After more than two decades in power, brutal Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was ousted in a dramatic coup over the weekend. In the middle of the coup, Bashar, his wife, and their three adult children fled to Moscow, where they were granted asylum.
At some point during the chaotic weekend, rebels stormed Assad's palace in Damascus. Lo and behold, the rebels discovered an ostentatious collection of luxury automobiles hidden away in a fortified underground garage.
The vehicles, collectively worth tens of millions of dollars, stood in stark contrast to the devastated country over which Assad had presided. Among the gleaming machines, a rare Ferrari F50 – one of only 349 ever produced – took pride of place alongside a fleet of Rolls Royce Ghosts, Lamborghinis, and other exotic vehicles. The Ferrari F50 on its own is likely worth $5 million.
The luxury collection offered a jarring glimpse into the extravagant lifestyle of the deposed dictator, who used his estimated $2 billion net worth to amass an automotive treasure trove while his country descended into poverty and chaos.
In one video posted to social media (which we've embedded below), a rebel appears to be driving around Assad's former garage. As he does a loop, his camera films Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Audis, Rolls Royces, Mercedes Benzes, and more. In total, there appear to be dozens of exotic cars in the garage.
90% of Syrians are under poverty line. Meanwhile, this is a small section of Assad's garage. pic.twitter.com/4HROOfxjTN
— Hassan Akkad حسان عقاد (@hassan_akkad) December 8, 2024
Road & Track gave a more detailed account of each of the cars spotted in the above video. Per their observations:
"At the very start of the garage tour, you can spot a couple luxury sedans and SUVs — a couple of 7 Series BMWs, a Lexus LX. Nothing too surprising so far. But things quickly get a lot more interesting: next to the Lexus sits a red Lamborghini LM002. Only about 300 of these super SUVs were ever made. With a V12 making 444 horsepower, massive 345/60VR-17 tires, and a nearly 7,000-lb curb weight, the LM002 remains one of the most extreme SUVs ever made. Today, they can be worth close to a half a million dollars.
We then see a couple of Toyota FJ Cruisers. Cool rides, but not exceptionally valuable — unlike the Ferrari F50 we then see, parked between an Aston Martin and a Ferrari F430.
There's more of the expected Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans and Cadillac Escalades, then a white Audi R8 appears, parked at the end of the row. Nearby sits a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG – spotted thanks to the open gullwing doors —parked next to a Bentley Continental GT. The next row features a Rolls-Royce Ghost, and then an Audi S8 and a new Land Rover Defender."
