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Dartz

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the vehicle maker. For the British musical group, see Dartz! For New Zealand post-punk band, see DARTZ (New Zealand band). For the Yu-Gi-Oh! character, see Dartz (Yu-Gi-Oh!).

Dartz Motor Company
PredecessorRusso-Balt
Headquarters
Riga
,
Latvia
ProductsDartz Prombron
OwnerLeonard F. Yankelovich
ParentDartz Grupa OÜ
Websitedartzmotorz.com

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

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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]

Dartz Pombron

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]

Dartz Kombat

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.[citation needed]

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[clarification needed] encrusted embedded badges as well as gold-plated, bullet-proof windows, an exhaust system made out of tungsten, diamond-ruby[clarification needed] 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 replaced it.[17] Their web shop however, was as of May 2025 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]


      1. Removal of "Z" from Dartz Logo

In March 2022, the Latvian luxury and armored vehicle manufacturer **Dartz Motorz** announced the removal of the letter **"Z"** from its company logo. The decision came in response to the use of the letter "Z" as a pro-war symbol by Russian military forces during the invasion of Ukraine.

Historically, the "Z" in Dartz's name referred to the Russian word *"Zavod"*, meaning "factory", acknowledging the company's roots in the former Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory (RBVZ). However, due to the contemporary political and military connotations of the symbol, Dartz officially distanced itself from the letter. In its place, a **diamond shape** was introduced into the logo, symbolizing timelessness and strength—“because diamonds are forever,” the company stated.

Despite this change, Dartz retained its iconic **winged skull emblem**, preserving its distinctive brand identity while making a clear political and ethical statement.

The company made the announcement publicly via social media, and it was subsequently covered by Austrian news outlet *Kronen Zeitung*.

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Investor Relations". Dartz World. Dartz Motorz (dartz.us). 2012. Archived from the original on 15 June 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  2. ^ "Contact Us". Dartz World. Dartz Motorz (dartz.us). 2012. Archived from the original on 15 June 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  3. ^ "Dartz Motorz Company". Dartz World. Dartz Motorz (dartz.us). 2012. Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  4. ^ "Factory Tour / Dartz Motorz Company". Dartz World. Dartz Motorz (dartz.us). 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  5. ^ "History". dartzkombat.com. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  6. ^ "Exclusive: Dartz Monaco Red Diamond Edition". Archived from the original on 8 October 2009.
  7. ^ "Foreskin Removal: Dartz Prombron drops the whale penis". Autoblog. 10 November 2009.
  8. ^ "Models". Dartz Motorz (dartz.us). 2012. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  9. ^ "Black Shark". Dartz Grupa. 2015. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  10. ^ "Black Snake". Dartz Grupa. 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  11. ^ "Prombron' - general info, body styles, main car models". Models. Dartz Motorz. 2012. Archived from the original on 15 June 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  12. ^ Red Sea Distribution official Website
  13. ^ Ramsey, Jonothan (October 2010). "zenvo-st1 gets a US distributor and a price". AutoBlog.
  14. ^ "Road Test: Dartz Prombron Wagon". GT Spirit. 8 June 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  15. ^ tom (2012). "World's Most Expensive SUVs". most-expensive.net. Archived from the original on 15 June 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  16. ^ Blackburn, Richard (16 October 2009). "The 4WD with seats made of whale penis". Fairfax Digital. Archived from the original on 4 March 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  17. ^ "Symbol für Putin-Krieg Militärautobauer Dartz entfernt Z aus dem Logo". Kronen Zeitung. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Opulent Boutique - opulence". Dartz. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  19. ^ "Black Stallion". DARTZ. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
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