Weighing six tons and powered by roaring 4.4 lite V-8 engine, the new model Aurus cabriolet was showcased

The limo, which has been likened to British-manufactured Rolls Royce, will go on general sale this year

Victory Day dates back to the Soviet Union's declaration of victory over the Nazis in the Second World War

Vladimir Putin's new £120,000 armoured limousine has been unveiled at the country's Victory Day parade rehearsals which saw the convertible roll through Moscow as Russia showcased its military might.

Weighing six tons and powered by a roaring 4.4 lite V-8 engine, this Aurus cabriolet is an upgrade to the previous model used by the Kremlin strongman over the past year.

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The body of the Aurus - which gets its name from a blend of aurum, meaning gold, and Russia - has been described by Autoweek magazine as 'unapologetically Rolls Royce'. The limo will go on sale to the public later this year.

Victory Day celebration rehearsals were underway this morning ahead of Thursday's parade which will see thousands of servicemen and women troop through Red Square as Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu salutes the soldiers from the new model Aurus.

The Russian holiday dates back to the Soviet Union's declaration of victory in the Second World War as the Nazis surrendered to the allied forces.

However, the procession will be widely interpreted as further efforts by Putin, whose recent acts of aggression have frayed relationships with the West, to lay bare the nation's military strength.

Vladimir Putin's new £120,000 armoured limo (carrying Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu this morning) has been unveiled at the country's Victory Day parade rehearsals which saw the impressive convertible roll through Moscow as Russia showcased its military might

Victory Day celebration rehearsals were underway this morning ahead of Thursday's parade which will see thousands of servicemen and women troop through Red Square

Russian airborne troops march in preparations for the procession which dates back to the Soviet Union's declaration of victory in the Second World War as the Nazis surrendered to allied forces

To the beat of drums, the troops are also seen marching through the streets and are joined by smiling servicewomen who goose-step through the city

But eyes will also be trained on the 22ft upgraded armoured limo with many eager to see the vehicle which will drive the Russian Premier in future ceremonies.

This new model reportedly has a 'parade mode' which, when travelling at speeds lower than 12mph, provides a smoother ride, according to the Times.

Some 5,000 models are projected to be manufactured annually by 2021 and it has already peaked the interest of Saudi Arabian politician Khalid al-Falih, who said 'I am ready to buy one of these cars if I can afford it,' during a visit to St Petersburg last week.

Putin's security detail, the Federal Protective Service, will reportedly continue to use Mercedes Benz cars in the Presidential motorcade.

The Aurus cabriolets carrying Sergei Shoigu and Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Forces General Oleg Salyukov salute the troops

Sukhoi Su-24M front-line bombers fly in formation in the skies of Moscow over the procession below as Russia steps up its Victory Day parade preparations

MSTA-S self-propelled howitzers rumble through Red Square while their drivers salute the Defence Secretary this morning

Fighter jets zoom overhead in Moscow this morning, spraying out red, blue and white smoke - the colours on the Russian flag

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu salutes the soldiers from the new model Aurus, which weighs six tons and is powered by a roaring 4.4 lite V-8 engine

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Putin's £120,000 Aurus cabriolet convertible The limo, which has been described as a rip-off of British-manufactured Rolls Royce, will go on sale to the public later this year. Here are the need-to-know facts about Vladimir Putin's new ride: Weight: Six tons Length: 22 feet Engine: 598 horsepower, 4.4-litre V-8 0-60mph: Nine seconds

Dramatic scenes from Moscow show tanks and large military vehicles rumble past the Kremlin as fighter jets zoom overhead, spraying out red, blue and white - the colours on the Russian flag.

Mr Shoigu is also seen saluting the ranks who stand rigidly to attention armed with rifles and wearing green military dress.

To the beat of drums, the troops are also seen marching through the streets and are joined by smiling servicewomen who goose-step through the procession.

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The display of military hardware comes amid a period of heightened tensions between Russia and Western nations.

In March 2018 former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned on the streets of Salisbury in a chemical attack.

They were targeted with Novichok – a deadly nerve agent manufactured in Russia's lab rooms at the height of the Cold War.

Theresa May has blamed the Russian state for the attack, but the Kremlin denied this and hit back with a disinformation campaign questioning whether the UK's security services can be trusted and suggested Britain carried out the poisoning itself.

Mil Mi-8 combat helicopters fly over Moscow during the dress rehearsal of a Victory Day air show marking the 74th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany

The choppers swoop over the iconic St Basil Cathedral which stands in the centre of Red Square beside the Kremlin, the fortified home of Russia's government

Mr Shoigu is also seen saluting the ranks (pictured) who stand rigidly to attention armed with rifles and wearing green military dress

The procession will be widely interpreted as further efforts by Mr Putin, whose recent acts of aggression have frayed relationships with the West, to lay bare the nation's military strength

The display of military might comes amid a period of heightened tensions between Russia and Western nations

A large Beriev A-50 airborne early warning and control training aircraft flies over Moscow during this morning's Victory Day parade rehearsal