Russia’s Power Elite Trade in Their Rattling BMWs for Lavish Auruses — But There’s a Catch

In a recent leap toward homegrown opulence, the Russian State Duma decided to retire its fleet of well-worn BMWs and Genesis sedans — vehicles which, in some cases, had clocked more miles than a Soviet-era tank — and replace them with something far more patriotic: the Aurus. Yes, that Aurus — the Russian-made luxury sedan with a price tag of around 50 million rubles per unit. That’s more than a respectable countryside estate, three Volgas, and half a dacha… combined.

Deputy Speaker Vladislav Davankov, whose previous BMW reportedly spent more time in repair shops than on the road and only responded to threats involving hammers, admitted with some enthusiasm that “the Aurus is a truly luxurious car.” But then came the classic political disclaimer: “It’s also quite expensive.”

Quite expensive indeed. While previous generations of lawmakers made do with Genesis G90s or BMW 7 Series — hardly peasant wagons — the new guard now glides through Moscow’s streets in sedans adorned with more chrome than a Las Vegas casino. And the floor mats alone? A budget-breaking 783,700 rubles — enough to buy an entire Lada Granta. Yes, you read that correctly. The carpets under their feet cost more than an actual car.

And the absurdity doesn’t stop there. In a delicious twist of bureaucratic irony, the mandatory traffic insurance (OSAGO) limits are so laughably low that if an Aurus is involved in a fender-bender, the payout might cover, at best, one headlight — which, incidentally, runs about 300,000 rubles. The rest? Almost certainly footed by the people.

But the crown jewel of this comedic tragedy came when Davankov solemnly declared: “Yes, the Aurus is expensive — but at least it’s Russian.” As if luxury, absurdity, and nationalism had fused into a single four-door embodiment of statecraft. One can almost envision the upcoming “patriotic trim package”: a Kalashnikov holder in the glovebox and a gilded portrait of Ivan the Terrible mounted proudly on the dashboard.

As for the rank-and-file lawmakers, they were issued more “modest” rides — elongated Lada Vesta and Aura sedans — costing a mere 3 million rubles each. Because, as the saying goes: some get the Aurus, some get the Aura, and the rest just get the bill.