Russian President Vladimir Putin’s new Aurus Senat
Limousine is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the lineup of the new
Moscow-based luxury automaker. Besides the long-wheelbase, armored state limousine, the newly-founded
Aurus brand will also build a regular luxury sedan called Aurus Sedan which
looks like a short-wheelbase, slightly less stately version of Putin’s ride.
As you can see in these official photos posted on
Aurus Motors’ website, the Senat luxury sedan looks just like the presidential
limousine, except it’s a lot shorter than Putin’s 6,620-mm long car. The images
also offer us a first look at the Senat’s elegant and luxurious interior, which
we suspect it shares with the Senat Limousine.
A release from Aurus Motors tells us the cabin
maintains a balance between tradition and innovation. It features high-quality
materials including “the best genuine leather of Russian production,” precious
wood trim, metal switchgear, and multimedia devices with glass screens.
Speaking of multimedia, the dash boasts two massive
digital displays: one in front of the driver acting as an instrument panel and
one above the center console acting as the main interface for the infotainment
system. The dash certainly looks upscale and the seats appear to be very
comfortable.
As with Putin’s car, chances are the Aurus Senat
also features a 4.4-liter V8 engine developed by Russia’s State Research
Institute NAMI and Porsche Engineering. In the presidential limousine, the
engine is said to deliver around 600 hp but the “civilian” version will likely
get the same engine in a lower state of tune.
The Aurus Senat is part of the Kortezh series (also
known as the Unified Modular Platform project), which will also include a
minivan and an SUV. The production models will be built by a joint venture
between NAMI and Sollers, with projected sales in Russia, China, and the Middle
East.
Expect to learn more about the Aurus Senat luxury
sedans as we get closer to their world debut at the Moscow Auto Show (August
29-September 9).
