AUTONEWS

THE SUV OF THE CURRENT CZAR OF RUSSIA APPEARS FOR THE FIRST TIME

Whenever we refer to the Russian car manufacturer Aurus, we are talking about a company that is in charge of providing an authentic ‘bunker’ on wheels to the nation’s president, Vladimir Putin. Now, his next creation was discovered after some leaked images where we can see the ideal battleship that will allow the top Russian leader to make an occasional escape to the countryside.
As SUV fashion seems to have no end, the Soviet automaker decided to join it with the Aurus Komendant. The best proof of this is the recent photographs from the Russian Federal Intellectual Property Service (Rospatent), which join those offered by photographers on duty a few months ago on a frozen lake in northern Sweden. At that time the Russian crossover was not alone, as it could be seen riding in the company of the Senat sedan and Van Arsenal.
In these images a prototype appeared in its first testing phase, taking into account that the final taillights were missing and the double exhaust system simply did not seem to present its definitive finishes. From some angles, it was observed that the A and D pillars did not have the corresponding interior finish, while the front door handles presented a very basic aspect, unlikely in a luxury-oriented production model.



However, thanks to the recent leak we can appreciate the definitive design of the Komendant. We are talking about a very elegant model whose front resembles the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, as both the large grille and the design of the headlights show remarkable similarities. The full-bodied SUV features classic proportions with a long hood, generous glass area and large wheel arches, while square tail lights, an airfoil and two square tailpipes integrated into the bumper stand out at the rear.
Since the Komendant is essentially an SUV version of Senat, the interior design shouldn't be a big surprise, as it was heavily inspired by that model. Looking at the images leaked in Sweden, we can corroborate this theory, as the interior is very similar, with a prominent center console and a touch screen that runs through the panel.



Like the aforementioned sedan, the new SUV is being developed by the Central Institute for Scientific Research on Automobiles and Automotive Motors (NAMI). It will be equipped with a 4.4-liter V8 engine that produces 598 hp of power and an outstanding maximum torque of 880 Nm. The powerful combustion engine will work together with an electric unit that provides 62 hp, a 9-speed automatic transmission and a total traction system.



Apparently, the series production of the imposing SUV is scheduled to start in 2022, after the launch of the Sedan and Van, since during this year of 2020 the company will be busy with the development of 200 vehicles for the state authorities.