The Russian Standardization Agency (Rosstandart) has published a Vehicle Type Approval for an all-new armored van, the Aurus Arsenal. This is the first time we get some detailed info on the car developed by FSUP NAMI and set to be released in 100 units total.
The car is described as a special vehicle providing high-end protection for the driver and all passenger. The armor class is not mentioned anywhere, but the Senat limo revealed before had the highest armor rating in Europe, VR10.
The Aurus Arsenal is 5,980 mm (233.6 inches) long, 2,020 mm (78.9 inches) wide and has 3,550 mm (138.7 inches) between the axles. It is therefore longer than the standard Senat, but shorter than the Senat limo designed for the Russian government officials.
At 4,950 kg (10,913 lbs), the van is heavy, but still 400 kg (880 lbs) lighter than the armored sedan. We suspect it might be less heavily armored than the Senat, but there is no official confirmation. At any rate, it has four seat rows with only two seats per row.
Powering the Arsenal is the same 4.4-liter NAMI-4123 V8 that propels the Senat. Combined with an electric motor, it churns out 598 PS (590 hp / 440 kW) to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. Wheels measure 20 inches in diameter.
