In May 2018, Russian President-elect Vladimir Putin arrived at the inauguration ceremony in the latest Aurus Senat Limousine. He was accompanied by several other cars of the same family. The development of new models of equipment of the existing line continues. Project "Aurus", also known as "Cortege" and EMP, as expected, attracted attention and became the topic of a lot of discussions at different levels. Of particular interest in this project is its technical part. The developers of the project proposed very remarkable solutions on which the whole family is built.
It is worth recalling that the first information about the promising "Unified Modular Platform" (UMP) appeared several years ago, shortly after the start of this project. For some time, new data did not appear, but by now the situation has changed. Much has been said about the EMP / Cortege project at different levels, up to the leadership of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. In addition, for some time, individual components of future machines began to appear at exhibitions. In particular, the "premiere" of the new engine took place back in 2016.
Aurus Senat Limousine in a "presidential" configuration. Photo by US / nami.ru
As a result, by now, many aspects of the EMP project and the features of Aurus cars have become known, which became its first and main result. The main source of official information was messages from FSUE "NAMI", which was the main developer of the new project. In addition, individual messages came from other contributors to the development. High-ranking officials also spoke about the project. For example, Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov made a number of important statements.
Also, it was not done without other sources. Several domestic TV channels shot their documentaries about Aurus, and also published various news about it. There were also other sources of information. For example, at the end of November, some aspects of the project were disclosed by the former head of the department of promising and search projects of NAMI Dmitry Pronin (youtube-channel MONSTROKHOD). All this allows us to draw up a very detailed picture revealing the technical features of the latest domestic cars.
Project participants
The development of the UMP project in its current form began in 2013. The Central Scientific Research Automotive and Automotive Institute became the main contractor of the work. The project was implemented with the direct support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The state undertook both the financing of the project and the solution of certain organizational issues.
View from a different angle. Photo Aurus Russia / aurusmotors.com
At different stages, various organizations, both domestic and foreign, joined the "Cortege" program. For example, the German organization Porsche Engineering, a private German "analogue" of our NAMI, made a significant contribution to research and development work on the subject of new engines. The EMP transmission was developed under the leadership of the Russian company KATE. Various suppliers of the necessary units from Russia and other countries joined the serial production of equipment. The final assembly of the machines is carried out at the NAMI pilot plant, but in the near future the production of some samples will be transferred to Sollers.
In total, at the moment about 150 different enterprises of the automotive and machine-building industries are participating in the "Cortege" / EMP program. About half of the program participants are Russian organizations and enterprises. A significant part of the units is still purchased abroad, but the share of imported components is planned to be reduced. As a result, the number of domestic manufacturers and suppliers will also grow.
Sedan "Aurus Senate". Photo Aurus Russia / aurusmotors.com
The EMP project is unique in the modern history of our automotive industry. First of all, this is due to the number of participants and their roles in the project. In recent decades, no domestic car project has collected such a large cooperation. The same can be said for the importance of the new machines. It is expected that the various results of the EMP program will find application in the creation of new models of automotive technology.
Platform motors
The project "Tuple" was based on the idea of a modular platform, the configuration of which can be changed in accordance with the requirements. It was planned to build a premium limousine, sedan, minivan and other variants of cars on a common platform. They had to differ in design solutions and equipment. In particular, different engines are offered for different machines.
Senate crash test. Photo by US / instagram.com/fgupnami
For the new platform, they decided to develop a whole family of engines. NAMI has formed the technical requirements for this product and started to develop it. The German company Porsche Engineering, which has a serious research and development base for creating promising engines, was involved in these R&D projects. Russian and German specialists carried out the necessary research and shaped the appearance of the future engine. At the same time, as has been repeatedly indicated, the development took into account the Russian terms of reference, Russian technologies and the specifics of the new product.
The most powerful product in the range is the V12 engine with 850 hp. with a torque of 1320 N * m. Such an engine is equipped with a Quadro turbo-type supercharging system based on four superchargers, each of which serves three cylinders. Direct fuel injection is used. Due to the pressurization in the fuel rail, a pressure of 250 atm is created. Each cylinder has four valves, which requires four camshafts. The latter are driven by chains. There is a system for changing the speed of the camshafts in accordance with the operating mode of the engine.
All major large units of the new engine are made of specially developed aluminum alloy. New technologies are used in casting. Thanks to this, the dry weight of the engine from NAMI is only 310 kg. The product is completed with all necessary additional devices. The engine is controlled electronically.
Showcase of the V12 engine. Photo by US / instagram.com/fgupnami
The V12 engine was offered for installation on "older" cars - first of all, on the Senate limousine. However, its development has not yet been completed, and therefore the premium segment is still equipped with a 600 hp V8 engine built on the same solutions. Other samples of the Aurus family will have to be equipped with a different power plant. It is known about the ongoing work on the V6 engine. Also unveiled earlier this year is the 245 hp inline four-cylinder engine. with a torque of 380 N * m. "Quartet" weighs only 150 kg and is unified with other samples of the family in some units.
Transmission evolution
A nine-speed automatic transmission of a new type was developed for the Aurus. The history of this product is very curious, as well as its potential in the context of the development of automotive technology of other classes. The fact is that in the distant past, a similar automatic transmission, built on the same solutions, could appear on domestic production cars, but this did not happen.
Inline four-cylinder engine of the Aurus family. Figure US / instagram.com/fgupnami
Back in the early 2000s, the Russian company KATE developed a new version of the automatic transmission. It was a planetary gearbox without a torque converter and had seven forward gears. Such a product was intended for new VAZ vehicles with transverse engine placement and front-wheel drive. The new domestic automatic transmission differed from the existing counterparts in a higher price, but at the same time showed advantages of a technical nature. Unfortunately, cost has become a deciding factor. It was decided to abandon the development of "KATE" in favor of other automatic transmissions, less expensive and daring in terms of design.
Later, after the launch of the "Cortege" project, the "KATE" company, based on the solutions of the existing project, created a promising ACP. The R932 product is intended for use on vehicles with longitudinal engine placement and four-wheel drive, which affected its layout and dimensions. The planetary gears were again used, and again the traditional torque converter for the automatic transmission was abandoned. Due to new schemes, including unique and patented, a high efficiency is ensured.
Automatic transmission R932. Drawing by KATE LLC / katem.ru
The R932 has nine forward gears and one reverse gear. On the input shaft, a power of up to 630 kW is allowed at a torque of up to 1000 N * m and a rotation speed of up to 6000 rpm. The prototype had a length of 730 mm with a diameter of about 450 mm. Product weight - less than 140 kg. Automatic gearbox operation and gear shifting are controlled by electric drives with remote control.
Representative chassis
There are no revolutionary technical innovations in the design of the undercarriage of Aurus cars, but in this case it is also of interest. In this case, as follows from the available data, we are talking about a modular chassis architecture. Depending on the modification and purpose, the machine can receive certain units of special purpose.
The front wheels of the cars receive independent suspension on two levers with a double lower hinge. In some modifications, the front axle can be supplemented with its own gear and clutch, which enable the all-wheel drive to be engaged and disengaged. The rear wheels are suspended on a four-arm system. Some modifications of the car can be equipped with controllable elastic suspension elements that change the parameters of the chassis.
One of the interior options for the "Senate". Photo Aurus Russia / aurusmotors.com
Another feature of the chassis of the "older" cars of the line can be classified as a safety device. The VIP limousine can be equipped with wheels with rigid inserts to ensure movement with punctured tires. Naturally, "simple" modifications of Aurus cars will not have such equipment.
Exterior and safety
The history of the creation of the recognizable appearance of the EMP / "Cortege" cars is well known. At first, the exterior was accepted, based on the characteristic appearance of the ZIS-110 machine and modern solutions. Subsequently, the exterior of the body was reworked several times, and the result was the Aurus car in its current form. Some ideas from the very first version were retained, but they were supplemented with modern "fashionable" elements.
"Senate Limousine" V. V. Putin before the inauguration ceremony? May 7, 2018 Photo by the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation / kremlin.ru
However, the new body for the limousine, first shown in May this year, is of interest not only in terms of its appearance. For high-ranking officials, a special modification of the car with built-in protection against various threats is offered. Official sources have not yet disclosed the design features of the protection and its characteristics. The reasons for this are understandable, but objective factors do not prevent one from expressing various assumptions.
Apparently, the Aurus Senat Limousine is equipped with a full-fledged armored capsule that forms a single habitable volume with seats for the driver and passengers. Armor parts with a sufficient level of strength must be placed under the entire outer surface of the body. Relatively thick multilayer bulletproof glasses with a given level of protection are installed in the body openings. Probably, this design of the machine provides all-aspect protection against bullets of all calibers.
Presidential car during a visit to Helsinki, July 16, 2018 Photo by the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation / kremlin.ru
Also previously mentioned was the possibility of continuing movement after a mine was blown up. This is not least due to the use of internal inserts in the wheels, which take on the weight of the car after the tire is destroyed.
Technically speaking
This year, for the first time, the domestic industry showed ready-made cars on the "Unified Modular Platform" under the names "Cortege" and Aurus. Much has been said about the significance of this project for the domestic automotive industry, for the country's prestige, etc. At the same time, it is the technical aspects of the new project that are of particular interest. It is not at all difficult to notice that in order to create Aurus cars, Russian enterprises had to solve a lot of serious problems and develop a large number of completely new components. Thus, the EMP project became a serious impetus for the development of domestic automotive science and technology.
Aurus cars from the president's motorcade. Photo by the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation / kremlin.ru
More than 70 domestic organizations were involved in the implementation of the project, responsible for the development of new components, as well as for the release of various products. Thus, the project mobilized the automotive industry and allowed a host of businesses to be at the forefront. They were able to create new components, as well as master new technologies and production. The participation of several dozen foreign companies allowed domestic specialists to gain access to their developments.
According to the statements of various persons, at one level or another, related to the EMP project, in the future, developments on the "Cortege" may find application in the creation of new cars of all main classes. Various components and technologies developed for premium vehicles can also be useful in the creation of mass-class vehicles. For example, a "reduced" engine is already being created, and there is also a ready-made simplified automatic transmission for passenger cars.
Recent news asserts that next year Aurus cars will go on sale, and potential customers will be able to purchase cars in any given configuration. Prices for such equipment have not yet been published, but it is already clear that a considerable sum will have to be paid for a new car. As planned, the new cars will enter the executive and high-end sectors of the market. However, it is now clear that the EMP project - as research and development work - will affect other areas and sectors of the market as well. However, the timing of the appearance of new affordable cars with elements and solutions of the "Cortege" project has not yet been specified.
