Russia’s Cortege / Kortezh project is nearing
completion as the country’s Industry and Trade Minister has revealed the model
will be ready for action later this year.
According to Russia Today, Minister Denis Manturov
told the Izvestia newspaper that Putin’s new limo was recently subjected to a
series of crash tests and the results were “positive.” He went on to say “The
car will soon be presented to the public.”
The exact timing of its debut remains unclear as
Manturov said the “cars for trial will be delivered, on time, before the end of
April.” While there had been speculation that the model could be used during
Putin’s presidential inauguration on May 7th, it appears that might not be the
case. However, Manturov said he hopes Putin “will start using this vehicle very
soon.”
While Russia’s leader will soon be able to catch a
ride in the luxurious and armored vehicle, the rest of us won’t get a chance to
check out the car until the model is shown at the Moscow International
Automobile Salon in August.
Little is known about the Cortege / Kortezh family
of vehicles but videos and renderings have shown the presidential limousine
will have a Rolls-Royce vibe mixed with ZIL-like touches. There are also plans
for an assortment of other models including a more traditional sedan, a
crossover and possibly even a minivan.
The presidential limousine will be ultra luxurious
as previous photos have shown a leather-lined cabin with wood trim and metallic
accents. The rear passenger compartment is slated to have four individual seats
which face each other and are separated by a full-length center console.
