Vladimir Putin couldn’t be any righter in choosing Aurus as Russia’s presidential car, and its downsized version is as luxurious as its full-sized limo counterpart. We all have seen the Aurus Senat sedan on still photos taken from the Moscow Motor Show and its tasteful take on luxury saloons. We can't help it – it’s really like a Rolls-Royce Ghost sans the Spirit of Ecstasy on the hood. In this walkaround video, however, its opulence is a sight to behold.
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Despite its huge grille, three-box shape, and rectangular headlamps that are reminiscent of the British marque, the Aurus Senat has its own identity. It is, after all, developed by Porsche and NAMI, which is short for the Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engines Institute of Russia.
It’s hard to ignore its plum-esque shade, which is quite fitting and exudes a lavish appeal. The moderate shower of chromes are quite fitting and aren’t obnoxious at all. The presidential limo is of course bullet-resistant, but if you want the same for the Senat sedan, Aurus, unfortunately, won’t offer the same bodywork to civilian customers.
Inside, the Senat isn’t short of the expected extravagance brought about by the exterior design. The matte finish on the abundant wooden trims inside looks (and presumably feels) good, and matches the beige color theme of its leather ensemble. Now, you might argue that the rear cabin looks small in the video as a man sitting inside (around 1:23) has his head nearly touching the headliners. That man was Nikolai Valuev, a politician, and a former Russian heavyweight boxing champion. He’s 7 feet tall, so there’s that.
What isn’t seen in the video was the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that resides under the hood. It was covered with a plastic panel, so it’s completely hidden from plain sight. In combination with an electric motor, the whole powertrain setup produces a total of 598 horsepower (446 kilowatts), coupled to a nine-speed automatic transmission that sends the power to all four wheels.
The Senat will go on sale by January 2019, with 150 vehicles expected to be sold during its first year. However, Aurus plans to eventually sell the four-door sedan in other countries, with a goal to sell 10,000 units a year.
Source: Organi Car via Youtube
Gallery: Aurus Senat