How did Indian Express Group's Viveck Goenka come to own Saddam Hussein's car?
Find out how Viveck Goenka acquired the car once owned by Iraq's Saddam Hussein.
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When you think of classic and vintage car collectors in India, Viveck Goenka is a name fondly mentioned. Goenka is the chairman, managing director and editorial director of the Indian Express Group. An avid auto enthusiast, his collection includes over 100 pristinely maintained vintage and classic cars.
In an interview with the scion of the Baroda Royal Family, Pratapsinh Gaekwad, on the YouTube channel Buggy Khana, Goenka was showcasing some of his near and dear cars and sharing interesting stories behind them.
From the car that got him into collecting and caring - the humble 1963 Fiat, a car that his mother owned and he learnt to drive when he was 8!, to the ever-reliable Goenka family-owned 1935 Bentley Park Ward Convertible.
Goenka's favourite car to drive however, is the rare and incredibly desired 1971 Jaguar E Type V12 Convertible. The quirky 1977 Citroen DS known for its rather aerodynamic design and superb suspension is another of Goenka’s prized possessions.
The car that stood out though is not what you’d expect. Not a flashy Rolls Royce or a rare Mercedes but a simple and rather unassuming Studebaker Gran Tursimo. Surprising right? Well, not really. The car used to be owned by Saddam Hussein, the man who ruled Iraq with an iron fist for nearly 30 years.
How did Goenka come to acquire this car then?
When the regime fell, most of Hussein's cars were stolen from the palace and sold in Dubai. But the dealers were more interested in the Ferrari’s and other supercars. Two of these vintage cars were just practically given away.
“I wrote to the government and got permission to bring in a few cars, got an import license and brought them in,” Goenka said in the video.
This adds to the commercial value of a car. For the vintage and classic car market, provenance, quality of restoration, history and story matter and add to the value of a car. However, for a car-lover, the commercial aspects are just incidental.
Goenka has also established one of India’s best classic cars restoration workshops. His collection also has vintage Land Rovers and Rolls Royce. It includes a Range Rover bought from the Delhi State Trading Company, his first ever car from the British marque. At the Cartier Concours 2019, Viveck and Zita Goenka’s 1951 Standard-Vanguard Phase 1 won the Mark Shand Adventurer Trophy, which honours the memory of the late British travel writer and conservationist known for his love for elephants and his backing for the Indian concours.
