Aurus Motors (Russian: Аурус Моторс) is a Russian luxury car company founded in 2018, originally strictly as a Russian motorcade vehicle brand until 2021 when the company's first civilian model, the Aurus Senat, began production in May. The automaker claims to have sold 115 cars in 2023.[3] Facelifts are planned for 2026 and 2030.[4] President Putin had a facelifted Aurus in 2024.[5]
According to the company, Aurus is a portmanteau of aura or aurum (Latin for 'gold') and Rus.[6]
In 2013, NAMI began development on a new Russian presidential state car to replace the then-current Mercedes-Benz S 600 Pullman Guard.[7]
In 2018, the new Russian presidential state car and motorcade vehicles were introduced under the Aurus Kortezh (Russian for cortege or motorcade) line of vehicles. This includes the Senat sedan and limousine, Arsenal van, and Komendant SUV. The three vehicles are named after Kremlin towers.[8]
On 19 February 2019, the Russia Ministry of Industry and Trade announced that Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates-based company Tawazun Holding would invest in a 36% stake of Aurus Motors for US$124 million within the next three years and would distribute Aurus cars in the Middle East.[9]
At the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show in March, Aurus exhibited the Senat and Senat Limousine, previewing future sale of the models.[10]
At the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans from 15 to 16 June, G-Drive Racing partnered with Aurus and raced an Oreca 07 rebadged as the Aurus 01. The team finished 11th place in the race with 364 laps.[11]
In May 2021, Sollers JSC began civilian-use production of the Senat motorcade car at the Yelabuga, Tatarstan Ford Sollers plant, where the Russian-spec Ford Transit was produced.[12][13] The base model started at ~18 million rubles (US$243k), while the launch edition model was priced at ~22 million rubles (US$297k).[14]
The Aurus Kortezh line is developed by NAMI and manufactured by Sollers.
