Ten Cars of Pure Evil

The automobile is so ubiquitous that even the most depraved individuals on Earth will have one at some point. Even from its genesis, the humble motorcar has been used as an instrument of evil; whether it be a getaway car for a bank job, an improvised explosive device, or simply a point-A-to-point-B method of transport for psychopaths and fascist dictators. The following 10 vehicles are just a small, but eerily fascinating, selection of some of the most notorious and nefarious things on four (or six) wheels.

Mercedes-Benz G4 W31

Built from 1934-39, this 6x4 off-road monster was built for use by the German Wehrmacht and Adolf Hitler. The open-topped staff car has been indelibly associated with Hitler’s reign, as he would often ride around large crowds in Berlin, giving his famous “Sieg Heil” salute to the massive crowds of supporters while standing in the W31.

Citroen Traction Avant

Aside from being one of the first front-wheel drive, unibody cars with four-wheel independent suspension, the Traction Avant was notorious for being popular with the Gestapo during World War II. In addition, French criminal Pierre Loutrel ran one of the largest organized crime syndicates at the time, named after the cars they drove: Le Gang des Tractions Avant.

Mercedes-Benz 600 "Grosser"

The Grosser was the ultimate Mercedes-Benz, and therefore the ultimate limousine, of the 1960s. With hydraulically-operated everything and about 1,000 feet in length, it’s not really a surprise that the 600 Grosser was a must-have item for the world’s most brutal dictators. Famous owners included: Idi Amin; Saddam Hussein; Mao Zedong; Kim Jong-il; Pol Pot; Leonid Brezhnev; Suharto, “Baby Doc” Duvalier…you get the picture.

Toyota Hilux

The Toyota Pickup (Hilux) is known worldwide for its reliability, durability, and mechanical simplicity. Therefore, it’s not surprising that many people in inhospitable climates depend on these vehicles to get from point A to point B. Unfortunately, the mighty Toyota has also been used by countless terrorist organizations, including: ISIS; al Qaeda; the Taliban; Boko Haram; and many more.

1959/1960 Chevrolet Impala

One of the most notorious serial killers of all time went on a murder spree between the late 1960s and the 1970s in northern California. Five murders have been conclusively attributed to this man, nicknamed the Zodiac Killer, and at least 20 more people are suspected to have been killed by the Zodiac. In a series of cryptic letters to police, Zodiac confessed to 37 murders, although he has never been identified. Several witnesses claimed to have seen a white 1959 or 1960 Chevrolet Impala driving away at around the same time and place as one of the murders. Presumably, this was the Zodiac Killer’s car.

1968 Volkswagen Beetle

Although the Type 1 Beetle is one of the most ubiquitous cars of all time, one particular Bug has a horrifying association. This white 1968 model belonged to Ted Bundy, one of the most notorious serial killers of all time. Evidence found in the back seat led authorities to suspect that Bundy had kidnapped and murdered some of his victims in this vehicle. For whatever reason, Bundy had an affinity for old Bugs. He escaped from prison in 1977, and when he was re-captured in 1978, he was driving a stolen orange Beetle.

1990 Chevrolet Caprice

This is no ordinary Caprice, to say the least. Among its modifications: a hole cut through the trunk lid, and the removal of the back seat and trunk wall. These modifications, in effect, turned the average sedan into a mobile sniper’s nest, allowing John Allen Muhammed and Lee Boyd Malvo to gun down 13 people, 10 fatally, in the Washington D.C. metro area and the Interstate 95 corridor during a three-week span in October of 2002. The tactically-modified Caprice allowed the two snipers to elude detection from law enforcement, and sent the whole area into a state of panic. In total, 17 deaths and 10 injuries throughout the United Stated since February of 2002 had been attributed to the pair of snipers.

1934 Ford Model 730

This bullet hole-riddled 1934 Ford unmistakably belonged to two of America’s most notorious criminals, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Travelling across the United States, the pair committed hundreds of felonies, including countless robberies and murders. The 1934 Ford essentially became the couple’s coffin, as a group of police officers mercilessly opened fire on it in Louisiana on May 23, 1934. Today, the car still exists, still bearing the wounds of that brutal ambush that occurred 82 years ago.

Renault Midlum

On July 11, 2016, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel rented a 19-ton Renault Midlum refrigerated cargo truck in Nice, France. Three days later, he loaded the cab with guns and ammunition, and drove it into a crowd of people celebrating Bastille Day on the Promenade des Anglais. After an exchange of gunfire with police, 85 people (including Lahouaiej-Bouhlel) were killed, and 308 more were injured. The attack is believed to be associated with the Islamic State, and was the third major terror attack in France since 2015.

1993 Ford F-700 Delivery Truck

Sadly, the Nice attack was not the first time a cargo truck had been used in an attack. On April 19, 1995, a Ryder rental truck filled with thousands of pounds of explosives was detonated in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, killing 161 people, injuring 700, and causing nearly $700 million in damages. The perpetrators of the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in the United States were Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, two former U.S. Army soldiers who had a vendetta against the U.S. government for their handling of the Ruby Ridge and Waco sieges that occurred years earlier.