Putin's beastly limousine explodes near FSB

AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS

A "Aurus" limousine from Putin's "official fleet" exploded north of the Lubyanka headquarters of Moscow's FSB secret service.

Footage showed the fire that started in the engine of the £275,000 "Aurus Senat" spreading to the interior of the vehicle, the UK's "San" reports.

Workers from nearby restaurants and bars rushed into the street to try to help before the fire brigade arrived.

Stunned onlookers watched as black smoke billowed from the front of the destroyed vehicle as the fire continued to rage.

Footage taken from a different angle showed the rear of the vehicle also damaged.

Reports did not reveal who was using the car - believed to be owned by Putin's presidential property management department - when the incident occurred.

There was no report on what may have caused the sudden fire, but those in the car were not injured.

Putin regularly uses Russian-made cars and gave one of these limousines to North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

The Aurus Senat is a "beast" in the automotive world: it is an incredible seven meters long, weighs as much as six tons and is powered by a hybrid V12 engine of at least 600 (and possibly even 800) horsepower with a nine-speed automatic transmission.

The Senat can accelerate from zero to "hundreds" in just six seconds, while its top speed is limited to about 250 kilometers per hour. The Aurus' tires were specially designed for the President of the Russian Federation, and even if they are damaged or lose pressure, the vehicle can still move thanks to special internal supports.

For the needs of the Russian president, the "aurus senate" is equipped with the highest standards of protection, and its body is indestructible in the event of any unforeseen circumstances or attempts by enemy attacks.

The car is armored on all sides, the tank is protected by special technology to prevent possible fuel leaks, and there is also an exit in the vehicle in case of emergency or door blockage. Passengers in the vehicle are also protected from poisoning by dangerous gases thanks to the fresh air distribution system in the interior, and the limousine also has its own fire extinguishing system.

It is also interesting that the synchronization of the "senate" multimedia devices with smartphones is disabled - all with the aim of protecting data and preventing "hacking" of the system. The portal of one car dealer states that there are a total of 14 special security components.