Dartz Explained
Dartz Motor Company |
Predecessor: | Russo-Balt |
Successors: | --> |
Founders: | --> |
Products: | Dartz Prombron |
Owner: | Leonard F. Yankelovich |
Owners: | --> |
Parent: | DARTZ GRUPA OÜ |
Location City: | Riga |
Location Country: | Latvia |
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 lineup
In 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.
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 encrusted embedded badges as well as gold-plated, bullet-proof windows, an exhaust system made out of tungsten, diamond-ruby 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
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Investor Relations . Dartz World . Dartz Motorz (dartz.us) . 2012 . 29 June 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120615201455/http://www.dartz.us/en/dartz-world/index-121399 . 15 June 2012 . dead.
- Web site: Contact Us . Dartz World . Dartz Motorz (dartz.us) . 2012 . 29 June 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120615201449/http://www.dartz.us/en/dartz-world/index-121397 . 15 June 2012 . dead.
- Web site: Dartz Motorz Company . Dartz World . Dartz Motorz (dartz.us) . 2012 . 29 June 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120604045911/http://www.dartz.us/en/dartz-world/index-121461 . 4 June 2012 . dead.
- Web site: Factory Tour / Dartz Motorz Company . Dartz World . Dartz Motorz (dartz.us) . 2012 . 29 June 2012.
- Web site: History . dartzkombat.com . 29 June 2012.
- Web site: Exclusive: Dartz Monaco Red Diamond Edition. https://web.archive.org/web/20091008085638/http://www.gtspirit.com/2009/10/06/exclusive-dartz-monaco-red-diamond-edition/. 8 October 2009.
- Web site: Foreskin Removal: Dartz Prombron drops the whale penis . Autoblog . 10 November 2009.
- Web site: Models . Dartz Motorz (dartz.us) . 2012 . 29 June 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120711101601/http://www.dartz.us/en/english--121265 . 11 July 2012 . dead.
- Web site: Black Shark . Dartz Grupa . 2015 . 19 March 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150315011515/http://www.dartzgrupa.com/us/black-shark . 15 March 2015 . dead.
- Web site: Black Snake . Dartz Grupa . 2015 . 19 March 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402094717/http://www.dartzgrupa.com/us/black-snake . 2 April 2015 . dead.
- Web site: PROMBRON' - general info, body styles, main car models . MODELS . DARTZ MOTORZ (dartz.us) . 2012 . 29 June 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120615201703/http://www.dartz.us/en/english-/english-121475 . 15 June 2012 . dead.
- http://www.redseadistribution.com Red Sea Distribution
- Web site: Ramsey . Jonothan . zenvo-st1 gets a US distributor and a price . AutoBlog . October 2010.
- Web site: Road Test: Dartz Prombron Wagon . GT Spirit . 8 June 2010 . 29 June 2012.
- Web site: tom . World's Most Expensive SUVs . most-expensive.net . 2012 . 29 June 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120615033611/http://most-expensive.net/suv-world . 15 June 2012 . dead.
- Web site: Blackburn . Richard . The 4WD with seats made of whale penis . . 16 October 2009 . 15 May 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110304221607/http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/the-4wd-with-seats-made-of-whale-penis-20091016-gzsq.html . 4 March 2011 .
- Web site: Symbol für Putin-Krieg Militärautobauer Dartz entfernt Z aus dem Logo krone.at . . 5 May 2023.
- Web site: OPULENT BOUTIQUE - opulence . . 5 May 2023 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230128173737/https://shop.dartzmotorz.com/ . 28 January 2023 .
- Web site: BLACK STALLION . 2 August 2022 . DARTZ . en-US.