Colombia's Most Famous Criminal Had A Penchant For Fast & Expensive Cars
Pablo Escobar is well known as Colombia's most notorious criminal. But before he became the leader of the Medellín Cartel, Escobar could have had a very different life. He had a passion for cars and even had an early racing career. Let's explore the history of Pablo Escobar's love of cars and his extensive car collection.
Pablo Escobar's Racing Days
Before becoming one of South America's most notorious criminals, Pablo Escobar was a racing aficionado throughout the early 1970s, falling in love with the new-to-Colombia Renault 4. He would finish as the runner-up in the 1979 Copa Renault in Medellín, despite having only raced in six races and being a relative newcomer to the sport.
Colombian National Police, Wikimedia Commons
Escobar Seemingly Performed Racetrack Miracles
While his criminal enterprise was up and running by the time he got into racing, Escobar would often be seen to lose precious seconds in the corners, before making up ground ahead of his competitors later in the race and miraculously finishing on the podium. Let's explore his incredible collection.
Ghazi777755, Wikimedia Commons
Mercedes Pullman S600
The Mercedes-Benz S600 Pullman was a bespoke limousine-style sedan favored by dictators throughout the world. Built between 1963 and 1981, the S600 was powered by a 6.3L V8 engine and was a marvel of technical innovation in its era. As one of the great Mercedes cars, it's no wonder Escobar snapped one up.
Inside Pablo Escobar's Car Collection, The Richest
Mercedes Pullman S600 (Cont'd)
The car had a massive 112L fuel tank and an engine that produced 247 hp. Escobar's Pullman S600 was actually destroyed in a fire during an attack by a rival gang in 1988. Today, the car is one of the most expensive classic Mercedes, with some fetching upwards of $3.5 million.
Inside Pablo Escobar's Car Collection, The Richest
Porsche 356A
The classic Porsche owned by celebrities like Patrick Dempsey, David Letterman, and others, the 356A was one of Ferdinand Porsche's first models, after the "Pre-A" original model. Powered by a 1.6L boxer engine that was air-cooled, naturally aspirated, and came with dual downdraft carburetors, the 356A could produce 115 hp and a top speed of 118 mph.
Porsche 356A (Cont'd)
Good enough for the kingpin's kingpin, the 356A featured numerous innovations, including a curved windshield that was made from a single piece of glass, teardrop-shaped rear tail lights, and a curved hood design that would typify classic Porsches for years to come.
Alf van Beem, Wikimedia Commons
Mercedes-Benz SL Gullwing
Pablo Escobar rode around in serious style. If it wasn't the Mercedes Pullman, it was either the Mercedes SL Roadster (which we'll talk about later) or the gorgeous SL Gullwing, otherwise known as the 300 SL. Equipped with a mechanical direct fuel injection system that would increase its power production, the Gullwing could reach a speed of 162 mph. This made it the world's fastest production car in the mid-1950s.
THIS WAS PABLO ESCOBAR'S CAR COLLECTION! DID HE WANTED TO IMITATE AL CAPONE?, JDM Swap
Mercedes-Benz SL Gullwing (Cont'd)
Of course, it would be some 25-30 years before Escobar could get his hands on one. Given his racing history, it's no wonder he sought out this ultra-lightweight racing champion of a car. With the steel tubular frame on a steel chassis, and all-aluminum doors, hood, and dashboard to reduce weight, Escobar probably appreciated the meticulous German engineering behind the iconic car.
THIS WAS PABLO ESCOBAR'S CAR COLLECTION! DID HE WANTED TO IMITATE AL CAPONE?, JDM Swap
1974 Porsche 911 IROC RSR
Speaking of iconic, Escobar's most iconic car is this 1974 Porsche 911. It's a racing version of the car, raced by Brazilian racing champion Emerson Fittipaldi. Complete with his name atop the windshield and colored in a beige color with racing decals and blacked-out headlights (an addition later made by Escobar), the car was powered by a 3.0L engine that produced 315 hp.
1974 Porsche 911 IROC RSR (Cont'd)
Only 15 of these cars were built for that race in 1974, but just eight now remain. And Pablo Escobar owned one of them. A legendary race car with a storied history? Sounds exactly like something you'd expect from a man for whom money was no object.
Dan Wildhirt, Wikimedia Commons
1973 Porsche 911 Targa
Another infamous Porsche in Escobar's collection is the 911 Targa, a beautiful two-door coupe powered by a 2.4L engine that produced 190 hp through mechanical fuel injection. The 911 Targa was a top-of-the-line model, costing approximately $63,000 today. Mere pennies for one of the world's richest criminals, as Escobar's enterprises grew in the 1970s.
Thesupermat, Wikimedia Commons
1973 Porsche 911 Targa (Cont'd)
Porsche switched to a new engine and unveiled a new 911, the Carrera 2.7L that could produce 210 hp, but Escobar still loved his detachable-roof 911 Targa, only upgrading to the iconic IROC 911.
1928 Cadillac V8 Town Sedan
But it wasn't all German-engineered brilliance in Escobar's garage, no. There were some American classics in there as well, including the Cadillac V8 Town Sedan from 1928. Otherwise known as the Cadillac V-63, the car used the L-head V8 engine that put Cadillac on the map. It was a stunning luxury car with whitewall tires, wood wheel spokes, and the option for a five-passenger sedan.
Inside Pablo Escobar's Car Collection, TheRichest
1928 Cadillac V8 Town Sedan (Cont'd)
While we don't know exactly, it's likely that Escobar went with the larger option. Available in either a 5.1L or 5.8L V8, the Cadillac Town Sedan produced 80 hp. But it wasn't about power with this Caddy, no, this was about pure class and luxury. A gorgeous car in every respect.
Inside Pablo Escobar's Car Collection, TheRichest
Rolls Royce Phantom I
Not many people can afford to have one of the rarest Rolls-Royces ever built. The Phantom I was produced between 1925 and 1931, with just 3,500 cars built in those six years. Powered by a 7.6L inline-six engine, this beautiful car could produce 40 hp and was simply a joy, we assume, for Escobar to travel in.
THIS WAS PABLO ESCOBAR'S CAR COLLECTION! DID HE WANTED TO IMITATE AL CAPONE?, JDM Swap
Rolls Royce Phantom I (Cont'd)
It's likely that the man from Medellin sourced a US-built Phantom I sometime in the 1970s, which was built in Springfield, Massachusetts, between 1926 and 1931. The US model had a fuel gauge on the dash in a different spot than their UK counterparts, and the fuel injectors had to be manually lubricated from inside the car—although it's likely that Escobar had a mechanic or two who could do this for him.
THIS WAS PABLO ESCOBAR'S CAR COLLECTION! DID HE WANTED TO IMITATE AL CAPONE?, JDM Swap
Renault 4
We mentioned Escobar's love of racing before. Well, he kept the original Renault 4 that he raced way back in the early 1970s, making it a cornerstone of his famous collection. Known to Colombians in the 1970s as "Amigo fiel", or "faithful friend," the Renault was the best-selling model in the country, powered by an inline-four, 1,300 cc engine.
Inside Pablo Escobar's Car Collection, TheRichest
Renault 4 (Cont'd)
His little Renault 4 was among the first race cars in which Escobar achieved success and had a special place in his heart because of it. He had his own livery and bore the number 70 on the side of the car. He, along with millions of his countrymen, enjoyed the practicality and simplicity of the Renault 4.
https://youtu.be/a7dI_RX4oKQ?si=M-FdFHsLL9eqfMz1
Simca 1000
Another French manufacturer to make it big in South America was Simca. Founded in 1934 as a subsidiary of the Italian automaker Fiat S.p.A., Simca produced small, practical, family cars throughout the 1930s until 1970, when it was declared defunct. But not before Colombia's most powerful man got his hands on a runabout Simca 1000, a model that was produced in Spain but shipped to Colombia in the 1960s.
Simca 1000 (Cont'd)
The Simca 1000 featured all-round disc brakes and ran on a 777 cc engine producing between 48 and 64 hp. It was inconspicuous by nature, which was exactly what Escobar needed. Built by Chrysler Colmotores in Colombia, the car became the standard for taxi companies, some of whom may have been on Escobar's payroll.
Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40
Of course, Colombia is a somewhat rugged landscape with many roads that lead to far-flung places and dense jungle. To navigate this terrain effectively, Escobar needed to swap the opulence of his Rolls-Royce or Mercedes-Benz Gullwing for something a whole lot more practical: a Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40, a 3.0L inline-four off-roader factory-fitted with a roll bar.
Nathaniel2256, Wikimedia Commons
Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 (Cont'd)
The car achieved legendary status in the off-road world globally, so much so that Toyota still carries and sells parts for the FJ40, which would become the precursor to the modern iteration of the FJ. It filled a practical void in Escobar's garage, allowing him to move quickly and easily, disappearing into the Colombian jungles to evade capture.
Mr.choppers, Wikimedia Commons
You May Also Like:
The Sportiest "Regular Cars" On The Market
Cars That Prove Aerodynamics Can Be Beautiful
