Russian President Putin's New Limo Makes Debut Ahead Of 2017 Production

8 years ago - 7 April 2016, Autoblog
Russian President Putin's New Limo Makes Debut Ahead Of 2017 Production
What's the best way to ignore an international money-laundering scandal that's allegedly revealed your link to $2 billion in off-shore accounts? Why yes, you get a new car.

While information from the so-called Panama Papers is still being uncovered, Russian President Vladimir Putin's new Russian-made ride has been unveiled.

Unlike US President Barack Obama's Cadillac-badged Beast, Putin's Kortezh will be available to any Russian that has the means. A total of 5,000 will be built in four different styles – limo, sedan, SUV, and minivan – although only 200 will roll off production lines next year, Sputnik News reports. Deliveries are expected to start in late 2017, while assembly will carry on through 2020, the Moscow Times reports.

Commerce and Industry Minister Denis Mantrurov confirmed that Porsche has been brought in to help develop the Kortezh's powertrain. Whether that engine ends up being the turbocharged V12 we reported on way back in October 2014 isn't clear, though. Regardless of what's sitting under that long hood, we're betting it's going to be extremely powerful. Putin will likely take delivery of the Kortezh in 2017.

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