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Russia seems to be developing a new heavily armoured car for the Russian President. However, unlike the beast, the Kortezh will also be open to other people who can afford it. Expected to be costing around $200,000 a piece and with only 5000 of them to be manufactured and the first lot of 200 to start coming out in 2017. Under the hood will be a V12 850hp 'Tsar' engine.

President Obama's 'Beast' has a Russian competitor

Given the rocky history shared by the US and Russia, it really is no surprise that as soon as news about Russian President's new indigenous car broke, comparisons between the vehicle and that of the outgoing US President, Obama's 'Beast'+ , set the Internet abuzz.

Currently, the Russian President is driven around in a custom-made, heavily armoured Mercedes S-Class Limousine, that costs over $200,000. However, President Putin's new car, called 'Kortezh', will be available for all high-level government employees. It will also be available for sale to anybody who can afford it.



This car for VIPs is expected to be rolled out between late 2017 and 2020. According to reports, a total of 5,000 such vehicles will be manufactured - 200 in the first lot itself. Kortezh will be manufactured in four styles - limo, minivan, sedan and SUV.

The vehicle will be significant in providing the much-needed impetus that the Russian automobile industry needs. In fact, the Russian government is reportedly pumping around $500 million in Project Kortezh. The Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Institute (NAMI) is in-charge of the project. Its members are known to have been trained in the latest motor-engineering technologies in western European countries, which include Austria, Germany, and England.

Ironically, not everything about the Kortezh is Russian. The country's Commerce and Industry Minister Denis Mantrurov confirmed that the German automobile manufacturer Porsche will help develop the vehicle's powertrain, a feature that now obviously holds much promise.



Of course, details about the car have been kept under tight wraps in the face of security concerns. But it can be assumed the Kortezh will come fitted with state-of-the-art features and, as is common with official state cars, a thick armour to protect its VVIP passengers.

It was rumoured that the vehicle would be fitted with a V12 turbo engine of up to 850hp. Reportedly, the V12 was initially nicknamed as the 'tsar engine'.
Some reports say that this vehicle holds its own in front of President Obama's Beast in all possible ways, including its exteriors. Others have gone as far to say that it is an extremely stylish vehicle, more than what the Beast boasts of.

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