Exhibition of government cars: From Nicholas II to Joseph Stalin. Declassified the new presidential limousine of domestic production "Cortege" (16 photos)

In most countries, top officials - presidents, kings, prime ministers - tend to drive cars domestic production. The Russian president is an exception so far. Vladimir Putin now rides in an armored Mercedes Pullman S600 . And what kind of cars do the presidents of other countries of the world prefer?

Angela Merkel (Germany) —Audi A8

Automobile German Chancellor Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel prefers to use a sedan Audi A8L with an extended wheelbase, equipped with a six-liter engine with a capacity of 450 horsepower. The car is armored, its glasses are almost 5 cm thick, the wheels are impenetrable - the car can withstand firearms and a grenade explosion under the bottom. Of the equipment - a mobile office and a mini-bar with a refrigerator, nothing more.

Francois Hollande (France)Citroen D.S.5

Automobile French President Francois Hollande

French President Francois Hollande uses an almost serial, unarmored hatchback Citroen DS5 With hybrid engine. This is perhaps the most democratic choice of the presidential cars presented in this review. A sunroof was cut into the roof of the car so that the president could greet citizens during ceremonial events.

Giorgio Napolitano (Italy) — Lancia Theme

Car

main vehicle Italian President Giorgio Napolitano- five-meter sedan Lancia Theme . Formally, it is considered domestic ( Lancia - the oldest Italian brand), although the car is a converted American Chrysler 300C second generation equipped powerful motor V8 6.4 l.

David Cameron (Great Britain) —Jaguar XJ Sentinel

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Automobile British Prime Minister David Cameron

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron like its predecessors Tony Blair And Gordon Brown, prefers sedan brand Jaguar . Armored XJ Sentinel painted in dark blue. Predecessors preferred, respectively, silver and green. The traditional black color of executive cars is not held in high regard by British leaders.

Elizabeth II(Great Britain) -Bentley State Limousine

Car British Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen of Great Britain enjoys an exclusive sedan released in 2002 in honor of the 50th anniversary of her ascension to the throne State Limousine from company Bentley . Formally, this car cannot be called domestic - since 1998 Bentley Motors Limited part of the German concern Volkswagen Group . Elizabeth II also owns a fleet of sedans Rolls Royce , including manufactured in 1978 in single copy Phantom VI with folding roof.

Xi Jinping (China) — FAW Hong qi HQE

Auto President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping

executive car Chinese leader Xi Jinping the same as its predecessors - a limousine FAW Hong Qi HQE (“Red Banner”) 6.4 m long, stylized as the first Hong Qi of the 50s of the last century (the design of which was strongly influenced by Soviet ZILs that time). The design of the machine is a state secret. All that is known about the sedan is its weight: 4.5 tons, as well as the power of the 12-cylinder engine - at least 400 horsepower.

Shinzo Abe (Japan) — Toyota Century

Toyota Century for Japan's senior leadership

Japan's senior leadership and the imperial family have been using sedans for many years. toyota Century, which are hand-picked for them. The design of the car has hardly changed for 40 years. The power of the five-liter V12 is 280 horsepower (maximum allowed Japanese law). Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's sedan is more democratic than Emperor Akihito's car. Imperial Toyota Century Royal more impressive in size, the car has rice paper curtains, ceiling screens and an electric granite footboard - a tribute to the monarch.

Barack Obama (USA) - Cadillac One

Car US President Barack Obama

Seven-seater limousine Cadillac One was made specifically for the current president of the United States. Obama's car is armored, equipped with a smoke screen device, a night vision system, a full range of communications equipment, an oxygen tank and blood transfusion equipment - for all this, the car of the US president received a well-deserved nickname. The Beast. Engine capacity of 6.5 liters, but outstanding dynamic characteristics, given the weight and size, the machine is no different.

Milos Zeman (Czech Republic) - Skoda Superb

Car Czech President Milos Zeman

The large-scale government project "Cortege", within the framework of which a limousine for the president is being created in Russia, cover vehicles in the bodies of SUVs and minibuses, as well as executive sedan, a crossover and a minibus on the Unified Modular Platform (UMP), has reached the finish line. The general contractor of the project is the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Scientific Research automotive institute(NAMI)", who has been creating the "Cortege" for the past three years. Already in the coming weeks, by December 31, 2016, NAMI must complete the work stipulated by the state contract. In particular, by this time the institute will transfer the first Kremlin limousines to the disposal of the Special Purpose Garage (GON). 12 copies will be tested in real conditions, which will be tested by employees of the Federal Security Service (FSO). After that, NAMI will be engaged in limited production of cars for the political elite and persons subject to state protection.

Officially the first recent history Russia's limousine of the head of state of its own production will be presented on the day of the presidential inauguration in April 2018.

Nevertheless, despite the fact that the project, unprecedented in its ambitions, for which more than 8 billion rubles have already been spent. from the budget, is coming to an end, for all the time that the development of the EMP and the models themselves based on it was carried out, there was little information in the media about what these cars would be like. It was only known that the engines for the Cortege models NAMI helped develop Porsche company engineering. In addition, the media reported that the well-known Austrian company Magna could become a supplier of components.

As Gazeta.Ru found out, having studied the package of documents of the state contract concluded between US and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, another 130 companies and institutions were involved in the creation of cars for the first persons of the state, 50 of which are foreign, including those that have representative offices and production in Russia.

Foreign companies: brakes, software, audio equipment, climate control, door unlocking and engine start mechanisms and other details

Perhaps one of the most famous foreign companies that took part in the project is the Swedish Haldex, about systems all-wheel drive known to most motorists. However, not the entire concern became a co-executor of the Cortege, but its division Haldex Brake Products, which produces pneumatic brake systems. Such brakes are often used on heavy wheeled vehicles and are also suitable for multi-ton armored limousines.

At the same time, Brembo, a well-known Italian manufacturer of brake systems used on sports and racing cars, was also responsible for the brakes on Cortege cars.

The list of co-performers also includes one more famous company- French manufacturer and supplier of automotive components Valeo. In the Nizhny Novgorod region, the company has a production facility where windshield wipers and lighting systems are made.

Among the creators of presidential transport is Harman Connected Services, which is part of the structure of the American group of companies Harman. Harman is known to many car owners by the audio systems that are produced under the Harman / Kordon and Bang & Olufsen brands and are installed on cars. premium brands: bmw, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz and other auto companies. As for Harman Connected Services, she is engaged in software development. Apparently, this company, which has a representative office in Nizhny Novgorod, could develop software for multimedia systems for the car of the president and the first persons of the state.

In addition, the world-famous Swiss family company Daniel Herz, which produces Acustic systems. It can be assumed that the descendants of the physicist Heinrich Hertz, who proved the existence of electromagnetic waves, were responsible for the musical accompaniment of the trips of the country's top officials.

It is noteworthy that Daniel Herz itself does not specialize in audio systems directly for cars. But this is done by Mark Levinson, which is part of its structure.

It is worth noting that during the presidency of Dmitry Medvedev, the residence in Gorki had installed speakers and amplifiers Daniel Herz, the total cost of which could be about $ 80 thousand.

Another foreign manufacturer that has joined Cortege is the Chinese group U-shin, and in particular its division in Slovakia. The company is a major manufacturer of automotive components such as keys, door locks, fuel filler flaps and fuel filler caps, door handles, keyless entry, sensors and mechanisms of gearboxes, engine start systems with a button, LED license plate lights, as well as blocks climatic installations and various switches. The company's customers include automakers such as Mazda, Mitsubishi Motors Honda, Suzuki.

Body parts for the creation of 10 prototypes of FSUE "NAMI" ordered in Korea, DNK TECH CO., LTD. Each set consisted of 70 parts and was only suitable for testing.

It is noteworthy that neither Magna nor Porsche are mentioned in the government contract documentation.

Russian manufacturers: armor, catapults, glass and electrics

Of course, the project could not have done without Russian companies and institutions that were largely responsible for the safety of Cortege vehicles.

So, for example, the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI was involved in the development.

The institution includes a large number of various specialized institutes, and why NAMI decided to use the services of MEPhI specialists remains a mystery.

The press center of NRNU MEPhI was unable to promptly answer Gazeta.Ru's questions, but promised to do so later.

PJSC "Plant of buildings", located in the city of Vyksa ( Nizhny Novgorod Region), almost certainly dealt with all aspects of the body armor of the president's limousine. At least the enterprise has been providing manufacturing services for many years. armored corps various Vehicle, including military and special purposes. In particular, the plant created armored hulls for various modifications Armored personnel carrier and armored car "Tiger".

The first persons will look out the window through glasses made at one of the oldest glassware factories in Russia, Mosavtosteklo. The site of the plant indicates that it manufactures fire-resistant and armored glass for road transport.

Gazeta.ru failed to contact representatives of these enterprises.

The participation in the development of the "Cortege" of the Research Institute "Geodesy" is also curious. This federal state-owned enterprise (controlled by the Department of Industry of Conventional Arms, Ammunition and Special Chemicals of the Ministry of Industry and Trade) has at its disposal a test site for the Russian military-industrial complex. Thus, the armor protection of the presidential limousine could be tested here.

Additional protection for government transport can be the products of OAO NPO Zvezda im. Academician Severin. The enterprise is engaged in the production of individual life support systems for pilots and cosmonauts, means of rescuing crews and passengers in case of aircraft accidents.

What kind of participation "Zvezda" took in the "Cortege" project is unknown. However, based on the list of products that the plant makes, it can be assumed that the company equipped the Kortezh vehicles with stationary fire extinguishers and emergency oxygen blocks with masks that can provide a person with clean air in the event of a chemical attack for up to 15 minutes.

It cannot be completely ruled out that Zvezda could adapt its aviation systems personally to a car for the president being created from scratch. For example, by creating in them something similar to ejection seats.

True, what is the role of the enterprise in the creation of government cars, even the Zvezda employees themselves do not know. So, in the education department of the enterprise, Gazeta.Ru was assured that they had not heard about the Cortege, but still asked to send questions. The company was unable to promptly respond to the request.

The Kopir plant was supposed to contribute to the creation of the Cortege. The enterprise located in the Republic of Mari El produces car blocks fuses, electrical cables and harnesses, power window switches for GAZ, KamAZ, UAZ, Lada, Nissan and other auto companies.

The list of companies that created the president's limousine also included Kama, known for its tires. Scientific and technical center Kama could develop new tire models for government vehicles.

The reception directorate of Kama told Gazeta.Ru that the executive director was unlikely to comment on participation in the Cortege project due to the secrecy of this information, but nevertheless offered to ask questions later.

Also "Cortege" could get wheel disks from several Russian manufacturers such as K&K or Solomon Alsberg, which claims to be the only company in the world that produces customized forged wheels for cars.

Among the co-executors is also listed machine building plant Velkont, which produces all kinds of terminals and relays for cars, differential lock switches, sensors (oil level, coolant, position throttle valve and others).

Cars are not only assembled by effort foreign companies, but also tested abroad. So, earlier it was reported that crash tests of cars created under the project were carried out in Germany. Why the testing was carried out in Germany was not specified, but it is known that the test result was considered successful.

According to Gazeta.Ru, as part of the foreign testing phase, Cortege prototypes were taken out, among other things, to one of the most famous race tracks in the world, the Nurburgring, where, among other things, the operation of seat belts was tested.

Deputy CEO FSUE "NAMI" for work with the media Andrey Garmay refused to give "Gazeta.Ru" comments regarding the "Cortege" project.

An armored limousine based on the Unified Modular Platform will become the flagship of the Cortege project car line. Unarmored vehicles will also be built on the same modular platform: the same limousine, sedan, SUV and minibus. All these machines will go on free sale. The first cars within the framework of the Cortege project, which anyone can buy, should be on sale by mid-2018. The first small-scale batch will be no more than 250-300 copies. Who will collect them is still unknown. WE do not have the necessary production capacity, and for Sollers, with whom the government was negotiating production, the announced order was too small.

ZIL-41047 - soviet car representative class, which was used by the first persons of the state. It is a continuation of the 4104 model. The 41047 limousine is considered the last Russian car of this class.

General information about the ZIL-41047 limousine

The development of new transport began in 1985, when a new secretary general began to lead the country. They planned to replace the previous generation, 41045, with a new car. The twin front lights became rectangular, the design of the radiator grille was updated, and the turn signals were placed on the ends of the wings. Distinctive feature family consisted of round headlights (present in 4104 and 41045). The cars were used as part of the government cartege and for transporting political guests from other countries.

The last copy was collected in 2002, which was presented to the President of Kazakhstan. In 2009, they developed an "open" version for participation in military parades on Red Square. The car was not accepted because of the large awning box. Instead, they chose the 41041 AMG model, which is produced by Atlant-Delta. In 2012, they assembled another phaeton, which was presented to Yanukovych.

41047 took part in the cinema, namely in the documentary film "The Last Limousine". The director of the film, referring to unofficial sources, spoke about the refusal to accept the last car 410441 because of Deripaska's studio, who used political influence to win his version.

Specifications ZIL-41047

Specifications are as follows:

• Designed for 7 people;
• Length - 6.3 meters;
• Width - 2.1 meters;
• Height - 1.5 meters;
• Wheelbase - 3.9 meters;
• Clearance - 17-19.5 centimeters;
• Weight - 3.9 tons;
• Engine capacity - 7.7 liters;
• Number of cylinders - 8;
• Power - 315 horsepower at 4-4.6 thousand revolutions;
• Gearbox - automatic;
• Max Speed- 190 km / h;
• Acceleration to 100 km / h - 12 seconds;
• Average consumption gasoline - 22 liters per 100 km;
• Tank capacity - 120 liters.

Serial production provided for manual assembly by specialists of each instance. The design of a reliable welded frame is very interesting. It includes side members of a closed box section. Such a device provides the car with good stability on the road. The independent front suspension of the pivotless type is mounted on torsion bars. They influence lower arms. There are also telescopic shock absorbers and an anti-roll bar. The dependent rear suspension is mounted on asymmetric semi-elliptical springs, there is also an anti-roll bar.

The motor is considered the main pride of transport. With a volume of 7.7 liters, it develops up to 315 horsepower at 4-4.6 thousand revolutions. This power is enough to accelerate to 100 km / h in 13 seconds. The maximum speed is 190 km/h. It has eight cylinders arranged in a V-shape. It is powered by AI-95 premium gasoline. The average consumption per 100 kilometers is 22 liters.

The driveline has two stages. It consists of two cardan shafts, between which there is an intermediate support. Also equipped with three needle bearing joints, which always have a supply lubricant. The rear axle is leading, it is based on a rigid beam. in a separate crankcase rear axle the main gear is located.

The piston steering mechanism is equipped with power steering. It consists of a screw with a nut on circulating balls and a gear sector. Driver can customize steering column under its position for comfortable taxiing machine.

The disc brake system is equipped with automatic clearance adjustment and ventilated discs. The hydraulic drive consists of a vacuum and two hydraulic vacuum amplifiers. It consists of two working circuits, due to which the brakes of four wheels work.

The welded all-metal body has four doors. The cabin has three rows of seats. The first is for the driver and the security guard, the second and third are for the passengers. Between the first and two passenger rows there is a partition with a glass insert, which can be lowered if necessary. Up to 7 people can be in the transport at the same time. Determinal glasses on windows consist of three layers. Interior trim meets all the requirements of the premium class. The front row is sheathed in leather, the two rear rows are lined with expensive velor. Zone air conditioning system - for the driver and passenger zones.

The main feature of the whole family is that all body parts are made by professionals by hand. After their manufacture, manual installation on the body is carried out. This process may require manual adjustment of parts to each other. This makes each instance unique.

Appearance ZIL-41047

The first thing that catches your eye is the long hood and trunk. This is a distinctive feature of Soviet limousines, which allowed article 41047 to be the longest production car in the world during the years of production. The bodywork is top notch. To achieve amazing appearance, at the Likhachev plant, 9-15 layers of paint were applied. Each of them was carefully dried and then polished.

The front lights, as mentioned above, have become rectangular. Their main feature- the presence of washers and small cleaners to ensure good illumination of the road in inclement weather. For the production of headlights, the company entered into a partnership with Bosch. Minor changes include the abolition of the rotary windows on the front windows, as well as the changed position of the side mirrors - they began to be mounted in the corner of the glass.

The parade car was equipped with rubber plugs on the front fenders. They are used to fasten the brackets in which the flags are installed. To achieve complete rigor and elegance, the designers placed the gas tank cap under rear number. The emblem on the hood folds up when you press it.

Salon ZIL-41047

At the heart of the interior trim are expensive woods. Main disadvantage- use in the decoration of low-quality plastic elements. The classic ZIL steering wheel has a two-spoke structure. The driver's seat, trimmed with expensive leather, can be adjusted in many ways. The driver and passenger seats are separated by a massive panel. It is used to store various equipment.

To eliminate the possibility of fogging of the side windows, the engineers placed special blowers in the casing of the door casings. The driver and passengers can set the temperature that is comfortable for them, independent of each other. This is possible due to the 2-zone air conditioner. Heating windshield keep him from freezing winter period. In the cabin, the sound from the street is practically not heard (noise-insulating materials are 5 centimeters thick).

Armored versions of 4105

After the assassination attempt on L.I. Brezhnev in 1969, government limousines began to be equipped with armor. The 4104 family received the first fireproof transport in 1983. It was developed on the basis of 41045.

The weight of the armored car exceeded five tons. It was based on an armored kapusala, the production of which was carried out by a plant in Kurgan. External differences from the standard limousine was not (despite this, the transport was given a new model "4105"). On the basis of 41047, 14 protected vehicles were built. Some documents claim that armored capsules from 41045 were installed for six copies, which did not use up their working life.

In the early 90s of the last century, three armored limousines were sent to Germany. One of them passed fire tests German company, after which the remaining two entered the special purpose government garage. During operation, shortcomings were revealed: the suspension and brake system could not cope with the new weight, so they were sent to Russia for revision. ZIL corrected the shortcomings by giving the cars the index "41053".

Armor thickness - 8.5 millimeters. This is enough to stop bullets with a heat-strengthened core of 7.62 mm caliber. Tests were also carried out with a Dragunov sniper rifle, from which steel bullets were fired. The test was successful. The armor can withstand a grenade explosion on the roof or under the car. Thickened glass withstood shots. By security new model ahead of all domestic and foreign counterparts.

Modifications ZIL-41047

On the basis of the last ZiL limousine, several varieties have been developed:

• 41041 - a shortened version for five people;
• 41042 - a car with medical equipment, was used to deliver the first persons to the hospital;
• 4105 - the body is protected by armor;
• 4107 - equipped with special communication equipment;
• 41052 - improved armored model;
• 41053 - model modified for Germany with an armored capsule at the base;
• 41072 - code name - Scorpio. Used by the security services of statesmen;
• 410441 - open version for serving military parades on Red Square. Three copies were collected that were not registered with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Two cars are at the Likhachev plant, one was sent to the personal collection of V.F. Yanukovych. Instead, they chose the 41041 AMG, made by a private atelier Atlant-Delta, to serve the parades.

What can be the conclusion?

ZIL-41047 - good example great professionalism of domestic specialists. During the years of production, transport bypassed all foreign competitors, including products from such giants as Cadillac and Rolls Royse. average cost such a car today can reach up to one million dollars, but it is almost impossible to buy it. The remaining cars are in museums and private collections.

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.

The first photos of car models developed by Marussia for the cortege of the President of Russia and other Russian officials of the highest rank were published on the Internet. For the first time after many years, the first persons of the state will switch to cars of domestic production. And today we will talk about our cars, created specifically for the leaders of the country from Stalin's times to the present.

ZIS-101 - armored vehicle for Stalin

ZIS-101 - an armored car for Stalin. Photo source: Wikipedia

ZIS-101 - an armored car for Stalin. Photo source: Pavel Kuneev

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin loved all kinds of cars, but he drove mostly foreign cars, such as Turcat-Mery 28 and Rolls Royce Silver ghost- domestic auto industry was destroyed by war and post-war devastation. That is why the first head of the Soviet state, who moved to Russian car, became Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin. By his order, the ZIL automobile plant in Moscow created luxury car ZIL-101, which became the favorite car of the “leader of the peoples” for many years. The car had advanced characteristics at that time - a heating system in the cabin, a built-in radio receiver, as well as vacuum amplifiers clutches and brakes.

ZIS-110 - the first post-war government car

ZIS-110 is the first post-war government vehicle. Photo Source: JustDrive

ZIS-101 served as the main government car for almost ten years, until 1945, when it was replaced by the ZIS-110 car. Initially, this car was planned to be created on the basis of the American Packard 180, but due to certain design features of the latter, some solutions were borrowed from the Buick Limited 90 L. As a result, the ZIS-110 car appeared and its special government version ZIS-110B (armored), which he drove not only Stalin, Khrushchev and other Soviet leaders, but also the Chinese Great Pilot Mao Tse Tung, the North Korean leader Kim Cher Il, and the Albanian Enver Hoxha.

ZIL-111 - car for motorcades and parades

ZIL-111 - a car for motorcades and parades. Photo source: Retro-Avtomoto

The ZIS-110 became obsolete in just a few years. Built with a pre-war era design, by the early fifties it looked like a dinosaur against the backdrop of post-war cars. Therefore, in 1959 it was introduced new car for the top leadership of the country - ZIL-111 (in 1956 the car factory changed its name from Stalin to Likhachev). In technical terms, it differed little from its predecessor, but it looked much more modern. During a visit to Moscow in 1963, Fidel Castro received such a car as a gift. ZIL-111 became the first Soviet cars, for which open modifications were also provided, specially created for parades.

GAZ-13 - the progenitor of the Chaika family

GAZ-13 is the progenitor of the Chaika family. Photo Source: Superiormale

Undoubtedly the most famous Soviet government car was the "Seagull" - a series of cars, the history of which should be counted from the appearance in 1959 of the GAZ-13 car. It is believed that out of the three thousand first-generation "Seagulls" produced, only three fell into private hands (the writer Mikhail Sholokhov, the first Soviet woman-cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova and the ballerina Galina Ulanova became the owners of such cars), the rest were used in government needs in the USSR and abroad . For example, GAZ-13 was driven by the leaders of the GDR, Walter Ulbricht and Eric Honecker. Several cars were given to Intourist.

ZIL-114 - limousine for the 50th anniversary of the Revolution

ZIL-114 - a limousine for the 50th anniversary of the Revolution. Photo source: Wikipedia

ZIL-114 was the main government limousine USSR in the late sixties - early seventies of the twentieth century. The first cars of this generation rolled off the assembly line in 1967 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution, and in total only 113 copies of the ZIL-114 were made for the highest leaders of the USSR. In 1971, on the basis of this car, a more “simple” version of it was released - ZIL-117 for officials of a lower rank.

GAZ-14 - "Seagull" number two

GAZ-14 - Seagull number two. Source: Khapov.ru

In total, from 1977 to 1988, a little over a thousand GAZ-14 cars were produced, each of which was assembled by hand, and then passed lengthy tests for quality and reliability. The car was intended for officials of the high level, as well as the leadership of the army and other power structures. Production ceased in 1988 in the wake of Gorbachev's "fight against privileges". Moreover, at the same time, the conveyor line was destroyed, the working documentation and even the assembly line for GAZ-14 toy models were destroyed.

ZIL-115 (ZIL-4104) - the last soviet limousine

ZIL-115 (ZIL-4104) - the last Soviet limousine. Photo source: 1zoom.ru

ZIL-115 (later renamed ZIL-4104) became last car who knew a lot about cars Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev and the last Soviet government limousine. This car can still be considered one of the most luxurious in the world in the history of the automotive industry. The armchairs in it were trimmed with leather, and the doors were trimmed with Karelian birch. ZIL-4104 in different modifications produced until 2002. And its most famous variants were the Phaeton models (for parades) and the Black Doctor (resuscitation vehicle for the General Secretary's motorcade). Interestingly, in 2010, three copies of the ZIL-4104 (model ZIL-410441) were produced for the anniversary parade on Red Square.

ZIL-4105 - the legendary "Armored Capsule"

ZIL-4105 - the legendary armored capsule. Photo source: Zil-Avto

Separately, we can mention the ZIL-4104 modification, which received the ZIL-4105 marking and the name "Armored Capsule". In the 1980s, when this car was created, it was the most secure car in the world. After all, the armor in it was not just inserted into the doors and the roof, but was solid - first, armor capsules were welded at a factory in the city of Kurgan, and then a car was created around them. ZIL-4105 withstood not only shelling from rifles and machine guns, but even a grenade explosion under a gas tank.

Marussia L2 is a representative car for the President of Russia. Photo source: Instagram

Marussia F2 is a representative car for the President of Russia. Photo source: Instagram

The other day, one of the accounts on the social network Instagram published photos that are considered to be the first images of models of future cars from the motorcade of the President of Russia - the Marussia L2 sedan and the Marussia F2 SUV. The development of these machines, as you know, is engaged in the well-known team in Formula 1 racing and the sports car of the same name, the domestic company Marussia. It is expected that the first such cars will roll off the assembly line in 2018 and will be produced under the ZIL brand at the facilities of this legendary plant.

In 2018, the next presidential elections will be held in Russia, and the head of state will be taken to the inauguration ceremony in a new domestically produced limousine. The current presidential limousine Mercedes-Maybach S-Class Pullman will be replaced by a car that bears the working title "Cortege". New limousine will be as comfortable, protected and equipped with all possible types connections.

As the media found out, funding for the creation of the Cortege project has been saved, within which 3.7 billion rubles are allocated from the state budget alone. An assembly site for limousines for the first persons of the state is already located in Moscow.

Thus, Denis Manturov, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, recently admitted that the budget financing "has not been frozen." “I don’t remember what name it goes under (a line in the budget), but we haven’t frozen anything - 3.7 billion rubles, as planned, it is. All plans remain not only in force, they are being implemented,” he said . Moreover, the prototype, which will not be shown to anyone to maintain intrigue and secrecy, will be ready in January 2016.

“We should ship the first pre-production batch to the FSO at the end of 2017, respectively, you will see it at the inauguration,” the minister shared, referring to the inauguration of the Russian president after the elections in 2018.

"Until now, it is not known exactly what displacement the engine will have - 6.0 liters or 6.6 liters. But the power this motor should be within 800 horsepower," the press already wrote. The journalists added that there were other cars in the project - "sedan, SUV and minibus", which will receive turbo engines "with a smaller displacement."

By the way, the SUV and sedan from the Cortege project will be mass-produced - at least 5,000 units per year and will be sold even to private (of course, very wealthy) individuals. It is clear that private cars of the "Cortege" series will not be equipped with "presidential" armor and special communications (unless, of course, they are purchased at state auctions for the leadership of government bodies).

"The Russian government in July 2013 banned state and municipal procurement cars foreign production", - the publications said, explaining - we are not talking about Russian complete or "screwdriver" assemblies of foreign cars. However, for top managers, all cars, their components, assemblies and the smallest details are checked by the FSO and the FSB for "bookmarks" and vulnerabilities.

Experts, including world experts in the automotive industry, already recognize that the Cortege brand (or "a car like the president's") will be very popular with wealthy businessmen and government officials. However, this is not about a commercial project - after all, for the first time since the Soviet era, Russia will have its own supercar, which the head of state will drive - and his escort cars.

"As you know, the Cortege project includes the development of a limousine for the President of the Russian Federation, support vehicles in the bodies of SUVs and minibuses for accompanying persons," experts confirm.

"The styling of the Stalinist ZIS-115 limousine can be considered quite successful: on the one hand, its motives are unmistakably recognizable in the prototype of the Cortege project, on the other hand, they do not have a single exterior detail similar in shape," the media share, analyzing the leaked data about the project "Cortege".

“Naturally, in vehicles of this level there is an armored capsule, communications and special communications systems, multimedia systems, means of protection against listening and intercepting communications, evacuation systems, electronic and power defense, as well as all kinds of special “gadgets.” Tires that even after heavy shelling work , a system of disks on which a limousine can drive without tires, a special gas tank," says the person who had a hand in the creation of Soviet and post-Soviet limousines for the country's leadership.

He added that even without the territory cleared by the FSO and security vehicles, “which does not happen in reality,” those in the limousine “should be fully armed with the appearance of a hostile helicopter, drone, grenade and machine gunners.

Of course, he did not disclose the specifications of the Cortege project, as well as the details of booking the presidential limousine, special communications systems, and other subtleties.

“The exact information about the design of the “armored cars” is kept in the strictest confidence. Each car is assembled on special order, but it is known that special tires are installed on the car, allowing it to continue moving despite punctures,” experts write.

"Self-sealing fuel tank and an automatic fire extinguishing system. According to experts, the limousine has cylinders with a supply of air, which will withstand a gas attack, hidden loopholes, compartments for storing a variety of weapons," they add.

Some experts even report that " american car president is good if you're in a bit of trouble, but ours is ready for war." They explain that "passengers in a car can survive a small nuclear explosion, but at a certain distance."

"It will be power, greatness, strength, technology and safety - probably, these words can describe the lead limousine of the Cortege," one of the participants in the development of the Cortege project shared with one of the participants in the development of the Cortege project, adding - any more detailed description is a violation of state secrets.

"The FSO and the GON should receive cars of the Cortege project in advance for their development, for training all drivers, security - each presidential limousine or minibus has its own dynamics, acceleration, weight, skidding, road behavior. Every moment must be taken into account for a comfortable and safe passage of routes, in case of emergency, and so on," he explained. "Of course, it is possible that someone will "merge" in the media the appearance of the project "Cortege" in 2016, this will appear in the media and will be discussed - but no one will know the "stuffing" for sure.