DARTZ, The Makers Of The Most Bonkers And Opulent SUVs In The World, Re-Invented The Radiator Grille

I know that headline may sound a little hyperbolic, but hyperbole is sort of the fuel that powers DARTZ, the Latvian company that has made more whale-penis-leather-upholstered SUVs than anyone, among other things. But that was a long time ago, and DARTZ has hardly sat still since then, dabbling in opulent small EV roadsters and more huge, armored SUVs, fit for despots and decadent royals. And now, thanks to a dream had by DARTZ’ Inheritor-Founder Leonard Yankelovich, I think DARTZ has done something with grille design that genuinely has never been done before, and that’s a big deal, so let’s check it out.

In modern automotive design, the radiator grille does a lot of work in giving the front of the car a distinctive “face” and brand identity, and while there have been a vast array of grille designs for the well-over-a-century we’ve been building cars with radiator grilles, and yet in all that time grilles have remained generally pretty two-dimensional swaths of pattern or brightwork in between the headlights.

But, as I said, I think DARTZ has come up with something new. From DARTZ’ press release:

The challenge was daunting: how to create a grille that speaks both to the future and the past. Inheritor-Founder and visionary Leonard Yankelovich reflected on this dilemma for two decades, attempting to design something truly groundbreaking. But each idea, though novel, felt like an iteration of something already seen—unacceptable for a brand as iconic as DARTZ.

Inspiration struck in the most unlikely place—while sleeping on a beach. The vision that emerged was bold: a Picassian Sliced grille, a radical break from convention, symbolizing DARTZ’s new brand identity, *The Spirit of Victors*. This grille, more than a mere adornment, is a statement—an artistic piece designed not just for aesthetic impact but to carry the brand’s legacy forward.

You can definitely tell that DARTZ hired a new “PR Attaché.” Here’s some more:

The new grille, dubbed *The Car Grille as a State of Art*, is crafted from a special lightweight, bullet-protected composite—another nod to DARTZ’s military origins. Coated in 24-karat leaf gold, applied by the hands of A.C’machoff, the Supreme Leader of D’ARTZ DeepART’ment, this grille transcends function. It is more than a mosquito catcher or a brand label holder—it’s a statement piece, a work of art.

What makes this grille unique is its Picassian Sliced design, which deconstructs traditional forms in a way reminiscent of Cubist art, a style integrated into all DARTZ car designs. Yet it remains fully grounded in the forward-thinking spirit of the brand. At once modern and timeless, this grille can stop more than bugs—it’s designed to stop bullets, a powerful symbol of DARTZ’s enduring connection to its military heritage.

Picassian! If I may employ my otherwise useless Art History degree, I’d say this may be less (analytical) Cubist and more, constructivist? Maybe even Italian Futurist? Okay, okay, let’s just see what this thing actually looks like, already:

Okay, that is pretty damn cool. And I’m just about certain I’ve never seen another automaker take this approach, where the grille slats themselves are sculpted dimensionally to form a three-dimensional object formed by the grille slats themselves, and still allowing airflow through the three-dimensional form.

Here’s what the grille’s components look like prior to assembly:

…and here’s what it looks like all together:

How has no one thought of trying this before? The effect is so striking, I feel like in some alternate universe 1960s Thunderbirds would have had grilles that used this method to give the illusion of a huge, powerful Thunderbird lurking within the grille, or perhaps A Lincoln Town Car would have met traffic with a rendering of Lincoln’s face in chrome grille slats.

The skull-in-aviator’s helmet is actually a tribute to two figures that DARTZ has historical ties to:

Blending iconic imagery from two legendary figures in RBVZ JV’s history, the brand identity pays homage to helicopter godfather Igor Sikorsky, who began his career as an engineer at RBVZ JV in Riga, and André Nàgel, the famed racer who set records at the 1912 Monte Carlo Rally.

I’m very delighted by this; yes, it’s faintly absurd, sure, and it’s definitely over the top, but how often do you see something genuinely new and novel in the world of automotive design? And something that’s just unapologetically fun, because life is for the living, dammit.

DARTZ will be coming to America with their Prombron’ Black Stallion CLV being shown in Los Angeles quite soon. This new grille design won’t be seen on that car, as this is brand new; in fact, I’m proud to say we have this world-shaking grille news before anyone else.

Will this bold grille design concept be stolen by other carmakers soon? Will this remain a DARTZ exclusive? Will the future be defined by cars with grilles that harbor three-dimensional figures, perhaps like the mermaid figureheads on sailing ships of yore? Will this usher in a bold new age of automotive gargoyles and other fun stuff?

I sure as hell hope so.

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