Putin's surprise gift to Kim Jong Un: A replica of his £375,000 armored limousine

In North Korea, car ownership is a privilege reserved for the elite. The country's leader, Kim Jong Un, however, is an avid car enthusiast and boasts an impressively comprehensive private garage. All this, of course, is for the glory of his homeland.

Kim Jong Un owns a Maybach, which is officially blacklisted by Mercedes. The lengths the North Korean leader goes to in order to acquire these expensive western cars are nothing short of extraordinary. After all, skirting international sanctions is no simple feat.

North Korea, however, doesn't suffer these sanctions from Russia. Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin maintain a solid relationship, with reciprocal visits being frequent. It was during one of these visits in autumn 2023 that an unanticipated event occurred.

Kim Jong Un was noticeably intrigued by President Putin's limousine. As a result, Putin invited his guest into the car, where Jong Un settled comfortably in the backseat. According to recent reports, Putin then surprised the North Korean leader, who must have been clearly pleased with the car.

The North Korean news agency KCNA revealed that Kim Jong Un is now the owner of a replica of Putin's armored luxury limousine, the Aurus Senate. These reports were even verified by Putin's spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov.

Mass production of the Senate model started in 2021, and the Russian authorities have had access to this model for several years. The 'Russian Rolls-Royce' is powered by a hybrid 4.4 V8 engine, which is equipped with two turbochargers. For seamless driving, it's paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission, together they yield 598 hp.

The Aurus Senate is far from a budget-friendly choice. Recent information reveals the starting price to be around 41 million rubles, which equates to approximately £375,000. The car also features special enhancements such as additional armor and capabilities for encrypted calls.