the limousine as a gift in 1974 when he was formally elected president of the Socialist Republic of Romania.
He came to power in 1965 when he became the general secretary of the Communist Party, then known as the Romanian Workers’ Party, three days after the death of Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej.
Iran
The car was manufactured in Iran in the early 1970s and based on the Chrysler model, according to Artmark.
It marked the launch of the new Iranian automobile industry and eventually became a national symbol of the Iranian industry. It became known as ‘The Iranian chariot.”
The cars are currently parked at outside Artmark’s Cesianu-Racovita Palace in Bucharest.
