Heritage

DARTZ Before the Prombron’: The Early Years, 1988 to 1999

By DARTZ Editorial · 30 August 2026 · Updated 4 October 2026

DARTZ began in Riga in 1988, armouring cars. That year it took part in developing an armoured van on the RAF 2203 Latvija with the French firm Coopération Labbé, which DARTZ calls the first civilian cash-in-transit armoured cars in the Soviet Union. It went on to build the DARTZ VW Froggy in 1993, the Golden Calf beach buggy in 1994 and the Star Kombat, or SpaceBaller, from 1995, and took part in the Millennium Adventure of 1999. Its public debut came in 2008.

The world met DARTZ in 2008. DARTZ had been busy for twenty years before that.

1988: armour first

In 1988 Leonard F. Yankelovich revived the heritage of the Russo-Baltic works in Riga. DARTZ says he had trained as an engineer-mechanic, graduated from military college and served in the army, and that he began by armouring cars with friends who had real combat experience.

That same year DARTZ took part in developing an armoured vehicle on the Soviet RAF 2203 Latvija van, with the French company Coopération Labbé, from Lamballe. DARTZ describes the result as the first civilian cash-in-transit armoured cars in the USSR, and as the start of its “Ruler Design” philosophy, and of its career in film cars.

An armoured cash-in-transit van on the RAF 2203 Latvija, developed with Coopération Labbé, around 1988

1993: the DARTZ VW Froggy

In 1993 DARTZ built the DARTZ VW Froggy, which it calls one of the most advanced Volkswagen Beetles of its time, with a television and a video player, a true rarity then. It caught the attention of the investor Jim Rogers, whom DARTZ calls a long-time friend, adviser and inspirer. The Froggy stands today as a monument in a dinosaur park, and its name lives on in the FreZe Froggy.

The green DARTZ VW Froggy on the Riga waterfront in 1999, with Leonard F. Yankelovich, Jim Rogers and Paige Parker beside their Millennium Adventure Mercedes

Inside the DARTZ VW Froggy: a green and yellow cabin with a three-spoke wheel and a row of chrome gauges

1994: the Golden Calf

A year later came the DARTZ Golden Calf beach buggy, named for the aluminium golden calf skull on its roll cage, which DARTZ calls an emblem of strength and vitality. It became the inspiration for the FreZe BeachStar and Froggy roadsters.

The DARTZ Golden Calf beach buggy at the water’s edge at dusk, its lamps lit and the calf skull on its roll cage

1995: SpaceBaller

In 1995 DARTZ began its largest vehicle, the Star Kombat, the first of what became its Kombat series. Inspired by a love of Mel Brooks’s comedies, it carried a second name: SpaceBaller. “Back in 1995,” DARTZ points out, “there were no AutoCAD programs, not even proper computers.” SpaceBaller later appeared among the six licensed DARTZ vehicles in Racing Xtreme. Read about DARTZ in games.

1999: the Millennium Adventure

In 1999 DARTZ took part, it says, in the Millennium Adventure of Jim Rogers and Paige Parker, with the Mercedes Millennium Adventure vehicle.

Leonard F. Yankelovich with Jim Rogers and Paige Parker beside the yellow Millennium Adventure Mercedes in Riga, 1999

Tuners, then a carrosserie

The press called DARTZ tuners, and DARTZ admits it was once right: in the early days it balanced armour plating with spoilers, wings, fenders and leather interiors. That was more than three decades ago. By 2008, when DARTZ made what it calls its loud coming out, it had become a carrosserie, building its own Prombron’ BONDs.

The yellow and green FreZe Froggy EV beside the original 1993 DARTZ VW Froggy on the Riga waterfront

Read the founder’s story and the model guide.

About DARTZ

DARTZ is a Riga carrosserie that builds bespoke, opulent vehicles, armoured or non-armoured, in strictly limited numbers. It calls them BONDs: Bespoke Opulent Noble Drives.

Its heritage runs back to the Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory (RBVZ), founded in Riga in 1869, whose automobile department built its first car in 1909. Leonard F. Yankelovich revived that heritage as DARTZ in 1988. The group, DARTZ Grupa OÜ, is registered in Tallinn, Estonia.

Its Prombron’ models, from the Iron Diamond and Black Dragon to the Black Shark, Black Alligator and Black Stallion, have been covered by Top Gear, Forbes, Robb Report and Fox News, among many others.

Questions we are asked

When did DARTZ start?

In 1988, in Riga, when Leonard F. Yankelovich revived the heritage of the Russo-Baltic works and, with friends with real combat experience, began armouring cars.

What was DARTZ's first vehicle?

DARTZ counts the RAF Labbé: an armoured van on the RAF 2203 Latvija, developed with Coopération Labbé of France from 1988, which DARTZ describes as the first civilian cash-in-transit armoured cars in the Soviet Union.

What was the DARTZ VW Froggy?

A heavily modified Volkswagen Beetle of 1993 with a television and a video player, rare at the time. It gave its name to today's FreZe Froggy roadster.

What was the SpaceBaller?

DARTZ's largest vehicle, begun in 1995 and named after Mel Brooks's comedy; it was the first of its Kombat series and later appeared in the game Racing Xtreme.

When did DARTZ become famous?

DARTZ says it made its loud coming out in 2008, after two decades in the shadow of the world press, with the first Prombron’ models.

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