From Toyota to Putin's ride: Aurus Senat gears up in St. Petersburg

The factory in St. Petersburg, once owned by Toyota, has now been acquired by a state-owned company. This entity plans to kickstart the production of the Aurus Senat, a model renowned for being the base of Vladimir Putin's official government limousine.

The Aurus brand is a pinnacle of achievement in the Russian automotive sector. The most notable of its offerings is the Senat limousine, which Russian President Vladimir Putin routinely uses. The vehicle has earned the President’s high regard. Kim Jong Un, who received this luxurious limousine from Putin, has also admired it.

Despite its nickname, the "Russian Rolls-Royce," in terms of performance, prestige, or security features, it does not quite match up to the vehicles used by leaders of other nations, including the U.S. President and his "Beast."

Despite disregarding state-driven promotional claims, the production versions haven't seen much commercial success. This is reflected in Aurus's sales figures, with only 40 units being sold in the first quarter of 2024. The ban on Western automotive brands in the Russian market hasn't notably boosted their popularity.

One such factory that was taken over was the former Toyota plant, now controlled by the state-owned NAMI, the majority shareholder of Aurus. This plant is located in St. Petersburg and is scheduled to commence Senat production in 2024. This marks the second manufacturing location for Aurus, with the first in Tatarstan, roughly 1000 kilometres (about 620 miles) from Moscow.

However, it remains to be seen if producing Putin's limousine at this new site will bring significant benefits. Despite a planned update in 2024, the impact might be minimal. Currently, the Russian automotive market is increasingly dominated by Chinese brands, stepping in to fill the void left by Western companies. The local manufacturing sector still struggles to gain expertise, design quality, and a skilled workforce.