Heritage

Is DARTZ Latvian or Russian? Riga, Tallinn and a Heritage from 1869

By DARTZ Editorial · 28 August 2026 · Updated 4 October 2026

DARTZ is a Latvian carrosserie from Riga, owned and led by its founder, Leonard F. Yankelovich, through DARTZ Grupa OÜ, which is registered in Tallinn, Estonia. Its heritage is the Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory, founded in Riga in 1869 when the city was part of the Russian Empire. DARTZ describes itself as rooted in Latvia, which has been independent since 1918, and it condemned Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and removed the Z from its logo.

People ask it often, and the answer takes a little history: DARTZ is from Riga.

A Riga works, 1869

DARTZ’s heritage begins with the Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory, RBVZ, founded in Riga in 1869 as a German-Dutch joint venture to build railway carriages, including coaches for Europe’s royal households. At that time Riga was a city of the Russian Empire, which is why the works, and its cars, carried the name Russo-Balt. Its records were kept in French: the automobile department began as the Division Automobile de Riga.

The Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory works in Riga in 1909, archive photograph

An enamel badge of the Russo-Baltic Wagon Works automobile department

Latvia, 1918

Latvia has been an independent state since 1918. The works did not survive the First World War in Riga: in 1915 production was evacuated east, and the Riga chapter ended. DARTZ describes its own story as spanning Latvian statehood, periods of occupation and renewal, with its present and future rooted in Latvia.

DARTZ, 1988

In 1988 Leonard F. Yankelovich, the great-grandson of a minority shareholder of the works, revived its heritage in Riga as DARTZ. He built the name from the old one: D.A.R. for Division Automobile Riga, T for Tank and Z for Zavod, factory. Read what DARTZ stands for. DARTZ has been privately and personally owned by him ever since.

An early DARTZ armoured cash-in-transit van on the RAF 2203 Latvija, Riga, around 1988

Registered in Tallinn

The group company, DARTZ Grupa OÜ, is registered in Tallinn, Estonia, at Maakri 19/1. DARTZ’s cars are built in Riga, and they are sold directly, never through dealers.

A clear position

On 24 February 2022, the day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, DARTZ removed the letter Z from its logo: the Z had become the mark painted on the occupying forces’ vehicles and displayed by the invasion’s sympathisers. DARTZ adopted the Spirit of Victors as its identity. DARTZ’s history pages say it plainly: it does not endorse any imperial, militaristic or totalitarian ideology, and it unequivocally condemns Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Archival emblems appear on its pages, it explains, only for historical completeness. Read the story of the crest.

In short

A Latvian carrosserie from Riga, a group registered in Tallinn, and a heritage from 1869: that is DARTZ.

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

Is DARTZ a Latvian company?

Yes. DARTZ is a carrosserie from Riga, Latvia. Its group company, DARTZ Grupa OÜ, is registered in Tallinn, Estonia.

Is DARTZ Russian?

No. DARTZ's heritage is the Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory, founded in Riga in 1869 when Latvia was part of the Russian Empire, but DARTZ is a Latvian company, revived in Riga in 1988.

Why is the car called a Russo-Balt?

The name comes from the Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory, RBVZ, the works in Riga where the cars were built from 1909. They were sold as Russo-Balt or RussoBaltique.

What is DARTZ's position on the war in Ukraine?

DARTZ unequivocally condemns Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. On 24 February 2022 it removed the letter Z from its logo, because the Z had become the mark of the occupying forces' vehicles and of the invasion's sympathisers.

Who owns DARTZ?

Its founder, Leonard F. Yankelovich. DARTZ says it has been privately and personally owned since 1988.

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