The head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov told TASS that today the production of Senat sedans started in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). In the future, Komendant crossovers will be assembled at the site. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the presence of the Aurus brand in the Middle East will not be limited to the UAE: the issue of expansion into other countries of the Middle East and North Africa is already being considered.
They are planning to open a salon for the sale and customization of Aurus cars for buyers in the UAE. The Abu Dhabi dealership was originally slated to open in 2024, but it looks like the showroom could open sooner. The eastern partner of Aurus has not yet been named, but one of the key shareholders of the Russian brand is the UAE Defense, Security and Development Fund Tawazun.
In Russia, Aurus cars are mass-produced at a plant in the Yelabuga region of the Republic of Tatarstan. Senat sedans will be assembled from the end of May 2021, Komendant crossovers – from the end of November 2022. Another site for special versions and armored cars of Aurus is NAMI in Moscow. There is no information about the features of the conveyor in Abu Dhabi: it seems that production was launched behind closed doors, because even photographs from the new plant have not yet been published.
The entry of Aurus cars into foreign markets is surprising, because even in Russia sales are small. For example, in April 2023, the premium brand sold only two Senat sedans. According to Aurus Komendant, there is even less open data: in less than a year, only two crossovers were registered. In reality, there are more cars, but NAMI produces Auruses from departmental garages, and they are not included in the statistics.
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