Russian President, Putin
boasts his official vehicle to Kim Jong-un
Identity of the vehicle, Aurus Senat
On the 13th local time, a summit between Russian President Putin and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un took place in Russia.
The meeting was held at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur region, about 621 miles away from Vladivostok, after 4 years and 5 months. Putin, who arrived first to greet Kim Jong-un, personally introduced his vehicle. The two are known to have had extensive conversations about the car. This was introduced as an “unplanned event,” and global attention was drawn to the vehicle that Putin arrived in.
Kim Jong-un arrived at the meeting in a Maybach limousine on his private armored train.
The vehicle that greeted him was a luxury Russian brand ‘Aurus’ a custom-made limousine known as the ‘Senat‘ model. Kim Jong-un examined the car from the outside and even sat in the back seat. Putin personally introduced the features of the Senat along with other models.
Russian version of Rolls-Royce
It costs around $1.5 billion to manufacture
After taking office, President Putin commissioned Aurus to create a custom limousine to compete with the U.S. president’s official vehicle, the ‘Cadillac One.’ The car born out of this request is the ‘Senat Limousine.’
The brand that produced the vehicle, ‘Aurus,’ is known as Russia’s first luxury car brand.
It is a compound word derived from ‘Aurum,’ which means gold in Latin, and the first three letters of Russia. Since Putin first used it at his inauguration, the state has provided Aurus vehicles whenever the head of state visits a foreign country or foreign leaders visit Russia.
In addition to the Senat that appeared that day, several vehicles from the Aurus brand are used as the Russian president’s official vehicles.
The National Automobile Research Institute in Moscow directly handled the vehicle design, and the Cortez manufactured it with Russian-made parts.
The vehicle is equipped with various bulletproof materials weighing 15,873 pounds. The length of the car is 276 inches, and it is known that 12.4 billion rubles (about $1.5 billion was invested in its manufacture.
Beyond imagination, security specs
Survivable even in war
The Senat is known to have the safety level of surviving even if the vehicle is completely submerged in water and can resist bomb and chemical weapon attacks. It also features tires that can drive for an extended period even if punctured, a 2.36-inch thick reinforced glass, a night vision camera, an air compression system to protect from gas attacks, armored plating, and an emergency exit.
It can also recognize road signs, and if it faces an unavoidable collision while driving, the passenger seat automatically moves to a safe position. At the same time, it automatically tightens all seat belts and closes all doors and windows. Also, the internal communication system is connected to Russian satellites, allowing communication in any situation.
Public sale models
are in discontinued production
The steering wheel of the Senat is engraved with the Russian national emblem, and beige seats and wood materials were used.
The interior features white leather seats, wooden detailing, and a digital dashboard equipped with a multimedia system.
The Russian presidential emblem is attached to the car door, and the ‘Aurus’ emblem is attached to the front grill of the vehicle.
Detailed specifications have not been disclosed, but it is speculated that an 850 horsepower V12 turbocharger engine and a 9-speed automatic transmission have been applied.
Meanwhile, the public sale models of the Senat were unveiled at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. The Senat’s body unveiled at the motor show is made of a material high in boron, which is robust against twisting and bending, and while very large, it is relatively light. Also, it was announced that the hybrid V8 engine mounted would deliver a maximum output of 590 horsepower and a maximum torque of 66.3 lb-ft. However, due to the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it is currently not being produced.
By. Seo Yunji (fv_editor@fastviewkorea.com)
Most Commented