We all love our auto industry very much, we don’t have a soul in it. But at the same time, many of us are not aware of the opportunities that Soviet engineers and designers were endowed with. And the possibilities were almost limitless.
Here I have compiled a list of rare, unique and simply unusual Soviet cars that you will never see with your own eyes.
I am proud of the Soviet engineers and resent the Soviet officials, who spoiled a lot of promising developments.
And what technological backlog was lost as a result of Perestroika is simply incomprehensible to the mind.
I promise it will be interesting.
Let's start with government projects in the automotive industry.
PROTOTYPES
GAZ-62 - our answer to the Americans
GAZ-62 (1952) - a prototype of an army off-road vehicle, created to replace the Dodge 3/4, which had proven itself in the army during the war (which was supplied to the USSR under lend-lease).
The car had overall dimensions of 5000x2100x1800 mm and a wheelbase of 2850 mm, was designed to carry 12 people or 1200 kg of cargo, the maximum speed of the all-terrain vehicle was 85 km / h. A 6-cylinder 76-horsepower engine was used as a power unit.
A number of progressive solutions for that time were used in the design of this car: to prevent the ingress of water, dirt and sand, the drum wheel brakes were sealed, rubber pads in the seals of the springs reduced the amount of maintenance. The all-terrain vehicle was distinguished by comfort: there was a powerful heater with a windshield blower, and the rear springs had variable stiffness providing a high level of smoothness.
In addition to the main passenger version, it was also developed cargo modification cars - GAZ-62A with a body of increased volume and horizontal arrangement spare wheel.
GAZ-62 passed all the necessary tests and in 1958 was demonstrated as perspective model Gorky Automobile Plant at the All-Union Industrial Exhibition in Moscow (later - VDNH), but for unknown reasons it was not put into production.
ZIS-E134 layout No. 1
In the summer of 1954, the newly formed VMS ZIS, which initially numbered only 20 people, was given the task of creating a fundamentally new medium multi-purpose four-axle (8 × 8) ultra-high cross-country vehicle (aka high-speed artillery tractor ATK-6) with a carrying capacity of 5-6 tons.
Since there was no experience in the development of such machines, in order to study the issues of increasing the cross-country ability of wheeled vehicles, as well as to assess the influence of individual design parameters on the cross-country ability, during July-August 1955, an experimental four-axle (8 × 8) truck ZIS-E134 layout was built No. 1.
Experienced ZIL-E134 proved its worth. Practically not inferior to the caterpillar tractor in terms of cross-country ability and traction, it had a number of significant advantages - higher speed on the highway and a running gear resource, cheaper operation. The tests carried out made it possible to identify the directions further research. Both the developer and the customer wanted to see a more advanced machine. According to the requirements of the military, its carrying capacity was to be at least 6 tons, the weight of the towed gun doubled. Nevertheless, the invaluable experience gained in the design, construction and testing of the ZIL-E134 layout No. 1 gave confidence in the successful completion of the new task at a high technical level.
ZIS-E134 layout No. 2
In order to determine the parameters and constructive solutions on April 9, 1956, a prototype 8 × 8 ZIS-E134 layout No. 2 was built. It differed from its predecessor in a displacement body, the absence of an elastic wheel suspension (based on the experience of testing the ZIS-E134 model No. 1), the presence of a water cannon (not installed immediately) with a swivel nozzle that performs the functions of a water rudder. Working wheel the water cannon was borrowed from the PT-76 tank. In terms of the power plant, transmission, propulsion and control system, the new machine did not differ from the ZIS-E134 layout No. 1.
MAZ-505
MAZ-505 (1962) - an experienced four-wheel drive truck with an onboard platform, created for the army. IN mass production this model did not go, most likely giving way to another novelty of those years - the GAZ-66.
ZIL-132R - super truck for the agricultural industry
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The machine, created under the leadership of the lead designer A. I. Filippov in the department of the chief designer of the ZIL, headed by V. A. Grachev, had a number of interesting features. The chassis had a uniform placement of three (2100 + 2100 mm) axles along the base, power unit(ZIL-130 engine, boosted to 165 hp) with a clutch and gearbox was placed between the first and second axles, and a fiberglass cabin with steel doors was placed in front of the engine. The transmission was carried out according to the n-shaped scheme, that is, with on-board distribution of the power flow so that the wheels of each side had a rigid (non-differential) kinematic connection with each other. The double-disk clutch was supplied with a hydraulic drive, and a mechanical 5-speed gearbox - remote control. Cylindrical side differential transfer box equipped with a locking mechanism. A power take-off mechanism with a hydraulic pump was mounted on the gearbox to drive a tipper body or fertilizer application equipment.
The change in direction of movement was provided by turning the front and rear steered wheels due to hydraulic system without a rigid connection between the front and rear steered axles. Tires 16.00-20 with a diameter of about 1400 mm were installed on the car, which, in combination with an independent suspension, provided ground clearance from 480 to 590 mm, centralized system air pressure control in tires and ventilated disc brakes with dual-circuit hydraulic drive, which were not located in the wheel hubs, but on the final drives of the front and rear steered wheels. Among the serial trucks ZIL-132 R at that time there was no equal. Moreover, the cross-country performance of the car was so high that it freely competed, and in many cases surpassed caterpillar tractors used in the countryside.
But the car was built in a single copy.
ZIL-E167 - cross-country snowmobile
ZIL-E167 (1963) - experimental wheeled all-terrain vehicle terrain, designed for use in conditions complete off-road under adverse climatic conditions. The machine was created using components and assemblies from the 135L chassis, which was practically ready by that time, the frame of which was additionally reinforced.
The super all-terrain vehicle was driven by two ZIL-375 engines of 118 hp each. each, the power was transmitted according to the onboard circuit. The engines were located at the rear, for better cooling air intakes were provided on the sides of the body. Huge wheels, shod in tires with a dimension of 21.00-28 and a diameter of 1790 mm on unique fiberglass (!) Prefabricated disks with metal elements, weighed almost three times less than their metal counterparts. The ground clearance of the car with these wheels was 852 mm, the bottom was covered with steel sheets to protect the units and better glide through snow and mud.
The cabin of the driver and passengers was also made of fiberglass; longitudinal seats were installed in the cabin. The cabin, borrowed from the ZIL-135L, and the interior were heated by independent heaters. Among other things, a winch with a pulling force of 7 tons was installed on the machine.
Suspension corresponded to that of 135L, drum brakes were actuated by a hydropneumatic system. During the tests, the car proved to be excellent, the maximum speed in winter on the highway was 75 km / h, on virgin snow 10 km / h. However, the all-terrain vehicle did not go into series, because due to the complexity of the transmission design, it was inferior in terms of maintainability to the GT-1 tracked tractor.
ZIL-49061
ZIL-49061 is a three-axle all-wheel drive floating vehicle based on the ZIL-4906 all-terrain vehicle. It is part of the search and rescue complex "Blue Bird".
These amphibians were equipped with ZIL-131 engines with mechanical gearboxes; used independent suspension of all wheels, two propellers; the front and rear wheels were made steerable, and the connection between the two was provided by a hydrostatic servo drive, due to which the turn rear wheels begins after turning the front ones at an angle greater than 6 °. The solution for the brake mechanisms was very non-standard: they were disc brakes, but they were not located in the wheels, but in the body of the car.
The machines of the 490 complex have successfully passed the tests and have been mass-produced for many years. These "Blue Birds" are still serving in the Military Space Forces. There is no replacement for them. Two 4906s were sent to Germany during the floods that swept over it in the summer of 2002, where they were used very effectively to evacuate residents from flooded areas. In Europe, there was nothing like it, which caused the Germans a feeling of admiration and outright envy.
In addition, the Blue Bird complex included ZIL-2906.
ZIL-2906 is a rotary auger snow and swamp vehicle carried on a cargo ZIL-4906. After the improvement, he received the index 29061.
The swamp vehicle was equipped with two VAZ rotary piston engines with an onboard transmission scheme, the body and augers were made of aluminum alloy, and the cabin was made of fiberglass.
To this day, no other country in the world has such a unique complex, which, thanks to the ZIL-29061, has almost absolute all-terrain capability.
ZIL-4904
The auger snow and swamp all-terrain vehicle ZIL-4904 was built in 1972 and is the largest in the world. Payload- 2.5 tons. However, he developed a very low speed - 10.1 km / h on the water, 7.3 km / h in the swamp, 4.45 km / h on the rafting, 10.5 km / h on the snow.
Lightweight hollow or filled with a polymer (for example, foam) augers allow the machine to float on water, cross such dead places where any wheel and tracked vehicles. However, since the augers are made of a hard material, usually non-ferrous metals, an auger-rotary all-terrain vehicle is completely unsuitable for paved roads. On asphalt, concrete and even rubble, such a car will have to be transported on a tow truck.
VAZ-E2121 "Crocodile" - early prototype the legendary Niva
VAZ-E2121 "Crocodile" (1971) - an early prototype of the experimental VAZ-2121, with a frame and open body, switchable front and rear axles. IN further construction The car was almost completely changed, only two prototypes of this model were produced.
AZLK-2150 - a prototype of the off-road Moskvich
AZLK-2150 is a light SUV from AZLK, created in the USSR in 1973, as part of a project to create a compact comfortable SUV. The aggregate part of the prototype was unified with the M-2140 model, which was planned for production at that time. In total, two prototypes of the M-2150 were created with canvas and hard tops.
The Moscow SUV turned out to be different in concept from the Niva, closer to the "classic" SUVs - with a separate spar frame, continuous axles and stiff springs. In the competition of three plants (at AvtoVAZ - the future VAZ-2121 Niva, and at IZH-mash - Izh-14), AvtoVAZ won, having managed to create the most comfortable and competitive on the world market, although less "off-road" design.
The military department became interested in the M-2150 prototype, formally an order was received from the Ministry of Defense for the production of 60 thousand vehicles per year at a plant in the city of Kineshma, but the matter never came to production.
VAZ-E2122 - an army SUV from Togliatti
VAZ-E2122 (1976) - the first version of an experimental, floating off-road vehicle, developed by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense (initially, the project was created on the plant's own initiative). The car was designed using components and assemblies of the civilian VAZ-2121 Niva car, which was being prepared for production at the same time.
E2122 differed from analogues in the first place original design, which did not give out an amphibian in it, small size and maneuverability (for example, the turning radius on water and land practically did not differ). The sealed body allowed the car to move through the water at a speed of 4.5 km / h by rotating the wheels. 1.6 liter engine, permanent four-wheel drive, contributed to the good maneuverability of the car (on land and on water), which was not at all inferior to the "old man" UAZ-469. From UAZ (for the purpose of unification), the prototype got a winch and a towbar, at the request of the military, the bumpers were made as flat as possible, with lights recessed into them so that a car stuck in front could be pushed, the windshield and side door frames folded. In addition, the "jeep" was equipped with two gas tanks, and the body structure provided for the installation of a stretcher.
On the first version of the car, the awning did not have side windows, but during the tests it became clear that rear visibility was sorely lacking and they were included in the design. However, the tightness of the body was badly affected by the temperature regime of the "Nivovsky" units, as a result of which they quickly failed, the light body could not withstand serious loads. But the customers still liked the prototype, it was decided to continue work and design the second version of the jeep.
VAZ-2E2122 - the second version of the floating jeep
VAZ-2E2122 (1977) - the second version of the floating SUV for the army, created on the basis of the E2122 prototype. On this prototype, the VAZ designers tried to take into account all the wishes of the military department and get rid of the shortcomings of the first version: overheating of the engine and transmission, breakdowns in the exhaust system, poor visibility, and also work out several other important points, like the ability to start at low temperatures.
UAZ-452K - triaxial loaf
UAZ-452K (1973) - an experimental sixteen-seater bus with a 6x4 wheel arrangement. Based on this bus, Medea resuscitation vehicles were developed for the needs of Georgian mine rescuers. There was also a variant with a 6x6 wheel formula, later in Georgia a small-scale production of reanimobiles was established from 1989 to 1994, approximately 50 units per year.
But this project was not buried - the car was produced from 1989 to 1994 by the Vezdekhod cooperative from the Georgian city of Bolnisi.
ZIL-4102 - the prototype of the last "membership"
ZIL-4102 is a promising limousine that was supposed to replace the outdated five-seater ZIL-41041 sedan. In 1988, the sixth ZIL workshop produced two prototypes of the car. Fundamental difference new model from others Soviet limousines was the lack of a frame, in connection with this, the designers of ZIL had to do a lot of work to reduce vibration load-bearing body. New sedan was half a meter longer than the Volga, and weighed half a ton less than the ZIL-41041. Roof and floor panels, trunk lid, hood and bumpers were made of fiberglass.
NAMI-0284 "Debut" (1987)
A car - a concept car, as they wrote then, "of an especially small class", was built with the prospect of using some solutions for a serial ZAZ car.
The original body was good aerodynamics(drag coefficient Cx - 0.23). The Oka engines (VAZ-1111 and VAZ-11113) were installed on the car, and the MeMZ-245 was installed on a later version with a slightly modified finish ("Debut-II"). They also planned to test a car with turbocharged VAZ-11113 and MeMZ engines with a 16-valve block head. "Debut" was equipped with an electrovacuum clutch, a cruise control system.
AZLK 2142 "Moskvich" - an experienced sedan
AZLK 2142 "Moskvich" (1990-96) is an experimental sedan created on the basis of AZLK-2141 and presented to the general public in 1990. The car was fully tested and almost ready for production, it was planned to send the car to the conveyor already in 1992, equipping it with a new Moskvich-414 engine.
After the collapse of the USSR, the death of the then general director of AZLK V.P. Kolomnikov, these plans were not destined to come true, however, with various engines the prototype was assembled for several more years. Moreover, a car that did not actually exist later served as the basis for the small-scale models "Prince Vladimir" and "Ivan Kalita" produced in small batches.
Project "Istra"
AZLK-2144, "Istra" - experienced car AZLK plant, created in the mid-late 1980s. It was made in a single copy around 1985-88, never mass-produced.
Notable for a number of unique solutions, including - duralumin body without a central pillar; two wide side doors opening vertically upwards; diesel, rapeseed oil powered; night vision device and indication of instrument readings on windshield; unique automatic transmission.
Istra was ahead of its time in many ways. At that time, this machine was much superior to its predecessors.
The only model sample, previously kept in the AZLK museum, is now in the museum on Rogozhsky Val in Moscow.
UAZ-3170 Simbir
In 1975, at UAZ, under the chief designer Startsev, development began, and in 1980 a demonstration model of the UAZ-3170 Simbir "general purpose off-road vehicle" was released. The car had a ground clearance of 325 mm and a height of 1960 mm - both parameters differed from the "469th" (215 and 2050 mm). The suspension was dependent spring.
Alexander Sergeevich Shabanov was the lead designer of the GAK theme and the head of the test group. Military samples of the machine were tested and protected by the project in the Moscow Region in 1982-1983.
Subsequently, according to the results, the second version of Simbir was born - UAZ-3171 (1985-1987).
Simbir 1990 army
Simbir 1990 civil
NAMI-LuAZ "Proto" - the ghost of a Russian country road
NAMI-LuAZ "Proto" (1989) - a prototype created in the Leningrad branch of NAMI as part of a competition announced by the Ministry of Autoselkhozmash, a team of designers and designers led by G. Khainov. The body was a metal frame, on which were hung plastic panels, which simplified the repair, improved the performance of the car.
As power plant the MeMZ-245 engine from Tavria was used, the transmission was developed almost anew: non-switchable cardan gear, gearbox driving and connected front axle (without transfer case). Gearbox, power take-off on front-wheel drive, front main gear were collected in one block. Front suspension independent (McPherson), rear dependent (De Dion). The motor, along with the front suspension and radiator, was mounted on a removable subframe, which facilitated the repair and assembly of the car.
Salon "Proto" is designed for four passengers, the seats have been transformed, forming a single bed. Rear end the roof was removed, it was possible to install an awning.
In parallel with the Proto, LuAZ developed its own version of the future car, which had serious differences, as part of the competition.
LuAZ 1301 (1984/88/94) is a prototype of a light SUV, which was supposed to replace the outdated 969M model on the conveyor. The first version of the car was designed back in 1984 and was the same 969M with a new body. The 1988 prototype was different frame-panel body(steel frame and plastic panels), pneumatic elements in independent spring suspension, allowing you to change the ground clearance. The upgraded MeMZ-245 engine from Tavria was used as a power plant.
The drive of all wheels is permanent, the transmission had a lockable center differential. The roof and sidewalls were removed, making it easy to convert a jeep into a pickup truck, and a soft top version was also planned. The rear door of the car was made of two sections - upper and lower, a spare wheel and a set of tools were placed in niches under the front seats, thus completely freeing the luggage compartment.
But for unknown reasons, not a single version of the machine was chosen, and a year later it was completely out of time for prototypes.
MAZ 2000 "Perestroika"
Brilliant name. Well, it just delivers wildly.
MAZ 2000 "Perestroika" (1988) - prototype main truck, which was distinguished by an original modular design: most of the units were located in front - the engine, gearbox, drive axle and steering. If necessary, any of the "passive" bogies was replaced by a similar set of units, allowing you to build road trains of any length and carrying capacity.
It was the first soviet car designed specifically for truckers. In the autumn of 1988, on Paris Motor Show this design was highly praised, but the prototype never made it into production, for obvious reasons.
The wrong country was called Honduras.
Of course, this is not the whole list. There were still a lot of interesting projects that remained in single copies. And even in the form of drawings.
Why were these projects not implemented? There are reasons for that. Soviet system again was imperfect, often it gave rise to brilliant projects and revolutionary ideas but immediately killed them.
What happened in our time with many of these exhibits?
HOME-MADE CARS
Why not? If you have a technical education, cooks a bowler hat, and claws do not grow from your ass - so why not build your own car?
In the USSR it was quite possible.
In the 1960s, the well-known magazine Tekhnika-molodezhi led the movement of amateur automotive industry in the USSR. For 20 years, on the pages of the magazine, on TV screens, during many car runs around the country, the eyes of millions of readers and viewers have appeared dozens self-made cars. A huge thing in the popularization of the amateur car industry in the 80s was the transfer "You Can Do It" (computer), which enjoyed popular attention. For each 45-minute broadcast, television received up to half a million letters (!!!).
Of all the projects of that time, I selected the most interesting ones.
"Pangolina"
Like the first products of Ford and Benz, the legend of the Soviet author's automotive industry - "Pangolina", was designed and built by almost one person. Alexander Kulygin. Unlike the amusing "Shelf" or "Ant", Kulygin's "Pangolin" was a full-fledged car created by an experienced and talented designer.
The main structural material of the body was fiberglass. Work on the creation of the Pangolin body began with the formation of a master model - a plywood base for fiberglass. The main operations were carried out in Moscow. After Kulygin left for Ukhta, the master model was destroyed. The process of adapting the body to the chassis of the VAZ penny took place in the city of Ukhta. The original engine from the VAZ 2101 was used as the engine - a forced alternative to the planned boxer engine, which never appeared in the final cut of Pangolins.
Connoisseurs claimed that Kulygin's inspiration was Lamborghini sports car Countach. This is indicated by the shape of the body and the original design of the mechanism for opening and closing doors - implemented in the form of a movable cap that captures part of the roof. A periscope prism was used as a rear-view mirror.
Our online publication invites you to view a collection of rare photographs. We are sure that many of you are not familiar with some of the cars, the photos of which we have found for you. All over the world, our auto industry is a mystery. Maybe that's why in the USSR, many automobile factories, trying to stand out on the world stage, created such.
AZLK plant (currently closed). In the Soviet years, Moskvich cars were a dream for many.
Model 1964 Moskvich 408 Tourist. The maximum speed is 130 km/h. Amazing rare car in a cabriolet. Unfortunately, at that time the country's leadership decided that this model was too luxurious and did not correspond to the spirit of the Soviet proletariat.
The idea to make a Soviet cabriolet turned into products for children. could be bought in many children's worlds of the USSR. The children's car was equipped with pedals, from which baby transport set in motion. The dream of many boys and girls of the Soviet era.
AZLK 2139 Arbat (prototype 1987)
This was supposed to be a new revolution in the Russian car market in the 1990s. Unfortunately, with the collapse of the USSR, the project of this car was shelved.
Alsoin the Soviet years, a prototype sports version was developed(Moskvich 2141 KR) with a capacity of 175 hp. The maximum speed is 200 km/h. But this project was also not implemented because of the events in the country in the early 90s.
At the same time, while the AZLK plant was trying to bring a luxury car to the USSR market, plants such as Gorky (GAZ) and Volzhsky (VAZ) were developing an amphibious car.
AZ 2122 River. This car was developed in the late 70s and early 80s by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense. This one could move through the water at speeds up to 5 km / h. Unfortunately, for unknown reasons, after successful tests, this project was closed.
UAZ 3907 Jaguar . The same fate awaited the amphibious car of the Gorky Automobile Plant. This machine was developed in the late 70s, which could move through the water with the help of propellers. The car accommodated up to 7 people with full equipment. This vehicle demonstrated amazing operating characteristics for that time (the car could be used at temperatures from -47 to + 45 degrees Celsius). The project was also closed due to hyperinflation in the country, which was associated with the collapse of the USSR.
UAZ 3907 Jaguar was not the only car, which the GAZ plant tried to make for movement on water. In the mid-70s, an experimental Volga GAZ-24-95 , which could also move on water.
Volga Automobile Plant (VAZ)made attempts to produce their own sports cars. But really, in partnership.
So in 1978 in Vilnius (Lithuania), VFTS produced a model Lada Samara Eva . The car was based on the VAZ-2108. It was a 300 hp rear wheel drive sports car.
Also in the Soviet years there was another modification of the Lada - Lada Samara T3. In fact, there was nothing Soviet in this car. The car was equipped with components from Porsche, the car was assembled by a French company. The car participated in various European championships in the 1990-1991 season. Also, the car was a participant in the Paris-Dakar rally in 1990.
Surprisingly, in the USSR, sports cars were also developed in the early 30s of the last century. On the basis of the ZIL plant (in the 30s of the ZIS), sports vehicles were developed. But the country's leadership believed that cars should serve only civil servants, so promising projects never came to fruition.
The most famous sports car of Soviet times is the legendary ZIL 112-S, which was released in 1961. The power of the machine was 240 hp. The maximum speed is 240 km/h. Externally, the car resembled the Ferrari Testarossa of that time. For the production of a sports car, the components of the model were used GAZ-21 .
By the way, the first Kamaz in history was actually first developed and produced at the ZIL plant at the end of 1975. The model was called ZIL-175. Later, the model changed the name of the brand. Subsequently, KAMAZ vehicles became the winners of the Paris-Dakar race more than once.
In the photo on the left you can see a prototype car M3MA 444 Moskvitch 1957, which later became ZAZ-965(Zaporozhets). In the photo, the car of the Zaporozhye plant in 1960.
concept car Russian SUV Lada Niva E2121 Crocodile .
On the basis of this prototype, later in 1979, the first serial SUV Niva 2121.
Prototype ZAZ 966 (Zaporozhets) . The car was equipped with front-wheel drive. Pay attention to the hood and wheels, which are reminiscent of VAZ-2101. Unfortunately, the ZAZ-966 model did not enter mass production in this form. As a result, the model "966" went on sale with rear-wheel drive and with a completely different appearance.
We tried to bring many of you back to the past, and to show younger people a small part of the history of the USSR auto industry. We will try to periodically upload such collections about Soviet era engineering. If you have any interesting photos with old Soviet cars in your family archives, then send us and we will definitely include them in our future collections.
In the first years after the revolution, the Soviet leadership faced a number of serious problems, and the USSR was especially far behind the developed countries of the West in technological terms. One of the main problems for the country's economy was a meager car park. Even little Finland had big amount cars in the early 20s, and even about America or Germany, it’s not worth mentioning at all. The problem of lagging behind was solved in the shortest possible time, and already at the end of the 30s, the USSR reached one of the first places in the world in the production of cars.
Prombron C24/45
The first attempt to start serial production of cars was made back in 1921 at the 1st BTAZ plant in Fili, aka the former Russo-Balt, which was evacuated from Riga in 1916, and was nationalized in 1918. The plant’s capacities were idle for 3 years, in the 21st year they began to repair it old technology and in parallel to produce kits for new machines according to old drawings. Five cars were assembled the following year, and the first car was donated by M.I. Kalinin, who rode it until 1945. In 1923, an all-Union automobile run took place, in which two Prombron C24 / 45 cars participated, 38 sets for new cars were also created and a small-scale production was being prepared. However, it did not work out to expand the production of cars, since the plant was reoriented to the production of aircraft. All available kits were transferred to the second BTAZ plant and 22 cars were assembled there, but even there the plant was redesigned and the production of passenger cars had to be postponed indefinitely.
AMO F-15
The first truly serial Soviet car was the cargo AMO F-15. It was produced at the Pietro Ferrero AMO plant of the same name (Moscow Automobile Society), the future ZiLe. The truck was developed on the basis of the Italian Fiat 15 ter, which was assembled from ready-made kits from 1917 to 1919. In 1924, most of the drawings were received, and the factory also had two finished Fiat trucks. The first 10 cars were assembled from ready-made kits of parts in just 6 days and this event was timed to coincide with the proletarian demonstration on November 7th. Immediately after that, the AMO F-15 cars went for testing, during which the high quality of the cars was confirmed and it was decided to establish serial production at the AMO facilities. In 1925, only 113 cars were assembled at the plant, but production increased every year and by 1931, a total of 7,000 copies were assembled. In 1931, it was replaced by new models AMO-2 and AMO-3, and in 1933 the legendary ZiS-5 began to be produced.
AMO F-15 had pretty good technical characteristics for its time, and for the nascent Soviet industry, the production of such machines was very important. Its dimensions were not much larger than a modern passenger car. The length is only 5 meters, and the width is 1.7 m. The carrying capacity was only 1500 kg, and the maximum speed did not exceed 42 km / h. Engine power was 35 hp. at 1400 rpm
NAMI-1
It is NAMI-1 that can be called the first Soviet mass-produced passenger car. Its development was not purposeful, but was a project of a student of the Moscow Mechanics and Electrotechnical Institute K.A. Sharapov, who tried to combine the simplicity of a motorized stroller and the spaciousness of a car in one product. His scientific adviser E.A. Chudakov appreciated the ideas of the young engineer and after passing the graduation project, on his recommendation, Sharapov was hired by NAMI, where, under the guidance of Professor Brilling, a team was created to finalize the project. Full set drawings was made already in 1926 and the car was ready for the first pre-production batch. In 1927, two copies were produced in different bodies, which went on the Crimea-Moscow-Crimea rally and showed their best side.
However, there were problems with the launch of the series. At the Moscow State Automobile Plant No. 4 Avtomotor (later Spartak), there was simply not enough experience to establish mass production, and there were also constant interruptions in the supply of components. At the plant "Spartak" took place final assembly, and almost all parts were ordered at other enterprises or abroad. Also, the workers lacked the qualifications for high-quality assembly of machines, which subsequently greatly affected the quality and final price. NAMI-1 cost almost three times more than Ford-T, which was then produced in the USSR under license, and it was simply not bought even in conditions of shortage. According to various sources, from 350 to 512 cars were produced in total, most of which were bought by Avtodor and distributed among state institutions.
However, despite the mediocre quality, NAMI-1 had good characteristics. It could accelerate to 90 km / h, its three-liter 22-horsepower engine consumed only 8-10 liters of fuel per 100 km, which was an excellent indicator for that time. Subsequently, in the early 30s, a greatly improved version of the car was created, but it did not go into the series, as it was preparing to launch in Nizhny Novgorod new plant with a design capacity ten times greater than the capabilities of Spartak, and its main model was to be licensed Fords.
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GAZ-A and GAZ-AA
The Soviet leadership was well aware of the serious backlog of the USSR in automotive industry and for accelerated development, any available ways. One of the most successful steps was the signing on May 1, 1929 with by Ford an agreement on technical assistance for the organization and establishment of mass production of cars and trucks. The plant was built in record time and already on January 1, 1932, it was opened, and on its first running conveyor, production of a passenger car was launched under license. Ford-A cars and a Ford-AA truck. These two models were truly the first mass cars in the USSR, and obtaining all the documentation for manufacturing made it possible to begin the development of Soviet cars, modern and not inferior to foreign counterparts. Based on model A, it was created a large number of modifications, and already in 1936 at the Gorky plant, the GAZ-M1 became the main model. In total, 42 thousand machines of this model were built, not counting various modifications.
Together with the documentation for the Ford-A model, the documentation for the Ford-AA truck was handed over to the Soviet Union, which was maximally unified in terms of details with a passenger car. The production of a 1.5 ton truck also began in 1932, in 1933 the first serial Soviet bus GAZ-03-30 was created on its basis. In 1938, the model received a new 50-horsepower engine and was produced in this form until 1949, and a total of 985 thousand of these trucks were produced in various modifications.
ZiS-5
By 1930, the USSR produced many different cars, however, the most important thing was missing - mass character. All factories were hand-assembled, which naturally affected both the price and the quantity of products produced. The plan of the first five-year plan included the creation of several automobile plants with a conveyor at once, and the first one was launched in 1931 at the AMO plant, later renamed ZiS (Stalin Plant). At that time, not very successful AMO-2 and AMO-3 models were produced, but by 1933 the models were completely finalized and the new ZiS-5 went into mass production. The plant reached its full capacity by 1934, when up to 1500 cars were produced monthly. But the main advantage of the new car was the fact that all the details were domestic production and it was not required to pay for licenses and the help of foreign specialists.
The technical characteristics of the car also looked very worthy for its time. The ZiS-5 was equipped with a 5.5 liter engine, which had a power of 73 hp. The carrying capacity was 3000 kg, while it could still be equipped with a trailer weighing up to 3500 kg. The maximum speed is 60 km/h. The design turned out to be so successful that it was produced in various modifications until 1958, and a total of 570 thousand copies were produced.
I-5
The leadership of the Soviet Union was well aware that if you do not produce the entire line of automotive products, then you will have to buy it abroad and depend on Western states. If there were fewer problems with light and medium trucks, then heavy trucks in the union were not produced by the 30s, but for large-scale construction projects of the first five-year plans they were very necessary. First heavy truck in the USSR you can call Ya-5, which was able to carry up to 5 tons. However, only 2200 pieces were produced, since it was equipped with american engines which had to be abandoned. Later, they began to install engines from the ZiS-5, but they did not provide the necessary power and, for the sake of traction characteristics, the maximum speed had to be reduced. On the basis of the Ya-5, several models were created, including the most load-lifting, eight-ton YaG-12.
If in the mid-20s it can be said about the Soviet automotive industry that it practically did not exist, then after only 10 years several giant factories were launched at once, which allowed the USSR to become one of the leaders in the industry in terms of the number of cars produced, and by 40 Mu and also managed to catch up in quality, and the new ZiSs, GAZs, Yaroslavl cars were just as good foreign analogues and all the needs of the country were fully provided. During the first five-year plan, new KIM and GAZ plants were built, and serious funds were invested in the modernization of such enterprises as AMO (ZiS), Putilovsky Plant, YaGAZ and other smaller plants. In terms of the production of trucks, the USSR completely came in second place, second only to the United States in this indicator. By 1941, the milestone of 1 million cars of different brands had been reached for all the time, and in 1940 145 thousand different cars were produced.
We present to you a few interesting concepts, developed during the Soviet era, and unique cars that existed in a single copy.
As a rule, they were created to set speed records, sometimes "airplane" technologies were used in their construction. And some models were built by enthusiasts who worked alone or in small groups, and surprised the people with masterpieces that in many ways surpassed the products of the automotive industry.
GAZ-A-Aero
The serial GAZ-A, produced since 1932, was almost a complete copy of the Ford-A, but the GAZ-A-Aero, built in 1934, looked little like its predecessor. Engineer Alexander Nikitin, as part of his work “Investigation of car streamlining”, was able to reduce fuel consumption by about a quarter and increase the maximum speed from 80 km / h to 106 km / h.
For this, GAZ-A had to be overhauled, leaving only the chassis and engine the same. The body of steel sheets on a wooden frame was built on the basis of models tested in the MAI wind tunnel. rear wheels were covered with fairings, the locks and steps were hidden inside, and the headlights were recessed into the fenders. The mass of the body remained almost unchanged: GAZ-A weighed 1200 kg, GAZ-A-Aero - 1270 kg. The width of the car remained the same - 1710 mm, and the length was 4970 mm with a wheelbase of 2620 mm.
Unfortunately, the Second World War forced Nikitin to stop research in the field of car aerodynamics, turning his attention to tank tracks, and the further fate of the only copy of the GAZ-A-Aero is unknown.
"Victory-Sport"
The Pobeda-Sport sports car (GAZ-SG1), designed by aircraft engineer Alexei Smolin, was based on the chassis of the serial GAZ-M-20 Pobeda, but the boosted engine and aerodynamic duralumin body made it possible to achieve really high speed characteristics. GAZ-SG1 was the first Soviet sports car built in several copies. Most likely, there were five such machines. Three of them in 1951 were equipped with Rutz rotary superchargers and a two-chamber K-22 carburetor, which made it possible to increase the power of the modified Pobedov engine with a volume of 2487 cm³ to 105 hp, and speed - up to 190 km / h.
With its dimensions (length - 5680 mm, width - 1695 mm, height - 1480 mm, wheelbase- 2700 mm) the car weighed only 1200 kg. On cars of the Pobeda-Sport brand, three all-Union speed records were set and three championships of the USSR were won (1950, 1955 and 1956).
The ZIS-112, which appeared shortly after Pobeda-Sport, was also conceived as a sports car, but the designers faced a number of difficulties. serial engine ZIS-110 power 140 hp turned out to be rather weak for a body weighing 2450 kg, and it had to be replaced with an in-line 8-cylinder engine with a volume of 6005 cm³, the immodest dimensions and weight of which had a bad effect on the weight distribution of the car. The weighted front part constantly strove to take the ZIS-112 into a skid.
After a number of modifications (the base was reduced from 3760 to 3160 mm, the total length from 5920 to 5320 mm, the engine compression ratio was increased from 7.1 to 8.7 units, two more carburetors were added), the engine power increased to 192 hp. at 3800 rpm, and the maximum speed is up to 210 km/h. But this did not save the clumsy ZIS. After the 1955 racing season, it was scrapped.
GAZ-torpedo
GAZ-Torpedo, which appeared in the same 1952 as the ZIS-112, was distinguished by higher maneuverability, although it was inferior to the brainchild of the plant. Stalin speed characteristics. Alexey Smolin abandoned serial GAZ-M-20 units, developing them and a new streamlined body with clean slate. New car turned out to be much easier than "Pobeda-Sport" with large dimensions(length - 6300 mm, width - 2070 mm, height 1200 mm). Its weight was 1100 kg.
Smolin settled on a forced "Pobedovsky" engine, already tested on the GAZ-SG1, with a volume of 2487 cm³ and a power of 105 hp with a Rutz supercharger, which allowed the car to accelerate to 191 km / h. Two All-Union speed records were set on the GAZ-Torpedo.
"Moskvich-G2"
The record racing car Moskvich-G2 was developed by designers I. Gladilin and I. Okunev and built at the MZMA in 1956. The Moskvich-405 engine developed power up to 75 hp. at 5600 rpm, which allowed the car with a curb weight of 660 kg to reach speeds of over 220 km / h. It set three all-Union records. In fact, "Moskvich-G2" almost did not differ from the previously built "Moskvich-G1", which in 1956 received the same engine and streamlined body, but it is believed that these are different models.
In 1959, the Moskvich-G2 was upgraded to participate in circuit racing, it was equipped with a 70-horsepower Moskvich-407 engine and a roll bar above the driver's seat. In this modification, the car was able to accelerate to 193 km / h. The driver E. Veretov, who drove the Moskvich-G2-407, became the winner in the class of cars up to 2500 cm³ at all-Union races in 1959. After 1960, Moskvich-G2 did not participate in the races.
The car "Yuna" by Yuri Algebraistov is one of the most famous "home-made" cars of the Soviet era. The construction of the car began in 1970, but for the first time Yuna left the garage only in 1982. Yuri's brother Stanislav and the Shcherbinins, who were fond of auto design, took part in the creation of the car.
Some components and assemblies were taken from the design of the GAZ-24 Volga production car, but a lot had to be done by hand. The body was completely independently developed and built: first, the frame was welded, then the base was glued from several layers of fiberglass and reinforcement was made from square pipes.
The car "lives", constantly being subjected to any alterations and improvements. So, recently the engine was replaced by a V6 from a BMW 525i, the body was modified, electric windows and headlights were installed, and devices from various foreign cars were installed. "Yuna" is still on the move and has covered more than half a million kilometers, taking part in many motor races and even acting in films ("Tests", Ukrtelefilm, 1987).
"Pangolin"
A striking example of Soviet "homemade" is the car "Pangolin" by Alexander Kulygin, which was released in 1980. The body was glued out of fiberglass according to a plywood master model, and upon completion of the work, all matrices were destroyed, excluding the possibility of a second copy of the Pangolin.
The engine of a car built on the basis of the VAZ "classics" was located almost in the cabin, right behind the dashboard: the body shape, more reminiscent of a Lamborghini Countach or DeLorean than the masterpieces of the domestic auto industry, did not imply a front engine placement.
The original cap, which unites the doors and part of the roof, was driven by two pneumatic cylinders (a malfunction of this system once led to the fact that Kulygin could not leave the car on his own - unlike the Lamborghini doors, the Pangolin cap is not balanced). In the 90s, the body was modified (part of the roof was removed, additional beams were welded under the bottom) and repainted.
Despite the fact that the engine and other units were taken from VAZ production cars, the Pangolin, due to its light body and reduced aerodynamic resistance, surpassed them in speed characteristics, reaching speeds of up to 180 km / h. For the sake of obtaining license plates and permission to travel abroad, Kulygin had to make a number of compromises by changing the design of the car. In the 90s, the designer emigrated to the United States, and in 2004 he tragically died in an accident.
A homemade car built in the early 1980s by two enthusiasts - Dmitry Parfenov and Gennady Khainov - was, without exaggeration, a miracle of technology for its time. Despite the fact that some units were taken from production cars (VAZ-2105 engine, ZAZ-968 transmission), most of the Laura units were manufactured by the car's creators on their own. "Laura", the design of which began in 1982, was distinguished from the cars of those years by front-wheel drive (the first serial front-wheel drive Soviet car VAZ-2108 appeared only two years later). All instruments in the cabin were electronic. These devices (including the on-board computer) Parfyonov and Khainov also assembled on their own, using more than three dozen microcircuits.
In total, two five-seater Laura cars were built. Their curb weight was 1000 kg, fuel consumption at a speed of 120 km / h - 7.8 l / 100 km, the highest speed - 165 km / h.
The work of Gennady Khainov and Dmitry Parfenov, who built the Laura car, did not go unnoticed, and they were offered to lead the project to create prototypes of future cars - the Leningrad Laboratory for Advanced Modeling of Passenger Cars by NAMI. The first work in the "official" status was "Okhta" - a car that was supposed to be based on the VAZ-21083, but at the same time accommodate a large number of passengers, have good aerodynamic characteristics and be no larger than the Zhiguli in size.
Salon-"transformer" easily turned into a sleeping or dining area (the front seats turned 180 °, and the middle row was transformed into a table), "Okhta" could become a two-seat van or a seven-seat minivan.
Many of the solutions demonstrated at Okhta subsequently appeared on production cars- alas, foreign.
Okhta, which traveled around the world's car dealerships, once could not return: in the 90s, customs officers did not allow a car that was not registered in its homeland to pass without a duty. The customs warehouse is not the best place for a car, and a few years later Parfyonov managed to get it back in a very shabby condition. To date, little has remained of Okhta, and its restoration is a big question.
The Moskvich-2144 Istra concept was developed in 1985-1988. in the Department of Design and Experimental Works AZLK.
It was assumed that the body of the car, the layout of which was tested in a wind tunnel to achieve the best aerodynamic characteristics, would include duralumin panels and wide doors that open upwards. Electronic systems were supposed to adjust the air suspension clearance and diagnose malfunctions, displaying not only warnings, but also recommendations for troubleshooting. The car was provided with a three-cylinder multi-fuel turbocharged diesel engine with a continuously variable transmission.
The experimental small car NAMI-050 "Squirrel" was developed by NAMI together with the Irbit Motorcycle Plant. A two-cylinder engine with a volume of only 746 cm³ was supposed to provide fuel consumption of 5 l / 100 km. At the same time, Belka was designed to transport 4 people. The car was distinguished by an unusual layout: the front part of the body, together with the windshield, leaned back on hinges, providing access to the front seats, and the rear could be accessed through a single side door.
"Squirrel", the curb weight of which was 640 kg, could accelerate to 80 km / h. A lighter open prototype was also made (without doors and with an awning). In 1957, the Council of Ministers of the USSR considered the issue of serial production of the Belka, but the choice was made in favor of the future ZAZ-965, the design of which was based on technical solutions tested on Fiat 600.
VNIITE-PT
The main idea of the VNIITE-PT project (All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics Perspective Taxi) is the need to develop a special car for a taxi service that would be safe, roomy, convenient and maneuverable. The concept was built using Moskvich car units and was successfully tested on Moscow streets, but never went into production.
Passengers (up to 4 people) got inside the "promising taxi" through a wide electric sliding door, the driver's seat was placed almost in the center between the front wheel arches (with a slight offset to the left), which provided him good review and freedom of movement. The platform with the car control pedals could change its position relative to the driver's seat. It is also worth noting the non-standard location of the Moskvich-408 engine with a volume of 1358 cm³ and a power of 50 hp. With. - transverse, in the rear of the body.
In recent years, the territory of the former Union was flooded with cars made not in its expanses. Reliable and strict Germans, creative and sophisticated Japanese, stylish and powerful Americans, cheap French and sickening Chinese ... since foreign cars came, Soviet manufacturers are in the deepest ass! There are an order of magnitude more Cayennes and Escalades on the streets of Kyiv, Moscow, Minsk and those than Muscovites, Volga or Niv.
But what were they, the cars of the USSR? And how would we see them today, without the Internet and digital photography?..
In 1916, the Ryabushinskys concluded an agreement with the tsarist government for the construction car factory in Moscow and the production of trucks for the needs of the Imperial Army. The Fiat 15 Ter developed in 1912 was chosen as the base model of the car, which proved itself well in off-road conditions in the colonial wars of Italy. The plant was founded and received the name of the Moscow Automobile Society (AMO). Before the revolution, it was possible to assemble about a thousand cars from ready-made kits, but it was not possible to create their own production facilities.
In the early 1920s, the Labor and Defense Council allocated funds for the creation of a truck. The same Fiat was chosen for the sample. There were two reference copies and partially documentation.
Automotive industry Soviet Union started on November 7, 1924. On that day, Moscow saw the first cars of the country's first automobile plant. They passed through Red Square during the October parade - ten red trucks AMO-F15, which were manufactured at the plant, whose brand is known to everyone today as ZIL. The F-15 was produced with a power of 35 hp. and a volume of 4.4 liters. A year later, the first domestic 3-ton trucks were assembled in Yaroslavl, and in 1928 the first four- and five-ton trucks ... but we will talk about Soviet cars
NAMI-1 (1927-1932), maximum speed 70 km/h, power 20 hp. With. First mass-produced passenger car Soviet Russia, approximately 370 copies were produced. The features of NAMI-1 included a spinal frame - a pipe with a diameter of 135 mm, an engine air cooling, the absence of a differential, which, in combination with ground clearance 225 mm provided good cross-country ability, but affected increased wear tires. There were no instruments in NAMI-1, and the body had one door for each row of seats.
The Spartak plant, the former carriage factory of P. Ilyin, where production was launched, did not have the equipment and experience for a full-fledged automobile production. In particular, therefore, the reliability of NAMI-1 caused a lot of criticism. In 1929, the car was modernized: the engine was boosted, a speedometer and an electric starter were installed. There were plans to transfer the production of NAMI-1 to the Izhora plant in Leningrad. However, this was never done, and in October 1930, the release of NAMI-1 was stopped.
The GAZ-A passenger car was manufactured according to the drawings of the American company Ford (1932-1936). Despite this, it was already somewhat different from the American prototypes: for Russian version the clutch housing and steering gear were reinforced. Maximum speed 90 km/h, power 40 hp
Passenger car L-1 (1933-1934), maximum speed 115 km/h, power 105 hp. The plant "Krasny Putilovets" (since 1934 the Kirov Plant) by 1932 stopped the production of obsolete wheeled tractors"Fordson-Putilovets" and a group of specialists from the plant put forward the idea to organize the production of representative cars. The prototype of the car, which received the name "Leningrad-1" (or "L-1") was the American "Buick-32-90" in 1932. It was a very perfect and complex (5450 parts) car.
Passenger car GAZ-M-1 (1936-1940), maximum speed 100 km/h, power 50 hp On the basis of the GAZ-M1, modifications of the "taxi" were produced, as well as the "pickup" GAZ-415 (1939-1941). In total, 62,888 GAZ-M1 vehicles left the assembly line, and several hundred have survived to this day. Chassis this model exhibited in the automotive department of the Polytechnic Museum in Moscow.
KIM-10 is the first Soviet mass-produced small car.
1940-41, top speed 90 km/h, power 26 hp
Passenger car ZIS-101. 1936-1941, top speed 120 km/h, power 110 hp
This model was distinguished by many technical solutions that were not previously encountered in practice. domestic automotive industry. Among them: a dual carburetor, a thermostat in the cooling system, a torsional vibration damper on the engine crankshaft, synchronizers in the gearbox, a body heater and a radio receiver.
The car had a dependent spring suspension of all wheels, a spar frame, vacuum booster brakes, rod-actuated valves located in the cylinder head. After modernization (in 1940), she received the ZIS-101A index.
Passenger car GAZ-11-73. 1940-1948, top speed 120 km/h, power 76 hp
Passenger car GAZ-61 (1941-1948). Maximum speed 100 km / h, power 85 hp.
Passenger car GAZ-M-20 VICTORY (1946-1958). Maximum speed 105 km / h, power 52 hp. Unique car Soviet automobile industry.
The GAZ-M20 prototype appeared in 1944. In terms of the design of the body-front suspension, the car was very close to the Opel-Kapitan, but on the whole it looked fresh and original, but it became especially obvious in the first post-war years, when mass production of “victories” began in Gorky, and leading European firms revived the production of pre-war models. On prototypes of the GAZ M20 Pobeda, there was a b-cylinder engine;
In 1948, due to design flaws (the car was put on the conveyor in a terrible hurry), the assembly was suspended and resumed in the fall of 1949. Since then, the car has been reputed to be strong, reliable, unpretentious. Until 1955, a version with a 50-horsepower engine was built, then the M20 V version was modernized, in particular, with a 2-horsepower boost. motor. In small quantities for special services, the GAZ-M20 G was produced with a 90-horsepower 6-cylinder engine. In 1949-1954. built 14,222 convertibles - now the rarest modification. In total, until May 1958, 235,999 "victories" were made.
"ZIS-110" (1946-1958), maximum speed 140 km/h, power 140 hp
ZIS-110, a "representative" comfortable limousine, was indeed a design that took into account all the latest achievements at that time automotive technology. This is the first novelty that our industry mastered in the first peaceful year. The design of the car began in 1943, back in the war years, on September 20, 1944, samples of the car were approved by the government, and a year later, in August 1945, the first batch was already being assembled. In 10 months - an unheard of short time - the plant completed the necessary drawings, developed the technology, prepared the necessary tooling and equipment. Suffice it to recall that when the plant mastered the production of ZIS-101 cars in 1936, the preparation for their production took almost a year and a half. At the same time, it should be taken into account that all the most complex equipment - dies for the manufacture of body parts, frame spars, conductors for welding body components - were obtained from the USA. For the ZIS-110, everything was made on their own.
"Moskvich-401" (1954-1956), maximum speed 90 km/h, power 26 hp
Moskvich-401 is actually not even a copy, but in its purest form Opel Kadett K38 of the 1938 model, with the exception of the doors. Some believe that the rear door stamps were lost in transit from Rüsselsheim and were remade. But the K38 was also produced with a 2-door, so it is possible that the stamps of this particular version of the car were taken out. The commander of the American occupation zone did not take the money brought by the Soviet delegation, and ordered to give the Russians everything they needed from the Opel factory. On December 4, 1946, the first Moskvich was assembled.
Indexes 400 and 401 - factory designations of engines. The rest indicate the body model: 420 - sedan, 420A - convertible. In 1954, a more powerful engine model appeared - 401. And the latest Moskvich-401s were equipped with new Moskvich-402 engines.
Passenger car MOSKVICH-402 (1956-1958), maximum speed 105 km/h, power 35 hp.
"GAZ-M-12 ZIM" (1950-1959), maximum speed 120 km/h, power 90 hp Engine. At its core, this is a six-cylinder GAZ-11 engine, the design of which the Gorky residents began in 1937. Its release was launched in 1940, and it was used on GAZ-11-73 and GAZ-61 passenger cars, as well as on light tanks and self-propelled guns of the times of the Great Patriotic War and trucks GAZ-51.
"GAZ-13 CHAYKA" (1959-1975), maximum speed 160 km/h, power 195 hp. With.
Soviet dream car, made in the image and likeness of the Detroit Baroque.
"Seagull" was equipped with a V-shaped 5.5-liter engine, X frame, automatic transmission(!!! 1959 in the yard), the salon consisted of 7 seats. 195 l. With. Under the hood good acceleration, moderate consumption - what else is needed for complete happiness? But to say all this about "The Seagull" is to say nothing.
"The Seagull" appeared in 1959, at the very height of the Khrushchev thaw. After the gloomy "ZIS" and the gloomy "ZIM", she was distinguished by a surprisingly human, if not feminine, face. True, this face was created in other parts: in terms of design, the GAZ-13 was an unscrupulous copy of the last Packard family - the Patrician and Caribbean models. And far from the first copy, first with Packard they made a ZIL-111 for members of the Politburo, and later they decided to make a simpler limousine to replace the ZIMs.
"GAZ 21R VOLGA" (1965-1970), maximum speed 130 km/h, power 75 hp
"GAZ-24 VOLGA" (1968-1975), maximum speed 145 km/h, power 95 hp
"Volga GAZ-24", which got on the conveyor on July 15, 1970, was created for 6 whole years. Come up with new car it's not an easy task, but the Soviet automakers of the "sixties" knew the way. And when they received an order to prepare a replacement for the beautiful, but too ancient Volga GAZ-21, they did not suffer from doubts and remorse. They brought three overseas cars - "Ford Falcon", "Plymouth Valiant", "Buick Special" 60-61 years - and, armed with adjustable wrenches, screwdrivers and other tools for analysis, they began to learn from experience.
As a result, "24th" has become a real automotive revelation (compared to its predecessor "21R"). Judge for yourself: the dimensions have decreased, and the wheelbase has increased, the width has remained the same, but the interior has become more spacious, and the trunk is completely huge. In general, a typical case of "more inside than outside".
"ZAZ-965A ZAPOROZHETS" (1963-1969), maximum speed 90 km/h, power 27 hp
On November 22, 1960, the first batch of brand new cars, serially named ZAZ-965, went to happy customers. Which soon lined up a huge queue, since the price for the "Zaporozhets" was set very reasonable - about 1200 rubles. Then it was about the annual average salary.
Strange as it may seem now, but then the ZAZ-965 was more popular with the intelligentsia than with workers or collective farmers. The reason for this was in many ways too tiny trunk, which could not be loaded with bags of vegetables. The problem was solved only by the creation of a lattice pallet, fixed on the roof of the car, on which they immediately began to load half a ton of potatoes, then a whole stack of hay, which made the Zaporozhets look like Asian donkeys.
ZAZ-968 Zaporozhets, maximum speed 120 km/h, power 45 hp
ZAZ-968 was produced from 1972 to 1980. He had such features as an improved MeMZ-968 engine with an increase to 1.2 liters. displacement, while its power increased to 31 kW (42 hp).
