Although the Aurus Senat was impressive enough to catch the eye of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, it had become somewhat outdated for Russian President Vladimir Putin. At today’s inauguration event, which followed an election whose legitimacy has been questioned, Putin received a facelifted version of the imperious limousine as he begins his fifth term, embarking on another six years as Russia’s leader. Starting with the exterior, the first thing you’ll notice is that the grille has been modernized with wider-spaced slat slats and a decorative frill at the top. The chrome outline along the bottom now extends outward at each side, accentuating the side air intakes. Additionally, the headlights at the top of the front fascia have been upgraded to include L-shaped DRLs and matrix LED technology.
Around the back, the look is altogether
more harmonious, with rectangular taillights that are topped by a chrome strip
that extends across the full width of the car. The Senat’s license plate holder
has also been relocated further down, onto the bumper. The result? The limo now
looks more Bentley Flying Spur than Rolls-Royce Phantom. Well, at least they’re
staying loyal to British aesthetics.
Inside, Putin’s chauffeur will benefit
from a new NAMI MM infotainment system with a massive touchscreen that’s
customizable. The chauffeur will also benefit from improved cameras around the
vehicle (including one pointed at him), as well as a night vision system to
monitor the road when the sun goes down. The Senat will continue to be powered
by a hybrid powertrain centered around a 4.4-liter V8 that makes 598 hp. This engine sends power to all four wheels through a nine-speed
automatic transmission.
Whether you appreciate the updates or not
is somewhat academic at this point, since the Senat isn’t available for
purchase anyway. Currently, Aurus is only producing these vehicles for Putin’s
motorcade. However, if you’re reading this from, say, the upper reaches of the
Korean peninsula and find yourself enviously wishing for one, Tarantas reports
that broader production is expected to start in 2025 at a former Toyota plant
in St. Petersburg.
