Rockets from Libya? How about Moamar Qaddafi's Libyan Rocket

If you were dictator of a small oil-rich country whose military aspirations had been thwarted by a world superpower, you can still have your rockets and drive them too. Or at least, if you are Mumar Qaddafi , you can have a Libyan Rocket.

Indeed, the Libyan government has engaged Tesco TS S.p.A., an Italian design and engineering firm, to bring the Leader's concepts to reality. "The dominant styling concept is the rocket shape resulting from the Leader’s futuristic vision," according to Dominico Morali, c.e.o. of Tesco TS.

The future, according to the Leader, apparently involves cars with pointy front and rear ends and a rather heavy handed profile view.

According to a press release from the company:

"The Rocket was developed in eight months, and in just 4 months from styling choice, by the Turin based Italian company Tesco TS S.p.A. Tesco TS, in cooperation with the Libyan Investment & Development Company (LIDCO), received the task to design, develop and build two prototypes following the Leader’s guidelines. At the same time, the company was also requested to develop the financial business case to manufacture the car in series production and create a real automotive sector in Libya. Finally, Tesco was also charged with the task of finding the right international partner in order to share an existing platform on which the Rocket could be based once the business case will be approved."

Apparently, he who pays the piper calls the tune.

The concepts have been given ceramic brakes, and a collision-activated fuel shutoff is cited as a safety feature, although it's fairly common on cars today. The Rocket also has "low speed crash absorbing system thanks to calibrated foam elements between body in white and bumpers."

A three-liter V-6 engine is said to be able to reach 60 mph in about seven seconds, a prodigious feat for a vehicle 216 inches long and 70 inches wide. In other words, about the same width as a Cadillac STS but almost two feet longer.

"As next step towards the creation of the automotive industry in Libya, Tesco TS is currently progressing at the detail analysis of the business case together with LIDCO in order to define key factors such as volumes, markets, product definition and to select the final platform on which the Rocket will be based," says Morali.

No doubt a business case will be developed and markets found, however small. Certainly being a dictator with a an oil-fed budget will help. Otherwise, good luck, fellas. We don't think even GM has anything to worry about, at least if these are the only Rockets Libya will be firing.

Illustrations: Top, Libyan Rocket, via Tesco TS; Moamar Qaddafi, AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File.

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