You can now own Putin’s limo! Russia to begin mass producing Aurus cars (PHOTO, VIDEO)
Mass production of Russia’s new Aurus limousine, developed for the presidential motorcade, will begin in the eastern region of Tatarstan. The first vehicles will roll off the production line in 2020.
The project will be implemented at the production facilities of Russia's automobile company Sollers in the special economic zone of Alabuga, Tatarstan Republic, according to the Trade Minister Denis Manturov.
The automaker is set to provide production capacities for manufacturing some 5,000 Aurus cars per year, the minister said.
Aurus vehicles are currently produced as a limited series by the Russian state-run Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engines Institute (NAMI).
The maximum annual output totals 250 vehicles. So far, the institute has been producing only limousines and sedans. The current production levels are reportedly seriously lagging behind demand. An off-road vehicle Aurus Komendant will see the light in 2021-2022.
Aurus was born out of a project dubbed “Kortezh” (cortege), which was aimed at giving a boost to the domestic automobile industry by investing taxpayer money into developing a domestic presidential car line.
The goal was to have many components of the vehicle produced domestically, importing expertise and know-how as needed. Kortezh is estimated to have cost about $190 million over five years, according to the minister.
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