Dartz Prombron: The £900k armoured SUV with a cigar and gun safe

“It is full of natural exotic skin…but it’s not made from whale penis.” 

A line such as this will grab attention when a car manufacturer gives you information about the latest model.

That’s only one explanation of many for bizarre features found in the Dartz Motorz vehicle, which is unquestionably the most insane car that you could buy.

Prices for the latest limited-edition Prombron SUV start from €750,000 (£660,000), though if you want your gold-plated utility vehicle to be fully armoured you will need to fork out at least €1.05million (£900,000). 

This car is the most insane on earth? Latvian tank-maker Dartz Motorz has revealed its limited edition Prombron The Dictator Aladeen Edition MMXXII – an armoured SUV that can withstand rifle fire and explosions…but maybe not the WWF…

Name of the car [take a deep breath] is the Dartz Motorz Prombron The Dictator Aladeen Edition MMXXII. The Dartz Motorz Prombron doesn’t slide off the tongue.

This bizarre car has connections to another controversial film, as you may have noticed from its nameplate.

Dartz initially created three ‘Aladeen Edition’ SUVs in 2012 for the movie. The DictatorSasha Baron Cohen stars as Admiral General Aladeen in this controversial political satire.

Producers ordered the cars and they were created by Dartz’s own ‘Movie Vehicle Department. This department also made one-off films for 2013. Yet another day of hard workAnd 2014 The November Man featuring Pierce Brosnan. 

The three motors that were made for The Dictator have been a huge success [says the Latvian brand] that it decided to build another seven for public sale, each costing in the region of £500,000.

Only two of the final examples were available for sale last year. One was sold at the highly regarded Amfar Charity auction, which took place during 2021 Cannes Film Festival. 

Underneath the unique gold-plated bodywork – which even features Wadiyan Badges and flag motifs – is a £170k Mercedes Maybach GLS limo. The 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine of the German luxury SUV is used. However, it can produce a staggering 800bhp.

Dartz had originally designed three “Aladeen Edition” SUVs to be used in 2012’s movie The Dictator. Sasha Baron Cohen plays Admiral General Aladeen as ruler of fictional Republic of Wadiya.

Dartz Motorz plans to make ten additional examples of their long-named successor in order to commemorate the car’s final sale and mark 10 years since the original movie premiered.

Like the original, it is based on the armoured Prombron Iron Diamonds SUV, which Kanye West reportedly bought two of in 2013 at a total cost of $2.4million.

Underneath the unique gold-plated bodywork – which even features Wadiyan Badges and flag motifs – is a £170,000 Mercedes Maybach GLS limo. This limo uses the 4.0-litre petrol engine from the German luxury SUV, but it is tuned to produce an incredible 800bhp (and 1,000Nm) of torque.

Dartz claims it is capable of going from standstill to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds, and can reach speeds up to 173 mph.

Because the car is intended for celebrities, it needs that level of performance. 

Dartz Motorz produced seven units of the armored SUV to support the success of the movie. Two of the last two examples were sold to customers in the end. One was sold at the prestigious Amfar Charity auction, which took place during 2021 Cannes Film Festival. (pictured).

All 10 vehicles come standard with carbon-kevlar panels and BR2 bullet-resistant glass. However, for an extra €300,000 (£265,000) you can upgrade yours to ‘STANAG’ Level 2 protection – STANAG being the official protection levels light armoured vehicles set out by NATO

Extra blast-proof shielding is added to the best armoured examples. This will prevent AK47 rounds from reaching 30 meters, grenade or mine explosions, as well as other heavy artillery fire.

Dartz has produced armored vehicles for Leon Trotsky, Vladimir Lenin and Tsar Nicolas in the past. They offer a variety of protection options for at-risk customers looking to purchase the limited edition SUV.

All 10 vehicles come standard with carbon-kevlar panels and ‘BR2’ bullet-resistant glass. 

Three SUVs of original design were purchased for the movie The Dictator (2012), starring Sasha Baron Cohen.

However, for an extra €300,000 (£265,000) you can upgrade yours to ‘STANAG’ Level 2 protection – STANAG being the official protection levels for light armoured vehicles set out by NATO.

The shielding is extra-bomb-proof and will prevent armour-piecing AK47 shots at a range between 30 meters, grenade attack, or other heavy artillery fire.

Base cars come with a safe for you to store your gun and a storage space for expensive cigars. There is also one for your makeup. 

There are many optional features that can be added to the package at an additional cost. These include a safe for an AK47 or your custom bulletproof helmet, and even a place for a sword.  

Only the bulletproof-glass option is available, and the vehicle weights in excess of 2.2 tonnes. Full-armoured models weigh in at over 3.1 tons, making them a formidable threat to the sub-4 second zero-to-62mph times.

Inside is extremely lavish décor, supplemented by panels made from a choice of 550 different types of wood and buttons that are fabricated from genuine gold, so the Latvian brand claims.

These are analogue traditional gauges. Dartz’s spokesperson makes it abundantly clear that there is no place for digital screens here, stating: ‘f*ck LCD’.

Dartz also offers a bulletproof umbrella from alligator skin or python skin for a small fee. The brand seems to have not learned from past encounters with activist who strongly opposed the inclusion of rare parts in expensive cars.

Even the car made an appearance on red carpet premieres in May 2012, as part of the movie’s launch. The car is seen here at London’s Royal Albert Hall.

There are many optional options available for extra costs, such as a safe that can hold an AK47 and your custom bulletproof helmet or a storage compartment to carry a sword.

Dartz landed itself in hot water in 2009 when it announced its original Prombron luxury SUV had seats upholstered in leather pulled from whale foreskin. Pamela Anderson, WWF, and Greenpeace all objected at the unusual use of an animal product.

After announcing the seats of the Prombron armored truck were covered in leather made from whale furskin, Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund called Pamela Anderson out. 

Dartz had to remove the nauseating feature. 

After a lot of protests we realized what had happened and made the decision to stop using natural leathure. For interior best quality we will use the most advanced nanotechnologies in order to create artificial materials that can be used as cars. 

We want to say hello to all the whales, “Our Sea Brothers!” All of us know the earth is built on three whales. We will continue to keep you alive! “We don’t let Earth sink to Ocean!”

While Dartz says it currently only plans to produce ten examples of the Prombron The Dictator Aladeen Edition MMXXII, it says it will build more if customers want them.

Already, we can hear your rummaging for your chequebooks…