The “Libyan Rocket” (official name — Saroukh el-Jamahiriya) is a car prototype unveiled in 1999. Its concept and design were personally developed by the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
With active state support, the creators marketed the vehicle as “the safest car in the world.” The machine was intended to showcase the capabilities of Libya’s peaceful automotive industry, but the project never progressed beyond the prototype stage.
Gaddafi collaborated with the Italian automotive design studio Tesco TS SpA, which was responsible for building fully functional running prototypes.
The car’s appearance perfectly matched its name: the front and rear of the body were dramatically tapered and pointed, resembling a rocket. It was claimed that this shape would reduce damage in frontal and rear-end collisions by deflecting impact energy to the sides.
The vehicle was equipped with a large number of airbags, a deformable bumper designed to act as a wide crumple zone, an instant fuel-line shutoff system to prevent fires in the event of a crash, and a mysterious “electronic protection system.”
For desert use, the car was fitted with Run-Flat tires that, even after a complete puncture, allowed the vehicle to travel several dozen more miles across remote terrain.
Measuring 18 feet in length, the “Libyan Rocket” was a luxury sedan designed for five occupants. The interior was fully trimmed in leather and decorated with traditional Libyan carpets. Under the hood sat a 3.0-liter V6 engine producing 230 horsepower.
The first prototype was presented in a color referred to as “Libyan revolutionary green” at the Organization of African Unity summit in Sirte. The unveiling was timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the revolution that brought Gaddafi to power.
Ten years later, at a summit in Tripoli marking the 40th anniversary of Gaddafi’s rule, a second prototype painted in white was shown.
The state-owned Libyan Arab Domestic Investment Company (LADICO) repeatedly promised to build a dedicated factory in Tripoli for mass production of the “Rocket.” However, the factory was never built. Following the outbreak of the Libyan civil war in 2011 and Gaddafi’s death, his numerous residences and palaces were looted.
From time to time, rumors and unverified photos surface on social media allegedly showing these vehicles in rebel garages or on the outskirts of Tripoli. The exact whereabouts of the completed prototypes remain unknown to this day.
