Among all the Soviet leaders, Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev stood out not only for his long stay in power, but also for his unusual passion – collecting luxury cars. Although he rarely got behind the wheel, he loved to ride in elite cars, and both his allies and foreign leaders knew about this weakness.
Mercedes – the main favorites of the General Secretary
A special place in Brezhnev’s garage was occupied by Mercedes-Benz cars – a symbol of prestige and status. Among them were:
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Mercedes-Benz 450SLC (W107) — a gift from the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Willie Brandt, one of the most luxurious convertibles of its time.
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Mercedes-Benz W126 (predecessor of the S-class) — the embodiment of German engineering excellence.
These cars were not just transport, but a demonstration of international recognition of the Soviet leader.
Exclusive gifts from the West
Brezhnev also received cars from capitalist countries, which looked especially symbolic during the Cold War:
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Citroën SM — a French-Italian masterpiece from Maserati with hydropneumatic suspension, one of the most technologically advanced cars of the 1970s.
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Lincoln Continental — a gift from the US President Richard Nixon, a symbol of American luxury.
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Cadillac Eldorado – a personal gift from Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, which Brezhnev sometimes drove himself. After the death of the General Secretary, the fate of this car remained a mystery.
Soviet and socialist camp cars in the collection
Despite his love for Western cars, Brezhnev was also given cars from socialist countries:
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GAZ-14 “Chaika” (1979) – an elite Soviet limousine, but in the eyes of the General Secretary it was clearly inferior to foreign cars.
Škoda 110R (1970) – a Czechoslovakian sports car, which, according to rumors, was even returned to the factory due to lack of interest from Brezhnev.
What happened to the collection after Brezhnev’s death?
After the death of the General Secretary in 1982, his automotive legacy began to be sold off:
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Some of the cars went to other party officials.
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Brezhnev’s daughter, Galina, known for her love of diamonds and stormy personal life, showed no interest in her father’s car fleet.
Conclusion
Brezhnev’s collection was unique for a Soviet leader – it surpassed the garages of many Western millionaires and symbolized the paradoxes of the era: a communist leader receiving as a gift the best creations of the capitalist auto industry. Today, these cars could form a museum collection, but most of them have sunk into oblivion, leaving behind only memories of luxury available only to the top of the Soviet regime.
