Which plant will produce motorcade cars. UAZ for President or Government Limousine (Cortege program)

The president Russian Federation travels on special armored vehicles Mercedes brand. However, in this moment is under development new car executive class intended for trips of the first persons of the state. The so-called project "Cortege" will soon become the main means of transportation for the president.

The creators of the project "Cortege"

The official name of the "Cortege" is "Single Modular Platform". Cars of this project will be produced by Aurus brand. The name of the brand consists of two Latin words: aurum (gold) and Russia (Russia).

Specialists from the Russian automobile company Sollers will assist in the development of the project. The development itself is carried out under the control of the state scientific center of Russia "Central Research automotive institute US". Today, the NAMI center is a leading scientific company in the field of mechanical engineering. In turn, the development of the presidential car by NAMI is carried out with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.

In the fall of 2013, Decree No. 1642-r was signed, which allowed the NAMI organization to develop the project without holding a competition. FSUE "NAMI" is the only executor of the state order and the developer of a "pilot project for the development and production of domestic cars based on a single modular platform that provides the creation of vehicles for the transportation of the first government officials and other persons under state protection.

When will the debut of the new car take place?

It is expected that the car will appear on public display at the inauguration ceremony of the President of the Russian Federation after the 2018 elections. The Russians will be able to see a new presidential car, which will surpass even a special car american president Barack Obama. Russian transport will have the most a high degree protection, it will be equipped with all types of communications and, of course, armored.

The main purpose of creating these cars is the transportation and escort of the head of state and other high-ranking officials. But the creators of the project are also planning to release passenger unarmored vehicles from the same series, designed for mass production. Crossovers and minivans will go on sale in a small batch of 200-300 pieces. Their release is scheduled for 2018-2019. Cars for private individuals will not be equipped with armor and special communications, like the president's car. In the future, the vehicles of the EMP project will go on sale in the markets of the Middle East and China, but it is too early to talk about the export of transport.

Vehicles will be assembled at Ulyanovsk car factory, which is engaged in the production of UAZ. The latest news says that after the successful launch of the presidential car in 2018, negotiations will be held on organizing the production of minibuses of the Cortege project.

The history of the creation of the project "Cortege"

The development of the project began in 2013. It included the creation and production of premium cars intended for the head of state and other officials under state protection. The production itself was planned for 2017-2018. It is known that the budget of the project, according to the Kommersant publishing house, is estimated at 12.5 billion rubles. In 2016, 3.5 billion rubles were allocated from the state budget for the development of transport.

According to some reports, in mid-2017, the NAMI organization suspended its activities related to the development of off-road vehicles for a certain period due to a lack of Money. For this reason, it was decided to direct all available resources in the first place to the creation presidential limousine, escort sedan and minivan. However, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov denied this information about the lack of finance for the construction of cars. “I didn’t even understand who said it. All work is going according to plan,” the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade told the press. By the way, Manturov confirmed that the President of the Russian Federation, elected in 2018, will arrive at the inauguration ceremony in a new car of the Cortege project. Manturov also clarified that until then the car would not be shown to anyone in order to keep the intrigue. In the summer of 2017, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, the current president of Russia, tested special vehicles.

On November 20 last year, the developers announced that they had begun assembling the first 14 cars. The first batch of 16 vehicles of the project entered the Federal Security Service at the end of 2017. Among these cars were EMP-4123 sedans and EMP-412311 limousines. Retail sale of cars of the Cortege project will most likely be only in 2019. The cost of such a vehicle varies from 6 to 8 million rubles.

As you know, until the 2000s, the first persons of the state moved to Soviet limousines ZIL-41047. During the reign of Vladimir Putin vehicle President changed to Mercedes-Benz.

Complete set and power unit of cars of the project "Cortege"

Several variants of the power unit created by NAMI will go on sale:

1. 4-cylinder engine, power 250 hp;
2. 8-cylinder engine, 650 hp (together with Porsche Engineering);
3. 12-cylinder engine, power 850 hp;
4. 6-cylinder diesel (for SUV).

All engines will be equipped with a nine-speed automatic transmission gears.

The organization plans to produce cars by level of equipment in five price categories:

1. "Business". The closest analogue is Mercedes-Benz ML worth 2-3 million rubles (10-20 thousand cars per year);
2. "Premium". The closest analogue is the Mercedes-Benz 500, GL worth 3-5 million rubles (3-5 thousand cars per year);
3. "Lux". The closest analogue is Mercedes-AMG, Porsche worth 5-10 million rubles;
4. "Luxury". The closest analogue is Rolls-Royce Ghost, Bentley Flying Spur worth 15-20 million rubles (500 cars per year);
5. "Exclusive". The closest analogue is Bentley Continental GT costing from 20 million rubles and more (50-100 cars per year).

What are Cortege cars capable of?

Experts in this field have already recognized that the cars of the Cortege project will be in demand among businessmen and government officials, because for the first time the Russian Federation has its own supercar, one of which will be driven by the president himself.

In 2013, the government banned public procurement of foreign-made cars. IN this case it's not about Russian assemblies foreign cars. Nevertheless, for the first persons of the state, all cars, components, assemblies, and even the smallest spare parts will undergo a thorough check by security services for various vulnerabilities and “bookmarks”. These vehicles will be equipped with a special communication system, multimedia systems, means of protection against eavesdropping and interception of communications, evacuation systems and all kinds of other "gadgets". This vehicle will be on the move even after a heavy shelling of tires, thanks to a system of disks on which the limousine can move without tires. Also in the limousine will be a special self-sealing fuel tank and a fire extinguishing system, which will avoid various kinds of troubles. Inside there are oxygen tanks in case of a gas attack, compartments for storing weapons and so on.

What is inside the car of the Cortege project, and how it is protected, one of the creators of the vehicle told the head of state. This person also shared with journalists that even on the territory not cleared by the FSO, the president's car will meet rivals fully armed, namely with drones, grenade and machine gunners. However, the creator of the car did not disclose more detailed subtleties for security reasons. detailed information about armored cars is kept in strict confidence.

The style of the limousine is similar to Stalin's ZIS-115 limousine, but inside there is not a single detail similar to previous presidential cars.

According to experts, the car of the American president is able to withstand attacks, and the car Russian President even ready for war. The car is able to survive a small nuclear explosion at a certain distance. “It will be power, strength, greatness, technology and safety, and all this in one limousine,” said one of the development specialists, “But any detailed description will be considered a violation of state secrets.

According to the specialist, the Federal Security Service will receive the car of the project in advance in order to study it and master it, as well as for driver training, because all cars differ in dynamics, acceleration, behavior on the road, and so on, and you need to take into account each parameter, prepare for possible emergencies during the trip. NAMI employees do not hide the fact that a photo of a car can get on the Internet, but no one will know for sure what is inside the Cortege project in advance.

Suppliers of parts for cars "Cortege"

The developers of vehicles with the official name "Single Modular Platform" are actively selecting suppliers of parts for the project's vehicles. Contractors became known from some sources:

• production electric windows the Samara group of companies "AVTOCOM" is engaged in. This industrial group produces a huge range of spare parts for Russian factories engineering.
• Stabilizer struts front and rear suspension produced in the Chelyabinsk region by the TREK company. This organization produces suspension parts for such automotive companies as GAZ, AvtoVAZ, PSMA Rus, as well as for a number of other enterprises.
• Armored glass is manufactured by Magistral LTD, located in the Vladimir region. It is known that this company was entrusted with the production armored glass for herself main machine project "Cortege" - presidential limousine EMP-41231SB. To date, the company "Magistral LTD" is largest manufacturer glasses for armored cars throughout Russia. According to some reports, it is assumed that glass for unarmored cars will be manufactured by the Moscow company Mosavtosteklo.
• Car tires are developed at the Nizhnekamsk Tire Plant. It produces tires for both conventional and armored vehicles. As mentioned above, for the special vehicles of the president, unique impenetrable tires on high-strength discs are produced. The discs were produced at the Chelyabinsk Forging and Pressing Plant.
• FSUE NAMI ordered interior trim panels from the Samara company AI-2, which is also major supplier parts for UAZ, GAZ and AvtoVAZ.
• Steering knuckles, tie rods, hubs, suspension arms and other parts were ordered from the Belebeevsky Avtokomplekt plant.
• Leather for interior trim is produced by the Russian Leather holding. This holding recently opened a new leather production in the Moscow region, which is the largest in Europe.
• Interior heating and ventilation systems will be supplied by IPROSS, a company from Tolyatti. The company began preparing parts back in 2016.

And this is not the whole list of suppliers who prepare parts for the Cortege. Each project participant must maintain confidentiality, because NAMI has strictly forbidden its partners to disclose any information about the production of project details. It is assumed that NAMI cooperates with 130 companies for the production of various automotive parts. Thus, NAMI is the most major project Russian car industry for the last few year s.

Information preliminary
changes, clarifications and refutations are possible

April 18, 2014 The head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, during his visit to NAMI, said that SUVs for the Cortege project, which involves the development of a line of domestic cars for top officials, will be produced at the facilities UAZ.
He said that "the point has already been put in this matter": at UAZ, within the framework of the project, they will assemble not only cars for officials, but also "produce SUVs more available class ", using the same platform. According to the minister, after 2017 UAZ can produce up to 40 thousand of these SUVs.
This is directly in line with Sollers' plans to launch the new UAZ Patriot platform by 2018.

concept SUV Marussia F2. It could have been used in the Cortege, but Marusya Motors ceased to exist in 2014.

The Cortege project has been under development since 2012, includes the creation and production premium car for top officials, as well as escort vehicles - multivan, sedan and SUV. Production is scheduled to start in 2017-2018.
In the fall of 2013, NAMI became the sole executor of the state order for the development of vehicles under the project. The volume of budget investments in Kortezh is estimated at 12.4 billion rubles. until 2017 inclusive.

In 2014, 3.61 billion rubles have already been allocated from the budget. Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich estimated the total investment in the project at 22-24 billion rubles. The price of an SUV can start from 2 million rubles, and business class sedans - from 1-1.5 million rubles.
However, representatives of Sollers said that they could make an SUV on the Cortege platform "really mass car", the price of which in 2017 "will be less than 1 million rubles."
Oleg Deripaska's GAZ group, Volkswagen, which has a production facility in Kaluga, and Moscow's ZIL, which is being reanimated by the MosavtoZIL joint venture of Sberbank and the Moscow government, are considered as other car manufacturers within the Cortege.
According to the minister, KamAZ can also take part in the project, which "is regarded as possible partner Mercedes" to launch production of sedans in Russia premium brand(Daimler owns 11% of shares in KamAZ).
The manufacturer of sedans will be determined by mid-summer, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade expects to finally decide on all sites before the end of the year.

The Technical Assignment for an SUV class escort vehicle states: Length 5300-5700 mm, width 2000-2100 mm, wheelbase 3000-3300 mm, height 1850-1950 mm.

At the moment, UAZ does not have a platform for this kind of task. The extended Limousine is built on old platform and does not meet the requirements of the car for the first persons, the UAZ concept, shown in 2006, was not launched into the series :(.
Theoretically, the planned purchase of a license from SsangYong could become such a platform (we saw a fitting of such a hybrid in 2005). However, this does not fit well with the idea of ​​a government limousine as a national car.
So let's wait for the news...

In the meantime, sketches of designers:

You can see some sketches

July 2014, some data on the Tuple platform is clarified:

The Cortege platform (or EMP - a single modular platform) - all-wheel drive, with center differential Torsen and a longitudinal arrangement of the power unit. cardan shaft from transfer box To front axle goes on the right, as, for example, in the Audi Q7.
The motor is located above the front axle, the gearbox and transfer case are shifted into the cabin, almost to the middle of the base. One of the ideas promoted personally by Maxim Nagaitsev is a starter-generator, its use will shift the transmission even more. But so far, the use of a starter-generator is questionable, since the complexity of the design increases, and with it, the cost and time increase.

The engine is planned to be original, V12 configuration, volume from 6 to 6.6 liters, 800 hp. and torque of 1000 N.m. Of course, it will be turbocharged. One of the foreign companies will develop the engine. Terms of Reference sent to three - AVL, Ricardo and FEV. The delegation from NAMI is in Germany and resolves issues on the motor.

The designers of the EMP are influenced by the UAZ people, who are developing in parallel an SUV on the "Kortezhev" platform. In particular, one of their requirements is a close fit of the driver to the front axle. The fact is that the Ulyanovsk people make the car smaller than the Patriot, a sort of baby UAZ, and they have their own requirements for dimensions. All layouts are built around a single motor shield and pedal assembly. This slightly limits the freedom of SUV and minivan designers. Van in general, along the way, turned from a single-volume vehicle into a strictly bonneted one, due to the requirements for the driver's landing.

The original components are planned at a minimum. In fact, only the motor will be its own, and, possibly, the starter-generator. Gearbox, transfer case, suspension, etc. ordered from specialized firms. The design of all Cortege cars was made by Alexey Chvokin. But these are only preliminary sketches, in the future the appearance of the machines will change.

The first prototypes of the A series should appear in the spring of 2016, production is unlikely to begin before 2019.

February 2017, official images of Cortege cars appeared.
They were published on the official website of Rospatent as a patent for an industrial design dated February 08, 2017
The following is indicated as the patent holder: Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Central Order of the Red Banner of Labor Research Automobile and Automotive Institute" US" (RU)

SUV (patent RU 102117):

Project "Cortege" – is a government order aimed at developing its own own car for the needs of the President and other representatives of state power. It is planned to create technical means, able to compete with leading foreign concerns such as BMW and Mercedes.

luxury models

What features should a presidential car have?

At the moment, the head of the Russian state uses German car Mercedes S600 Pullman. It is planned to create a car that will not be inferior to it in quality and visual appeal. What will distinguish a tuple from imported analogues?

• First of all, the security of the head of state is important. The Pullman armor is able to withstand not only shots from machine guns, but also explosions from hand grenades, so the Cortege should not be inferior in these parameters.
• It is necessary to provide a sealed security system that can protect people in the cabin from a gas attack; Mercedes has such a system and is actively working if necessary.
• The president often decides a large number of questions on the go, so the interior of the car should not only be beautiful and comfortable, but also have all the necessary office supplies so that the head of state can carry out his activities while traveling.
• There are other security systems, the features of which are kept in the strictest confidence.
• The cost of a new car, according to experts, will be at least 900,000 euros.
• Planned to revive government car ZIL, significantly improve it, turning it into a modern competitive limousine.
• In addition to the limousine, several more models are being developed, for example, an SUV for security and a minibus for escort.
• "Cortege" - in full Russian development, gearbox and engine are designed and planned to be assembled in Russia, but it is no secret that many structural elements were borrowed from foreign analogues eg Porsche.

general information

Cars of the Cortege project, photos of which can already be seen, were produced in several copies. Their wide release is not planned, however, sales will become possible in the future, they may be of interest to some successful businessmen.

• The project was a personal initiative of the president, it is aimed not only at showing that Russian leader drives a car of domestic production, but also to develop a platform that is completely different from foreign analogues, which can prove its viability. In other words, these are long-term investments aimed at reviving the Russian automotive industry.
• The inauguration of the new president will take place on the limousine in question.
• Designers are working hard to make modern limousine, which in many respects will be superior to imported analogues, in particular the American Cadillac.
• More than 12 billion rubles have already been invested in the project. The money was allocated to create not one car, but a whole family, including a variety of models for different purposes and tasks.
• It is planned to mass-produce SUVs of this family: this will allow the project to be launched to the masses, to cover all the costs spent on its creation.
• The manufacturer plans to produce 5,000 cars a year, they will become available not only government agencies but also to individuals.
• The program includes the creation of a limousine, SUV, minivan. Of course, the configuration of cars will depend on their purpose, for example, special communications will be available in the presidential version, but in simpler configurations it may not be.
• Depending on the requirements of various ministries, the vehicle will be equipped with additional devices and functions.

• The package of the presidential car in the back of a limousine will include an armored capsule, special communications, various devices multimedia, equipment that allows you to protect the car from wiretapping, interception of information, various electronic functions for defense.
• The tires of the "Cortege" are distinguished by their ability to work, even if they are shot from automatic weapons. Limousine discs are made in a special way and allow the vehicle to move without the participation of tires.
• The fuel tank has a special design.
• Provides protection against attack from the air, such as drones and helicopters.
• The car will not be afraid even of machine gun shots.

Technical information "Cortege" in a new body

The technical equipment of the project is created entirely in Russia, but on the basis of some foreign technologies. The limousine will feature the following:

• used single platform, which allows you to create several models on its basis. Modern automotive companies often use this approach: it makes it possible to facilitate and reduce the cost of the production of vehicles, while creating a constructively different bodies on the same wheelbase.
• Serious foreign companies are involved in the development of the project. In particular, such concerns as Porsche and Bosch Engineering showed interest in it. It was they who had a hand in developing the engine for the future project. A similar engine is installed on the Porsche V8, its volume is 4.6 liters. It is worth noting that in Russian version the cubic capacity was reduced to 4.4 liters. The motor is equipped with two turbocharging systems, which allows increasing its power to 600 hp.
• There is another engine developed by US: it is a more powerful V12. You could see the model at the Moscow Motor Show held in 2016. The volume of the power unit is 6.6 liters, and the power is 860 - hp. It is not yet known exactly which engine the 2018 Cortege project will receive, perhaps this will depend on the requests of the ministries for which the model will be assembled.
• The gearbox also has some special features. She has 9 steps, the device is fully automated. The transmission is produced by the Russian company Katya; a feature of the transmission is the absence of a torque converter, instead of which an electric motor is used. This will allow the vehicles of the project to take advantage of the hybrid drive. The transmission, however, is not revolutionary new: similar devices are used by BMW and Mercedes.
• The speed characteristics of all models will be limited to 250 km / h, and the acceleration of a heavy vehicle will occur in 7 seconds.

A little about design

You can already see the first released models and independently evaluate the appearance of the novelty. Experts are actively discussing it, there are quite heated debates.

• The final design developed by NAMI specialists has already appeared.
• Outwardly, this is a rather massive car with a huge radiator grille, rounded shapes and a brutal appearance. Interior decoration quite strict, the interior is made of white leather, has inserts of fine wood.
• The center console has an integrated touch screen.
• Engine and transmission, as well as the basis for different models, will not differ. Only the bodies will be different.
• The interior design will also be identical everywhere, with the exception of the version for the president, in addition, the presidential car will receive more options.
• The car will receive a large touch screen, climate control, dashboard with digital control.
• The dimensions of the vehicle will be as follows: 5800-6300 mm, width will be 2000-2200 mm, wheelbase - 3400-3800 mm, height - 1600-1650 mm. Dimensions depend on specific model auto.
• Escort vehicles will have different dimensions: SUV class, body length - 5300-5700, width - 2000-2100 with a wheelbase of 3000-3300, and the height of the car will be 1850-1950 mm. The bus also has impressive dimensions, it is 5800 in length, 2100 in maximum width, and chassis will be 3200-3500, height depending on the modification - 1900-2200 mm.
• Pneumatic brakes for the project were developed by the Swedish company Haldex, as well as the Italian concern Brembo and the French Valeo.

In addition, a large number of leading European companies took part in the development of individual vehicle components.

Cortege project: latest news of 2018

It is planned to launch the release in the spring of 2018, while only a few copies have been released for testing and review. Sedan EMP-4123 is planned to start production conveyor method by the end of the year, and the minibus will appear no earlier than in 2020. All cars in the line can only be seen on the roads by the end of 2029. We can assume that the car has only one competitor so far - the Mercedes S600 Pullman.

Recently, new patent images and photographs of cars of the Cortege project appeared on the Web, the development of which was initiated by Vladimir Putin himself, recently appeared on the Web. Below: the first spy photos of the Cortege SUV.

Developed by the Central Research Automobile and Automotive Institute"NAMI" in Moscow in cooperation with several Russian companies in design and engineering.

The list of cars includes a limousine for both Putin and other high-ranking officials, as well as a whole line of cars. special purpose, which will definitely include a minivan, a short sedan and an SUV.

The last time information about the project "Cortege" appeared in April, when photos were published in Russian news feeds scale model car and real model salon for members of the government. The latest news on the Cortege project reveals patent images of a regular sedan and an SUV in two versions. We thank the drom.ru portal and the Instagram user under the nickname @duble13 for the information.

Big premium SUV does not look like any patent image, so we are not sure if this is a different model or one of the design directions that the car makers are working on at the moment. At the same time, something British is clearly visible in all cars - both sedans subtly resemble Rolls-Royce Phantom, and a couple of crossovers look like Land Rover and Bentley (for the EXF-9 concept and the Bentayga model, respectively).

Porsche is also involved in the development, who were called to help develop power units, among which there will be V8 and V12 engines.

In April, information was announced that the first cars of the Cortege project were already in 2017, and President Putin would get the very first car. The new brand's biggest customer will obviously be the Russian government, but Denis Manturov, Minister of Trade and Industry of the Russian Federation, said that anyone can buy each of these vehicles.

MOSCOW, July 6 - RIA Novosti. Vladimir Putin tested the latest Russian car executive class, which is being developed as part of the Cortege project. According to the press secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov, the head of state personally drove a prototype of the future limousine.

The President was pleased

The head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, told Izvestiya that the president personally examined the Cortege.

"Vladimir Putin has already familiarized himself with the project, he saw its different stages. He even drove "prototype A", they did not have time to show "prototype B", the minister noted.

According to the official, the result of the work of domestic developers satisfied the president.

Manturov added that the president had tested "prototype A" - a batch of just such machines should be made available to the FSO by the end of 2017. Tests of cars for reliability and safety will last until the spring of 2018.

There was no testing

At the same time, the Kremlin denied the reports of some media, which reported that Putin personally tested the Cortege.

“No, he didn’t drive a prototype. He started off on it, drove a little, but didn’t drive,” Peskov said.

Last Tuesday, Denis Manturov denied media reports about the curtailment of funding for the Cortege project.

“I didn’t even understand who said it. Everything is according to plan, the work is going on,” the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade told RIA Novosti.

Then the official explained that the prototype of the new car will be commissioned in 2018, and full-fledged production will begin in 2019. According to the minister, the president elected in 2018 will arrive at the ceremony in a new car.

What is a "tuple"

Work on the Cortege project started in 2012. It is planned that four types of cars will be created: limousine, sedan, crossover and minibus.

Employees of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Scientific Research Automobile Institute" (NAMI) are engaged in the development of a new car. By the way, the project itself is not called "Cortege" (as journalists called it), but "Unified Modular Platform" (UMP).

It is planned that the new car will serve not only the president, but also other top Russian officials.

According to open data, foreign partners are also participating in the project: Porsche Engineering has developed one of the two engines that will be equipped with cars, and Bosch Engineering.

Employees of "Russian automotive design", one of the divisions of NAMI. There are several options appearance"Cortege", however final decision not accepted yet.

The media is also discussing the place of assembly of the "Cortege". In 2014, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade announced that crossovers would be assembled at the facilities of UAZ in Ulyanovsk. As for limousines, according to journalists, they will be produced by bus factory LiAZ in the Orekhovo-Zuevsky district of the Moscow region (belongs to the GAZ group) and at KamAZ in Naberezhnye Chelny.

Not only for the first persons

In April last year, Manturov said that the cars of the Cortege project would be delivered not only to officials. So, the military showed interest in new cars.

“We are planning to start deliveries for the Ministry of Defense, but this is based on the SUV (SUV - off-road vehicle of the Kortezh project. - Ed.),” Manturov said.

According to the minister, we are talking about a light armored vehicle.

At the same time, Manturov said that by 2020 the Ministry of Industry and Trade expects to reach the annual production of up to five thousand cars of the Cortege project of all types.

"Five" for safety

By 2020, the Ministry of Industry and Trade wants to increase the production of cars of the Kortezh projectBy 2020, Russia will produce 4-5 thousand units of cars of all types - limousines, sedans, SUVs and minivans, Denis Manturov, head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, told RIA Novosti.

Crash tests, traditional for all new cars, "Cortege" passed last year. In early June, the car was tested in Berlin.

"This is a frontal crash test, there are different tests, there are overlapping tests, there are side ones, there are with a rear impact. This is a whole series of tests in accordance with world standards. The first attempt, at the very first test of the frontal crash test - the highest score", Alexei Borovkov, Vice-Rector for Advanced Projects of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, said.

What do presidents drive?

Heads of state traditionally drive luxury cars. Some countries buy cars from abroad, and some prefer the national auto industry.

For example, Chinese leader Xi Jinping uses the FAW Hong Qi HQE and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe uses the Toyota Century.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel also prefers "his" car - Audi A8. True, her car is very different from the serial ones - an armored vehicle was created for the politician, and the glass thickness is almost five centimeters. As a result, the sedan can withstand firearms and a grenade explosion under the bottom.

Standing apart is the limousine of US President Donald Trump, who received the nickname "The Beast" (The Beast). The weight of the vehicle exceeds eight tons, it has 20 cm of door armor and 12 cm of window armor.

The car, which costs $1.2 million, is able to withstand direct shots from large-caliber weapons.