Russian President Vladimir Putin is to receive a model from the first batch of Cortege cars, Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Tuesday.
The Cortege project will provide Russian-made vehicles for the transportation of top Russian government officials ?€” 3.7 billion rubles ($54 million) was allocated to the project this year, RIA Novosti reported.
?€?The first batch should be released around the end of 2017 to the beginning of 2018,?€? Manturov said.
The minister added that 200 vehicles will be produced in the first year, all of which at the Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engines Institute (NAMI) headquarters in Moscow.
Talks are ongoing with the Russian Defense Ministry regarding the creation of an armored off-road vehicle, Mantura said, RIA Novosti reported.
Four vehicle models have been developed as part of the project: a limousine, a sedan, an SUV and a minivan.
Mantura said that the limousine has been put through trials for almost a year and crash-tests for the sedan will begin in April. There are plans to increase the shipment amount to 4,000-5,000 of each model by 2020.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.