Dartz
Dartz Motorz Company is a privately held Latvia-based company, subsidiary of Estonian corporation Dartz Grupa OÜ, that designs, manufactures, and sells high performance armored vehicles.[1][2][3] The company constituted itself from a renovated former Russo-Balt factory in Riga, Latvia.[4][5] Product lineupIn 2009, Dartz attained notoriety with its Prombron model, in part because it was originally available in upholstered leather made from the foreskins of whale penises,[6] which the company subsequently dropped after the controversy was publicized.[7] The Prombron came in nine distinct models: Iron Diamond, Iron Xtal, Monaco Red Diamond Edition, Black Dragon, Black Russian, Gold Russian, Aladeen, White Horse, and Monako.[8] Since September 2014, the product line consists of Prombron Black Shark[9] and Black Snake.[10] The Prombron is available in either the Saloon (sedan) or the Pullman (wagon), offered in standard, short, or long wheelbase.[11] In 2010, Red Sea Distribution announced that the T-98 Kombat would be available in North America for a list price starting at $225,000.[12][13] However, just two years later the T-98 Kombat was phased out, and the Prombron was released.[citation needed] Dartz's Prombron Monaco Red Diamond Edition was shown at the 2010 Top Marques in Monaco,[14] with an expected price of €1,000,000 ($1.25 million), it would become the world's most expensive SUV.[15] The features included white gold-ruby[clarification needed] encrusted embedded badges as well as gold-plated, bullet-proof windows, an exhaust system made out of tungsten, diamond-ruby[clarification needed] encrusted gauges, and Kevlar exterior coating. It also comes with three bottles of the world's most expensive vodka, RussoBaltique.[16] In 2022 the company announced plans to drop its "Z" logo, to apparently portray itself away from its Russian origins in the Russo-Balt company. A diamond skull sign was supposed to replace it.[17] Instead, as of 2023 its webpage was still marketing luxury "Z" incrusted products interspaced with weaponry images.[18] Its website explains what animal skin the interior couches are made of, or how it smells, without actual information about the armor rating or vehicle's performance.[19] See also
References
External linksWikimedia Commons has media related to Dartz vehicles. |