December 28th, 2017
Of course, we didn’t have such cars in the city, but even in the 80s, the boys and I closely studied all the cars and motorcycles that were out of the ordinary.
The appearance of a foreign car on the streets of Moscow has always caused some excitement - the car was certainly surrounded by a crowd of curious people trying to look into the salon, someone even photographed cars outlandish for the Soviet Union and collected entire collections of such pictures.
They went to the embassies of the capitalist states as if they were going to museums...
Foreigners who came to the USSR were at first surprised at such a reaction to their vehicles, but then they stopped, but Soviet foreign cars treated this normally. True, cultural and art figures were somewhat jarred by this attitude: not every celebrity will like the interest in their car more than in their own honored person. But on the other hand, it was celebrities, unlike underground millionaires and "guild workers", who could openly demonstrate their automotive wealth. They also had the opportunity to independently choose the make and model of the car, and not receive what was in the distributor according to the order from above.
As a rule, foreign cars were bought by artists during foreign trips and tours for honestly earned currency, then they paid customs duties in full or received permission from the Ministry of Culture and registered the car.
It is believed that the very first foreign brand in the USSR was Vladimir Mayakovsky, who at the end of the 20s “brought Renault from Paris, not perfume and not a tie.” In response to gossip and rumors of envious people, he even had to write a short poem about it.
But the opera singer Antonina Nezhdanova did not have to make excuses for the closed two-door Ford-A brought from America in 1931: by that time the car had already become an integral reality of the bohemian life of the Soviet Union.
With the start of the production of Soviet passenger cars, they began to be officially presented to artists, but some were allowed to have foreign cars. So, the star of the screen, the favorite of the party elite, Lyubov Orlova, used the two-door Packard-120 roadster, and the ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater Olga Lepeshinskaya used the Ford-V8 convertible.
After the war, cultural figures began to receive captured German cars. The author of the music of the most popular songs “Dark Night” and “Dark Mounds Are Sleeping”, composer Nikita Bogoslovsky, by special permission from the Deputy Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars Molotov, first acquired a Steyr convertible, then an Opel Olimpia small car, which he changed to MercedesBenz. His colleague Matvey Blanter, the author of Katyusha, also drove a Steyr car after the war. Documentary filmmaker Roman Karmen received in 1945 in Berlin a gift from Army General Batov - a Mercedes-Benz 230 double convertible.
Foreign cars regained their positions only by the beginning of the 50s, when the world auto industry finally moved away from the consequences of the war and was able to present such models, in comparison with which the products of the Soviet industry looked very pale. It was then that owning a foreign-made car became a real chic. And the most prestigious was to drive a foreign car with a hired driver.
This is how the famous ballerina Galina Ulanova used the car. At first, the artist owned a silver Mercury Monterey in 1958 with a dark cherry interior. Naturally, she herself did not drive, but hired a personal driver for this, to whom she paid 1,200 rubles a month under an employment contract. They say that the ballerina's car was always clean and well-groomed - it served her for more than ten years, until Ulanova sold it in the late 60s, buying herself a Citroen ID-21 in France. The "Frenchman" for the Soviet Union was a real curiosity - not a single domestic car had a hydropneumatic suspension with adjustable ride height. At one time, there were rumors that fashion designer Pierre Cardin presented the car to the Soviet ballerina, but there has not yet been confirmation of this version.
Opera tenor Sergey Lemeshev also traveled with a hired driver - he owned a modest Plymouth Savoy 1959 model year, and his eternal rival on the stage, Ivan Kozlovsky, did not have a personal car, preferring to call a taxi. The completely immodest and Caucasianly luxurious Imperial Le Baron of 1963 was bought in 1971 by the composer Arno Babadzhanyan.
The author of the super-popular hits “Beauty Queen”, “Wedding” and “Ferris Wheel” acquired a used “American” through the Office of the Diplomatic Corps - before that, the car was used by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the USSR. Artists also bought used cars during foreign tours, which was facilitated by the reduction in the late 70s of customs duties on the import of foreign-made cars into the USSR. Many took advantage of this situation: for example, Nonna Mordyukova brought a Lincoln Continental coupe to Moscow in 1980. The car of the People's Artist of the USSR was almost like new - only six years old, but Mordyukova drove it for only two years. Lincoln began to break down frequently and was eventually sold.
From a potential adversary
American cars were in the greatest favor with Soviet artists, apparently because of their seemingly fantastic performance and external chic.
Circus performer and founder of the horse riding genre Yuri Merdenov used a 1973 Oldsmobile 88 sedan.
Singer and composer Alexander Gradsky, who bought this car in 1981, drove around in a used 1974 Buick Electra 225 Custom.
In a New York dealership Chevrolet bought a white sports Corvette Stingray 1979 model year chief conductor of the Bolshoi Theater Algis Zhuraitis. It was, perhaps, the most exotic car among all Moscow foreign cars.
However, foreign exotics on wheels were used not only by artists who were allowed to lead a bohemian lifestyle, but also by those who, by occupation, needed to ride something more modest. So, a member of the CPSU and Soviet writer Lev Ginzburg, who exposed fascists and neo-Nazis in his works, used an absolutely fantastic 1968 Porsche Targa.
Another Porsche - 911S models of 1968 - was in the possession of international journalist Victor Louis, who had the largest collection of foreign cars in the Union, numbering about ten units! At various times, several Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, the aforementioned Porsche 911, Ford Mustang, Land Rover, Oldsmobile and even a hippie camper on the VW Transporter chassis stayed with Louis.
Another big fan of foreign cars was a friend of Victor Louis, Soviet writer Fyodor Shakhmagonov. The pen writer who wrote the screenplay for The Destiny of Man began by acquiring a new Buick Le Saber sedan in 1962. Then it was replaced by a used, but more stylish and faster 1970 Oldsmobile 88 Cutlass coupe, which Fedor Fedorovich used for only a couple of years.
After that, Shakhmagonov got a long limousine Cadillac Fleetwood 75, which had previously carried US Ambassador Stessel.
Several foreign cars were replaced by Vladimir Vysotsky, and one of them - Renault-16 - was presented to him by his wife Marina Vladi. Then there were two BMW 2500 and two Mercedes-Benz models 380 and 450. The disgraced, but at the same time beloved artist was allowed to drive luxury foreign cars, although he was criticized more than once for this passion.
Long distance...
Not all artists enjoyed such freedom. Those who symbolized the Soviet way of life could not purchase a foreign-made car. It would be ideologically wrong.
So, for example, Lyudmila Zykina was forbidden to have a foreign car, although she really wanted to keep up with her colleagues. Once the famous violinist Leonid Kogan gave Lyudmila Georgievna a ride in his brand new Peugeot, and the singer caught fire to buy herself the same one. To get rid of the customs duty, Zykina turned to the Minister of Culture Ekaterina Furtseva for permission, but she refused, saying that the Soviet singer should drive a Soviet car, and let girls of easy virtue drive Peugeot. And the best performer of the song “Volga Flows” has been driving a Volga all her life
Foreign cars in the USSR were not a means of transportation, but an unprecedented luxury. Not everyone could afford to buy a foreign car. And those who somehow bought it could regret it, or even lose their freedom ...
Attribute of luxury
A foreign-made passenger car on the roads of the USSR was a rare occurrence. Like no other thing, he allowed to emphasize the status of its owner.The rarity of foreign cars in the Soviet Union can be evidenced even by the fact that Vladimir Vysotsky, according to the Moscow traffic police, was the only owner of a Mercedes in the capital at that time.
For a long time, the owners of goods exotic in the country were limited categories of the population, including diplomats, artists, officials, athletes, and pilots. Only with the advent of perestroika, anyone with the right amount of money could buy a foreign car. Most of the time it's illegal.
One of the first who began to use a foreign car in the USSR was Lenin, who drove around with a driver in a Rolls-Royce from the imperial garage.
But the first owner of a foreign car should be called Vladimir Mayakovsky, who brought Renault from Paris in the late 1920s.
For a long time, a foreign car in the USSR was more of a piece goods. Much changed in 1959, when the American National Exhibition in Sokolniki showed visitors the products of its automobile industry.
Exhibition copies never returned to their homeland and were sold to foreign diplomatic missions, and after a while the cars went to the wealthiest citizens of the USSR.
Acquisition methods
Foreign cars in the USSR had a different origin. These were trophy, received under Lend-Lease, gift or purchased cars. Marshal Zhukov and the composer Bogoslovsky drove around in captured cars. The latter acquired his Steyr convertible only with Molotov's special permission.
One of the main channels for foreign cars to enter the USSR was through diplomats. When the time came for the diplomat to move abroad, he handed over the car to a special thrift store, through which other citizens could buy it. So foreign cars appeared at the actor Andrei Mironov and cosmonaut Alexei Leonov.
Often a foreign car was presented as an expensive gift. Yuri Gagarin, who showed interest in good cars, but did not have the opportunity to purchase them, received a Matra Bonnet sports car as a gift from the French automaker. And Pierre Cardin presented Galina Ulanova with a Citroen DS.
In large quantities, all kinds of "autoexotics" were carried by sailors. They took a big risk, as only one car was allowed per flight. In port cities - Riga, Odessa, Kaliningrad, Murmansk - foreign cars were not so rare.
The wider distribution of foreign cars in the USSR was facilitated by the reduction in the late 1970s of customs duties on used cars. This was taken advantage of by the artists who actively brought "second-hand" to their homeland.
French car Matra-Bonnet Jet VS presented to Yu.A.Gagarin.
It was celebrities, unlike the "underground millionaires", who could openly demonstrate their acquisitions and, unlike officials, freely choose a car, and not receive it according to the order.
Artists during foreign tours, as a rule, bought a foreign car for honestly earned currency, paid customs fees, received permission from the Ministry of Culture and registered the car.
Problem technique
The foreign car was not only an object of pride for the car owner, but also the subject of constant trouble. A citizen who legally acquired a foreign car did not have the right to sell it for a year, except in cases where the car got into an accident.In addition, used foreign cars quickly broke down on domestic roads, and finding spare parts was a whole problem. The owner understood: you need to get rid of the car while it is still worth something.
Cars were sold at the "festival" - this is how the people called the open area for the sale of cars, located in the capital's "South Port". Often, the amount that the car owner gained from the transaction not only exceeded the cost of buying and clearing the car several times, but also favorably differed from the amount prescribed in the documents.
In the 1980s, the Yuzhny Port car market acquired an openly criminal reputation. It was run by the so-called Yuzhnoportovaya organized criminal group, represented by people from the Caucasus region.
The head of the organized criminal group, Nikolai Suleimanov, personally supervised the "proprietary" 11th section of the commission shop, through which foreign cars passed. Sometimes Suleymanov and partners were engaged in real robbery, forcing car owners to “give away” the cars they liked.
vicissitudes of fate
Often problems with foreign cars led to curious cases. So, the famous figure skater Alexei Ulanov, who successfully sold the 1969 Oldsmobile Toronado, went away for a short while, leaving a bag with the proceeds on the car seat. Buyers were not at a loss and hit the gas, unexpectedly quickly coping with the outlandish automatic transmission.
However, on the Moscow Ring Road, the car jammed, which was due to an insufficient level of engine oil.
A sad fate befell the bright red Javelin, which Isaac Dunayevsky acquired in San Francisco. By proxy, the son of the composer Maxim drove this car. Drove until the car began to crumble.
Dunayevsky Jr. decided not to get involved with the "South Port" and left a foreign car near the hotel "Ukraine". There she stood until the next communist subbotnik, until conscious citizens handed over the overseas scrap metal corroded by rust to be melted down at the Hammer and Sickle plant.
foreign car lovers
Among Soviet politicians, Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev was especially fond of foreign cars. In his garage were: Rolls-Royce, Lincoln Continental and several Cadillacs.One of the pearls of the Secretary General's meeting was an unusual 4-door sports sedan Maserati Quattroporte of the first generation, presented to him in 1968 by the leadership of the Italian Communist Party.
Among the people of art, Ivan Dykhovichny was distinguished. In the 70s, he owned two thoroughbred sports coupes.
The director's first foreign car was a white Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV, previously owned by the wife of the Argentine ambassador. The 4-cylinder Alfa Romeo was replaced by an even more expensive and high-speed 6-cylinder Fiat Dino with a 180 hp Ferrari engine. The director bought this car with the help of a mechanic friend from the garage of the Italian embassy.
Turning 80s
With the onset of the 1980s, information about new products of the foreign automobile industry began to more actively penetrate the domestic market. Almost every year, foreign manufacturers organized "foreign trade exhibitions" in the USSR. But if in the first half of the 80s the “virtual market” was dominated by European vehicles, primarily German, then in the second half of the 80s the Japanese began to declare themselves more boldly.There were more and more people wishing to buy a foreign car, but it was still difficult to legally acquire it. As a result - the prosperity of the black market for foreign cars, which by the mid-1980s reached alarming proportions.
As a result of the "Andropov purges" of 1983-84, dozens of people were punished for the underground trade in foreign cars.
In this case, the name of the ex-Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Nikolai Shchelokov was lit up, in which three Mercedes and one BMW were found.
With the beginning of perestroika, the grip of law enforcement agencies weakened, which opened the way for the mass importation of foreign cars. The first major, yet illegal, car supply chain was established from Japan. On cargo ships, used Toyota and Nissan were transported to the USSR.
The authorities could not turn a blind eye to the illegal import of vehicles, but it was no longer possible to prevent this. In March 1988, the “Instruction” was adopted on the procedure for moving cars and other vehicles across the border of the USSR, which allowed Soviet citizens to virtually freely import various types of vehicles into the country for personal use.
The flow of cars increased like an avalanche. Statistics published in the post-Soviet period show that in 1990, 34,700 cars were imported into the country, and in 1991 - already 56,300. In September 1991, a few months before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Autoexport began the official import of foreign cars in USSR.
Taras Repin
Well, even Russian bears left the forest to watch football. Congratulations, the FIFA World Cup is open! Recall that the World Cup takes place in Russia from June 14 to July 15. We hope that the guests will stop their interest not only in football, but also get acquainted with our interesting and incredible culture. Including with ours, which, although there were few, nevertheless, many domestic car models, despite the Iron Curtain, became quite popular in many countries. And what is most interesting, many old Russian cars are still well recognized all over the world.
So, to celebrate the world's largest event - the 21st FIFA World Cup, we want to show the whole world not only open and hospitable Russia, but also our no less interesting automotive history. We have collected the best in the entire history of the Soviet and Russian automotive industry.
GAZ-13 "Seagull"
Our collection of Russian cars begins with our country's biggest auto triumph during the Soviet era. Let's start with the legendary car "Chaika", which was produced under the designation GAZ-13. This is the Soviet flagship luxury car, which until 1989 was used by the political leaders of our country. Without exaggeration, it can be called luxurious in every sense.
Including sedan and convertible. In the domestic market, this model was not available for purchase, unlike some Western countries.
In addition to the political elite, "Seagulls" were used by the KGB (the highest security agency of the Soviet Union until 1991). The Chaikas were also used by Soviet ambassadors to East Germany, North Korea, Bulgaria, Hungary, Mongolia and Finland.
By the way, Fidel Castro received a GAZ-13 from the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev.
"Seagull" (GAZ-13) was produced at the GAZ plant in Gorki (now Nizhny Novgorod) and at the Riga Bus Plant in Riga (Latvia) from 1959 to 1981. During this time, 3,179 cars were produced. Most of them are seven-seater four-door sedans. The rarest specimens have a convertible body. Even rarer were the special GAZ-13 vehicles created as ambulances.
GAZ-24 "Volga"
Of course, after the "Seagull" we decided to include in our rating the "Volga", which was produced under the designation GAZ-24. It was first presented at the London Motor Show in 1970. This is another Russian car that has become recognizable around the world. Like the Chaika, the Volga was sold to many countries outside the USSR. Moreover, including the countries of Western Europe, Latin America and Indonesia.
July 15, 1970 began mass production. In addition to our country, this model was also assembled at a car factory in Belgium by Scaldia. Until the mid-1980s, it was available for sale in many European countries with a diesel engine.
Unfortunately, most of the time in the domestic market, this machine was not available to the masses. At the same time, the Volga was the most popular taxi car in our country and in the GDR.
It was economically profitable to use the GAZ-24 as a taxi, since this model was considered not only reliable. After all, the most important thing is maintainability and maintenance costs. Using the GAZ-24 as an example, this car was ideal for use in a taxi.
Lada 2104 / 2105 / 2107
The third place in the popularity of our cars all over the world, of course, is occupied by another of our legendary auto stories. We are talking about which were produced under the designation VAZ-2104, VAZ-2105 and VAZ-2107.
These models have become known in many countries through the direct export of new Lada cars. True, in some countries these cars were sold with slightly different names. So, for example, in the UK, these cars became known as Lada Riva. In Europe, domestic classics were sold under the designation Lada Nova.
By the way, this model family is one of the most popular not only in our country (including today), but also in Canada, Ecuador, France, Germany, Great Britain, Cuba and many other countries.
Recall that the Lada brand appeared in 1966, when the AvtoVAZ company, under the leadership of the government, signed an agreement with the Italian Communist Party to jointly develop a new Soviet car for the masses. As a result, over the course of several years, AvtoVAZ developed the VAZ-2101 based on the Italian classic Fiat 124.
The first six pre-production VAZ-2101 cars were assembled on April 19, 1970, and mass production began in August of the same year. You can read more about the development of "Penny" in our article "".
But the USSR did not stop there and in subsequent years continued to improve the Italian clones, releasing the VAZ-2102, VAZ-2103.
In 1979, the VAZ-2105 model rolled off the assembly line of AvtoVAZ. This Lada model was produced for the longest time - from 1979 to 2010. That is, the model was in production for 31 years.
Then, in 1982, the plant launched the production of a modified version of the VAZ-2105. We are talking about the VAZ-2107 model, which was produced from 1982 to 2012.
The station wagon, developed on the basis of the VAZ-2105 and VAZ-2107, has become no less popular. The car was produced from 1984 to 2012. It is noteworthy that in parallel with the release of the Quartet wagon, AvtoVAZ produced the VAZ-2102 wagon (from 1971 to 1985). That is, from 1984 to 1985, the Togliatti plant mass-produced two station wagons of different generations.
VAZ-2104, VAZ-2105 and VAZ-2107 were sold in the West until the collapse of the USSR. After the collapse of the Union, these models, in addition to the domestic Russian market, were sold in Ukraine, Egypt and Kazakhstan.
By the way, some copies of the Zhiguli were produced for law enforcement agencies. Including the KGB. These cars were equipped with a powerful 150 hp Wankel rotary engine. With.
UAZ-469
This is one of the most powerful Russian in the world of the Soviet era. , which was used not only by the Russian army during the Soviet years, but also by many militaries in the countries of the Eastern Bloc.
The UAZ-469 SUV began to be produced in 1972. In Germany, this car is known as Baijah Automotive, it was sold in this country from 2003 to 2007.
Also, this car was sold in Cuba, Azerbaijan, Vietnam, Ukraine and even in the USA (1997-2005).
But what is most surprising, in fact, the UAZ company (Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant) still produces this old SUV. We are talking about a recently upgraded version, which instead of the code designation UAZ-469 received the name "Hunter".
Unlike most modern SUVs and crossovers, UAZ has an incredibly high ground clearance of 210 mm as standard. Thanks to its ground clearance, all-wheel drive system, the UAZ Hunter is one of the off-road kings, where such popular SUVs as Land Cruiser, Patrol and even G-class Mercedes pass. Don't believe? Search YouTube for off-road runs and jeep competitions, where Hunter is a frequent winner, and you will have no doubts that the Russian SUV, despite its advanced age, is still capable of conquering any places where there is no asphalt.
ZIL-4102
Which transported the highest Soviet officials, and was also used more than once to transport high-ranking guests of our country.
Unfortunately, the ZIL-4102 never reached mass production, as Mikhail Gorbachev (the former head of the USSR) was not impressed with this car. I mean, he just didn't like it. As a result, the project was closed, despite the fact that a lot of money was spent on its development.
The first prototype ZIL-4102 was released in 1987. Two more cars were created in 1989 and at the end of 1990, respectively. Since then, no more copies have been released.
Unfortunately, we do not have official information about the engines in this model. But, judging by many sources, most likely, the ZIL car plant planned to use three powertrain options on the 4102 model: a 4.5-liter V6 gasoline, a 6.0-liter V8 gasoline and a huge 7.0-liter V8 diesel. Also for this car, 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmissions were developed, which were supposed to transmit torque to the front wheels in the ZIL-4102.
Considering the quality and dullness of the Soviet automobile industry in those years, the ZIL-4102 was supposed to become a real masterpiece of the domestic car market from the technical side. Not only that, this car also looked amazing. Believe it or not, ZIL-4102 even used carbon fiber parts in its body structure (!).
Moskvich AZLK-2141 Aleko
Moskvich 2141 is the latest development of the Moskvich automobile plant, which, after the collapse of the USSR, was privatized and passed from state control to private ownership in 1991. But, alas, already in 2006 the plant was disbanded.
Also known as "ALEKO" (ALEKO). It was with this Latin abbreviation that Moskvich-2141 was supplied to foreign markets.
Production of AZLK-2141 began in 1986. This machine was developed on the basis of the Franco-American model Simca 1308. You can read more about that in our article. From the article you will learn that Moskvich-2141 was developed on the basis of a car that in 1976 became the Car of the Year in Europe.
The first series of AZLK-2141 was produced until 1997. Then the model was replaced by upgraded versions. The last cars rolled off the assembly line in 2013.
The Moskvich 2141 is a medium-sized, five-door hatchback family car with front-wheel drive. Throughout the production period, the car was offered with various engines, including 1.5-liter, 1.6-liter, 1.7-liter and 1.8-liter gasoline engines. Also, 1.9-liter Peugeot diesel engines were installed in some versions of the AZLK-2141.
GAZ-69
GAZ-69 replaced GAZ-67B. The aim of the update was to reduce fuel consumption and improve the car's off-road capabilities. The development of the model began in 1946, and a year later the first prototype appeared. The production of GAZ-69 was launched on August 25, 1953 in Gorki at the GAZ plant.
By the end of 1972, more than 600,000 vehicles had already been produced.
GAZ-69 was basically an army vehicle. But civilians could also buy it. . The car was equipped with a 2.1-liter engine based on the engine installed in the GAZ-M20 Pobeda sedan. Few people know, but the Pobeda engine was developed on the basis of a 1935 Dodge engine. Our country bought the blueprints for this motor for only $20,000.
Lada Tarzan
What is Lada? This is the Tarzan model - an intermediate model that was created at the development stage of the all-wheel drive Lada Samara. That is, this car was created between the development stages of the prototype and the full production version (the so-called small volume pre-production version).
Lada Tarzan is a compact all-wheel drive vehicle with independent suspension on both wheel axles. A very interesting concept. After all, in fact, we have a compact crossover and SUV, which today beat all records of popularity around the world.
By the way, Lada Tarzan was created after the collapse of the USSR and the fall of the Iron Curtain.
But despite this, this model can be safely called Soviet, since Lada Tarzan used the technology of cars from the Lada Samara series (VAZ-2108, VAZ-2109). Lada Tarzan was produced from 1997 to 2003. A total of 300 cars were produced.
Moskvich 402 / 403 / 407
The basis of the brand "Moskvich" is taken from Germany. More precisely, Moskvich cars are closely associated with the Opel brand. The first Moskvich models were based on the 1946 Opel cars. So the legendary 400th series of Moskvich cars was born.
For example, in 1956 Moskvich-402 entered the market. In 1958, the 407 was introduced to the market with a 45 hp engine. In 1962 Moskvich-407 became Moskvich-403.
Lada Porsche 2103
Do you know that in the history of AvtoVAZ there is an interesting joint project with Porsche? In the 1970s, Porsche chairman Ernst Fuhrmann met with our Minister of the Automotive Industry, Viktor Polyakov. During their meeting, a three-year cooperation worth half a million German marks was agreed upon. This agreement included the development by Porsche of the design of future new domestic cars.
The first, and as it turned out, unsuccessful result of this partnership was the Lada-Porsche 2103 model. As part of the cooperation, she revised the design of the VAZ-2103, retaining, however, all the main recognizable features. That is, the shape and lines of the body remained the same. But Porsche, to change the appearance of the car, used plastic bumpers and a new grille.
Including in the Lada-Porsche 2103 model, it was decided to abandon all chrome-plated exterior parts (with the exception of hubcaps and door handles).
Porsche also revised the chassis and completely redesigned the interior of the VAZ three-ruble note. As a result, the VAZ-2103 received a steering wheel from the Porsche 928 and a leather interior.
Unfortunately, AvtoVAZ rejected such a car. The reason is that the plant in those years was already working on its own reconstruction of the VAZ-2103, which debuted two months later as the VAZ-2106 model.
Laura
Many are unfamiliar with this model, which, since it did not reach mass production. This is a prototype sports car that was born in 1980. But the project was completed in 1982.
Unfortunately, there is practically no detailed information about this amazing machine. It is known that this sports car could accelerate to 170 km / h.
But the most interesting thing is that "Laura" was developed not by some large domestic automobile plant, but by two enthusiasts - Dmitry Parfenov and Gennady Hainou. They created a real sports car, which in those years was innovative and had nothing to do with cars from Russian manufacturers.
According to some reports, even the head of state, Mikhail Gorbachev, highly appreciated this ambitious project. However, "Laura" never reached mass production. The maximum that the creators have achieved is the promotion of the car at international exhibitions. But that's not the end of the story.
When the tandem of Dmitry Parfyonov and Gennady Hainou broke up, one of the prototypes was sold to a Russian museum, and the other was dismantled. Moreover, some of its details were used in the early 1990s to create a prototype as part of the Laura-2 project.
This car was equipped with a 240 hp engine. With. from Audi.
LuAZ-969
LuAZ-969 is an all-wheel drive vehicle (known as "Zaporozhets"), which has been developed in the USSR since the mid-1960s. In 1971, the production of LuAZ-969 began. The first prototypes appeared in 1965.
Outwardly, the LuAZ-969 looks strange and disproportionate. But this car was created not for beauty, but for off-road. The car is very compact. But despite this, the road is 28 centimeters. This is more than the first generation of American Jeep Wrangler SUVs.
However, it was a nightmare car when you drove it onto the road. LuAZ-969 was notable for its slowness, super loudness and poor steering. But worst of all, he was unsafe. For example, in the event of an accident, people were often simply thrown out of the cabin. Also this car had problems with the exhaust system. So, in some cars, carbon monoxide got through the ventilation system into the cabin, as a result of which many people got carbon monoxide poisoning.
ZIS-101 Sport
This is probably the most beautiful Russian car of the Soviet era. Perhaps it has the best design in the history of the Russian automotive industry.
The car is based on the no less attractive ZIS-101 sedan, which was produced from 1936 to 1941.
Unfortunately, the roadster with a V8 engine ZIS-101 Sport was released in only a few copies. And then as prototypes.
This sports car was quite large. Damn it! He was huge! Its length was 5.75 meters, width - 1.89 meters, and the wheelbase - 3.60 meters.
The sports car was created for the 20th anniversary of the Komsomol (political youth organization of the USSR). The project was personally approved by Stalin, but was immediately abandoned after the celebration of the anniversary of the youth organization.
Lada-1101 (VAZ-E1101)
There was another interesting project in the history of the Russian automobile industry -. But this car also never reached mass production. This model existed in several versions. We do not have information on how many prototypes were produced in total. But most likely, no more than 5 copies were created.
It all started in the early 1970s when AvtoVAZ decided to develop a completely new car for both the domestic market and Western European countries for export.
In a short time, AvtoVAZ developed the first prototype,. At the initial stage, the car turned out to be a two-door. Also, the car adopted several components from other Lada cars, which were already in mass production in those years. So, the car received wheels, front and rear optics from the first Lada models.
VAZ-1101 was front-wheel drive and equipped with a Fiat 127 engine.
In 1973, the development of the second prototype VAZ-1101 was completed in a completely different modification and layout. The new car was significantly different in a more sophisticated design.
For those who are not in the know, it will be unexpected to find out that although this car went into series, it was thanks to him that a series of Lada Samara cars (VAZ-2108, VAZ-2109 and VAZ-21099) was born in subsequent years. True, this happened only ten years later. You can read more about this interesting car and its history in the article..
ZIL-112 Sport
After such luxurious cars as ZIL-117 and ZIL-4102, this model is the third in importance, beauty, etc. . Moreover, this sports car set five all-Union records in various auto races.
The car was designed and built by the Likhachev plant (ZIL automobile plant).
The sports car was equipped with two types of eight-cylinder engines (depending on the version). One had a volume of 6.0 liters and produced 230 hp. s., while the other had a volume of 7.0 liters and a power of 270 liters. With.
The ZIL-112 was also equipped with an adjustable slip differential, disc brakes on all four wheels and radial tires. Also, due to the lightness of the design, the weight of the ZIL-112 was only 1330 kilograms.
In 1962, thanks to the new aerodynamic body kit ZIL 112 Sport could accelerate to 230 km / h. Check-in was carried out on the salt lake Baskunchak.
Almost all cars created in the USSR were copies of foreign models. It all started with the first samples produced under license from Ford. As time went on, copying became a habit. The USSR Automotive Research Institute bought samples in the West for study and after a while produced a Soviet analogue. True, by the time of release, the original was no longer produced.
GAZ A (1932)
GAZ A - is the first mass passenger car of the USSR, is a licensed copy of the American Ford-A. The USSR bought equipment and documents for production from an American company in 1929, two years later the production of Ford-A was discontinued. A year later, in 1932, the first GAZ-A cars were produced. 
After 1936 the obsolete GAZ-A was banned. Car owners were ordered to hand over the car to the state and purchase a new GAZ-M1 with a surcharge.
GAZ-M-1 "Emka" (1936-1943)
GAZ-M1 was also a copy of one of the Ford models - Model B (Model 40A) of 1934.
When adapted to domestic operating conditions, the car was thoroughly redesigned by Soviet specialists. The model surpassed later Ford products in some positions.
L1 "Red Putilovets" (1933) and ZIS-101 (1936-1941)
The L1 was an experimental passenger car, an almost exact copy of the Buick-32-90, which by Western standards belonged to the upper-middle class.
Initially, the Krasny Putilovets plant produced Fordson tractors. As an experiment, 6 copies of the L1 were released in 1933. Most of the cars could not reach Moscow on their own and without breakdowns. Refinement L1 was transferred to the Moscow "ZiS".
Due to the fact that the Buick body no longer corresponded to the fashion of the mid-30s, it was redesigned at ZiS. The American body shop Budd Company, based on Soviet sketches, prepared a modern body sketch for those years. The work cost the country half a million dollars and took months.
KIM-10 (1940-1941)
The first Soviet small car, the Ford Prefect was taken as the basis for development.
Stamps were made in the USA and body drawings were developed according to the models of a Soviet designer. In 1940, the production of this model began. It was thought that the KIM-10 would become the first "people's" car of the USSR, but the Great Patriotic War prevented the plans of the USSR leadership.
"Moskvich" 400.401 (1946-1956)
It is unlikely that the American company liked such a creative development of its ideas in the design of the Soviet car, but there were no complaints from it in those years, especially since the production of "large" Packards was not resumed after the war.
GAZ-12 (GAZ-M-12, ZIM, ZIM-12) 1950-1959
A six-seven-seater passenger car of a large class with a "six-window long-wheelbase sedan" body was developed on the basis of the Buick Super, and was mass-produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant (Molotov Plant) from 1950 to 1959 (some modifications - until 1960.)
The plant was strongly recommended to completely copy the Buick of the 1948 model, but the engineers, based on the proposed model, designed a car that relies as much as possible on the units and technologies already mastered in production. "ZiM" was not a copy of any particular foreign car, neither in terms of design, nor, in particular, in the technical aspect - in the latter, the plant's designers even managed to some extent "say a new word" within the global automotive industry
"Volga" GAZ-21 (1956-1972)
The passenger car of the middle class was technically created by domestic engineers and designers from scratch, but outwardly copied mainly American models of the early 1950s. During the development, the designs of foreign cars were studied: Ford Mainline (1954), Chevrolet 210 (1953), Plymouth Savoy (1953), Henry J (Kaiser-Frazer) (1952), Standard Vanguard (1952) and Opel Kapitän (1951).
GAZ-21 was mass-produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant from 1956 to 1970. The factory model index is originally GAZ-M-21, later (since 1965) - GAZ-21.
By the time mass production began, by world standards, the design of the Volga had already become at least ordinary, and it no longer stood out against the background of serial foreign cars of those years. Already by 1960, the Volga was a car with a hopelessly outdated design.
"Volga" GAZ-24 (1969-1992)
The middle class passenger car became a hybrid of the North American Ford Falcon (1962) and Plymouth Valiant (1962).
Serially produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant from 1969 to 1992. The appearance and design of the car were quite standard for this direction, the technical characteristics were also approximately average. Most of the "Volga" was not intended for sale for personal use and operated in taxi companies and other government organizations).
"Seagull" GAZ-13 (1959-1981)
Executive passenger car of a large class, created under the clear influence of the latest models of the American company Packard, which in those years were just being studied at US (Packard Caribbean convertible and Packard Patrician sedan, both 1956 model years).
"The Seagull" was created with a clear focus on the trends of American style, like all GAZ products of those years, but was not a 100% "stylistic copy" or Packard's modernization.
The car was produced in a small series at the Gorky Automobile Plant from 1959 to 1981. A total of 3,189 cars of this model were manufactured.
"Seagulls" were used as a personal transport of the highest nomenclature (mainly ministers, first secretaries of regional committees), which was issued as part of the prescribed "package" of privileges.
Both sedans and convertibles "Chaika" were used in parades, served at meetings of foreign leaders, prominent figures and heroes, were used as escort vehicles. Also, "Seagulls" came to "Intourist", where, in turn, everyone could order them for use as wedding limousines.
ZIL-111 (1959-1967)
Copying the American design at various Soviet factories led to the fact that the appearance of the ZIL-111 car was created according to the same patterns as the Chaika. As a result, outwardly similar cars were simultaneously produced in the country. ZIL-111 is often mistaken for the more common "Seagull".
The high-end passenger car was stylistically a compilation of various elements of American middle and high-end cars of the first half of the 1950s - predominantly reminiscent of Cadillac, Packard and Buick. The exterior design of the ZIL-111, like the Seagulls, was based on the design of the models of the American company Packard in 1955-56. But compared to the Packard models, ZIL was larger in all dimensions, looked much stricter and “square”, with straightened lines, had a more complex and detailed decor.
From 1959 to 1967, only 112 copies of this car were assembled.
ZIL-114 (1967-1978)
A small-scale executive passenger car of the highest class with a limousine body. Despite the desire to move away from American automotive fashion, the ZIL-114, made from scratch, still partially copied the American Lincoln Lehmann-Peterson Limousine.
In total, 113 copies of the government limousine were assembled.
ZIL-115 (ZIL 4104) (1978-1983)
In 1978, the ZIL-114 was replaced by a new car under the factory index "115", which later received the official name ZIL-4104. The initiator of the development of the model was Leonid Brezhnev, who loved high-quality cars and was tired of the ten-year operation of the ZIL-114.
For creative rethinking, our designers were provided with a Cadillac Fleetwood 75, and the British from Carso helped domestic automakers in their work. As a result of the joint work of British and Soviet designers, ZIL 115 was born in 1978. According to the new GOSTs, it was classified as ZIL 4104.
The interior was created taking into account the intended use of cars - for high-ranking statesmen.
The end of the 70s is the height of the Cold War, which could not but affect the car transporting the first persons of the country. ZIL - 115 could become a shelter in case of a nuclear war. Of course, he would not have survived a direct hit, but there was protection on the car from a strong radiation background. In addition, it was possible to install hinged armor.
ZAZ-965 (1960-1969)
The main prototype of the minicar was the Fiat 600.
The car was designed by MZMA ("Moskvich") together with the NAMI Automobile Institute. The first samples received the designation "Moskvich-444", and already differed significantly from the Italian prototype. Later, the designation was changed to "Moskvich-560".
Already at the very early stage of design, the car differed from the Italian model by a completely different front suspension - as on the first Porsche sports cars and the Volkswagen Beetle.
ZAZ-966 (1966-1974)
The passenger car of an especially small class demonstrates a considerable similarity in design with the German subcompact NSU Prinz IV (Germany, 1961), which, in its own way, repeats the often copied American Chevrolet Corvair, introduced at the end of 1959.
VAZ-2101 (1970-1988)
VAZ-2101 "Zhiguli" - a rear-wheel drive passenger car with a sedan body is an analogue of the Fiat 124 model, which received the title "Car of the Year" in 1967.
By agreement between the Soviet Foreign Trade and Fiat, the Italians created the Volga Automobile Plant in Togliatti with a full production cycle. The concern was entrusted with the technological equipment of the plant, training of specialists.
VAZ-2101 has been subjected to major changes. In total, over 800 changes were made to the design of the Fiat 124, after which it received the name Fiat 124R. "Russification" of the Fiat 124 turned out to be extremely useful for the FIAT company itself, which has accumulated unique information about the reliability of its cars in extreme operating conditions.
VAZ-2103 (1972-1984)
Rear-wheel drive passenger car with a body type sedan. It was developed jointly with the Italian company Fiat on the basis of the Fiat 124 and Fiat 125 models.
Later, on the basis of the VAZ-2103, the "project 21031" was developed, later renamed the VAZ-2106.
Attribute of luxury
A foreign-made passenger car on the roads of the USSR was a rare occurrence. Like no other thing, he allowed to emphasize the status of its owner.
The rarity of foreign cars in the Soviet Union can be evidenced even by the fact that Vladimir Vysotsky, according to the Moscow traffic police, was the only owner of a Mercedes in the capital at that time.
For a long time, the owners of goods exotic in the country were limited categories of the population, including diplomats, artists, officials, athletes, and pilots. Only with the advent of perestroika, anyone with the right amount of money could buy a foreign car. Most of the time it's illegal.
One of the first who began to use a foreign car in the USSR was Lenin, who drove around with a driver in a Rolls-Royce from the imperial garage.
But the first owner of a foreign car should be called Vladimir Mayakovsky, who brought Renault from Paris in the late 1920s.
For a long time, a foreign car in the USSR was more of a piece goods. Much changed in 1959, when the American National Exhibition in Sokolniki showed visitors the products of its automobile industry.
Exhibition copies never returned to their homeland and were sold to foreign diplomatic missions, and after a while the cars went to the wealthiest citizens of the USSR.
Acquisition methods
Foreign cars in the USSR had a different origin. These were trophy, received under Lend-Lease, gift or purchased cars. Marshal Zhukov and the composer Bogoslovsky drove around in captured cars. The latter acquired his Steyr convertible only with Molotov's special permission.
One of the main channels for foreign cars to enter the USSR was through diplomats. When the time came for the diplomat to move abroad, he handed over the car to a special thrift store, through which other citizens could buy it. So foreign cars appeared at the actor Andrei Mironov and cosmonaut Alexei Leonov.
Often a foreign car was presented as an expensive gift. Yuri Gagarin, who showed interest in good cars, but did not have the opportunity to purchase them, received a Matra Bonnet sports car as a gift from the French automaker. And Pierre Cardin presented Galina Ulanova with a Citroen DS.
In large quantities, all kinds of "autoexotics" were carried by sailors. They took a big risk, as only one car was allowed per flight. In port cities - Riga, Odessa, Kaliningrad, Murmansk - foreign cars were not so rare.
The wider distribution of foreign cars in the USSR was facilitated by the reduction in the late 1970s of customs duties on used cars. This was taken advantage of by the artists who actively brought "second-hand" to their homeland.
French car Matra-Bonnet Jet VS presented to Yu.A.Gagarin.
It was celebrities, unlike the "underground millionaires", who could openly demonstrate their acquisitions and, unlike officials, freely choose a car, and not receive it according to the order.
Artists during foreign tours, as a rule, bought a foreign car for honestly earned currency, paid customs fees, received permission from the Ministry of Culture and registered the car.
Problem technique
The foreign car was not only an object of pride for the car owner, but also the subject of constant trouble. A citizen who legally acquired a foreign car did not have the right to sell it for a year, except in cases where the car got into an accident.
In addition, used foreign cars quickly broke down on domestic roads, and finding spare parts was a whole problem. The owner understood: you need to get rid of the car while it is still worth something.
Cars were sold at the "festival" - this is how the people called the open area for the sale of cars, located in the capital's "South Port". Often, the amount that the car owner gained from the transaction not only exceeded the cost of buying and clearing the car several times, but also favorably differed from the amount prescribed in the documents.
The head of the organized criminal group, Nikolai Suleimanov, personally supervised the "proprietary" 11th section of the commission shop, through which foreign cars passed. Sometimes Suleymanov and partners were engaged in real robbery, forcing car owners to “give away” the cars they liked.
vicissitudes of fate
Often problems with foreign cars led to curious cases. So, the famous figure skater Alexei Ulanov, who successfully sold the 1969 Oldsmobile Toronado, went away for a short while, leaving a bag with the proceeds on the car seat. Buyers were not at a loss and hit the gas, unexpectedly quickly coping with the outlandish automatic transmission.
However, on the Moscow Ring Road, the car jammed, which was due to an insufficient level of engine oil.
A sad fate befell the bright red Javelin, which Isaac Dunayevsky acquired in San Francisco. By proxy, the son of the composer Maxim drove this car. Drove until the car began to crumble.
Dunayevsky Jr. decided not to get involved with the "South Port" and left a foreign car near the hotel "Ukraine". There she stood until the next communist subbotnik, until conscious citizens handed over the overseas scrap metal corroded by rust to be melted down at the Hammer and Sickle plant.
foreign car lovers
Among Soviet politicians, Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev was especially fond of foreign cars. In his garage were: Rolls-Royce, Lincoln Continental and several Cadillacs.
One of the pearls of the Secretary General's meeting was an unusual 4-door sports sedan Maserati Quattroporte of the first generation, presented to him in 1968 by the leadership of the Italian Communist Party.
Among the people of art, Ivan Dykhovichny was distinguished. In the 70s, he owned two thoroughbred sports coupes.
The director's first foreign car was a white Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV, previously owned by the wife of the Argentine ambassador. The 4-cylinder Alfa Romeo was replaced by an even more expensive and high-speed 6-cylinder Fiat Dino with a 180 hp Ferrari engine. The director bought this car with the help of a mechanic friend from the garage of the Italian embassy.
Turning 80s
With the onset of the 1980s, information about new products of the foreign automobile industry began to more actively penetrate the domestic market. Almost every year, foreign manufacturers organized "foreign trade exhibitions" in the USSR. But if in the first half of the 80s the “virtual market” was dominated by European vehicles, primarily German, then in the second half of the 80s the Japanese began to declare themselves more boldly.
There were more and more people wishing to buy a foreign car, but it was still difficult to legally acquire it. As a result - the prosperity of the black market for foreign cars, which by the mid-1980s reached alarming proportions.
As a result of the "Andropov purges" of 1983-84, dozens of people were punished for the underground trade in foreign cars.
In this case, the name of the ex-Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Nikolai Shchelokov was lit up, in which three Mercedes and one BMW were found.
With the beginning of perestroika, the grip of law enforcement agencies weakened, which opened the way for the mass importation of foreign cars. The first major, yet illegal, car supply chain was established from Japan. On cargo ships, used Toyota and Nissan were transported to the USSR.
The authorities could not turn a blind eye to the illegal import of vehicles, but it was no longer possible to prevent this. In March 1988, the “Instruction” was adopted on the procedure for moving cars and other vehicles across the border of the USSR, which allowed Soviet citizens to virtually freely import various types of vehicles into the country for personal use.
The flow of cars increased like an avalanche. Statistics published in the post-Soviet period show that in 1990, 34,700 cars were imported into the country, and in 1991 - already 56,300. In September 1991, a few months before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Autoexport began the official import of foreign cars in USSR.
