We are all used to seeing cars on the roads that are generally very similar to each other. The modern automotive industry cannot boast of a variety of forms. However, for those who want to have a car that is not like everything that moves on our roads, there are certain developments that are sharply different from everyday Vehicle.
This article describes the most unusual cars in the world that can satisfy the aesthetic needs of even an avid critic and connoisseur.
Cars with the most unusual appearance
Today, many cars are being created in the world that have an extraordinary and shocking appearance.
The most prominent representatives of such transport can be considered:
The machine is a shoe
The car is made in the form of a woman's high-heeled shoe and can claim first place in the nomination "the strangest cars ever made in the world." It has wide-spaced motorcycle wheels located in front and are swivel. The rear wheel is only one and is located directly under the heel. Here is also installed the usual motorcycle engine low power. 
The vehicle is a concept, not mass-produced and not intended for daily operation. It does not meet the safety requirements in force in the country of manufacture, therefore it cannot be registered in government databases. The movement on the car-shoe should be carried out at a minimum speed, since the stability of the unusual prototype leaves much to be desired.
ZIL - dragon
A piece-made car produced on the basis of ZIL-133. Made by order of one of the public associations of the Russian Federation. It looks like a dragon. It has a forward metal bump, fangs, a modified cabin and body. Equipped with an appropriately stylized container for transporting liquids. The car has a rather "terrible" and respectable design, corresponding to the post-apocalyptic theme. 
The technically modified truck has also been modified. More than installed here powerful motor, additional fuel tanks , gearbox replaced. The operation of an unusual car takes place on public roads.
The Batmobile is a vehicle made specifically for the filming of films about the superhero Batman. It was made in several copies. The basis for the concept at different times was the Lincoln future, Buick Riviera and Chevrolet Caprice. 
Two of the three such cars were stylized as a bat. The latest instance of the Batmobile is more reminiscent of a military vehicle. All Batmobiles are excellent representatives of the caste of the most unusual and extravagant cars on Earth.
Cars with the most unusual "stuffing"
The most unusual cars in the world do not always have a shocking appearance. Much more often they are distinguished by a technical component.
Concept powered by hydrogen fuel. In addition, a distinctive feature of the car is its body. It is made of soft panels that move even when pressed with a finger. As planned by the designers, the safety of the driver and passengers in such a car will be ensured by the entire body, which plays the role of a huge pillow. 
Of course, the small size of the concept and its characteristics do not allow to ensure safety even when using the "body-cushion" technology. It is assumed that the vehicle will move exclusively within the city, slowly and measuredly.
Vehicles with a gas engine
Gas generator technology is not new. Even the pre-war GAZ-AA (one and a half) traveled along the roads, emitting thick clouds of smoke. The essence of the gas generator is to convert solid fuel into combustible gas, which subsequently enters the engine cylinders and burns there, ensuring the operation of the power unit. The car runs on wood. 
Gas generating machines cannot be categorized exclusively as “the most unusual soviet cars because the technology is still used today. Such vehicles are piece, made mainly by amateur enthusiasts. Gas generators are equipped with cars and light trucks, motorcycles.
Aist-5TM
Made by NPO Aviastok based on KrAZ. hallmark of the car is to install a KV-1 jet engine on it, designed for MIG-15, MIG-17, IL-28, etc. aircraft. Of course, the purpose of the aviation unit was not to move the car itself. With the help of a jet stream, specialists cleaned the runways from snow and ice. The KV-1 could be mounted in front or behind the KrAZ. 
Today, such technological solutions have been replaced by imported blowing and cleaning equipment. "Gorynychi", as airport workers called jet KrAZ trucks, are maintained in working order. However, they are released onto the strip only when it is necessary to quickly dry the asphalt before marking.
The smallest cars
The most amazing machines come in very small sizes.
At the same time, the most miniature representatives of the auto world, as a rule, are not serial. They are made independently or to order by lovers of non-standard solutions.
Peel P50
At the time of manufacture, it was the smallest car in the world. Later, its double version was released, which also took its place in the Guinness Book of Records. The length of the car is 134 centimeters, the width does not exceed 64 centimeters. The weight of the mini-car is 59 kg, and the power is only 4.2 hp. 
The car was created in the UK. Despite the very modest power, it could reach speeds of up to 61 km / h, which at the time of the creation of the unit was a normal indicator for production cars. The car was three-wheeled, had one headlight, a steering wheel located in the center of the cabin and two doors opening in the rear direction.
A single-seat car made in 1957 by German engineer Karl Jurisch. The motorplane had a length of 228 cm and a weight of 165 kg. The power of the vehicle was equal to 9.5 hp, and the maximum speed was impressive at the time of the creation of the car 88 km / h. 
The car was three-wheeled, had no steering wheel. Management was carried out using levers located on the sides of the driver. The motoplane had 2 headlights, 1 windshield wiper, two rear-view mirrors. It did not go into the series, as possible manufacturers considered that the project would be unclaimed among potential buyers.
The car is not only the smallest of the vehicles produced today, but also tops the list describing the cheapest cars in the world. The cost of the car in the US is only 869 dollars. The real price of a car, of course, is higher. However, part of the cost is paid from the federal and regional budgets. 
Machine height is 1562 mm, length is 2631 mm. The width of the baby does not exceed 1546 mm. Max Speed the car is 40 km / h, which can be developed thanks to the electric motor installed under the hood. The charging time of an electric machine is usually within 6-7 hours.
Chances are you've never seen the cars on this list before. This is because they are extremely unusual and even unique.
The list of cars from different years, so you can familiarize yourself with the concepts of both recent seasons and the beginning of the twentieth century. So, what are they, the most amazing machines on the planet?
Messerschmitt KR200
In the early twentieth century, it was not uncommon for automotive designers to design airplanes, and vice versa. Perhaps this explains why many cars seem more suitable for flying than for driving on asphalt. This German car tiny sizes were produced from the middle of the last century until 1964. It was equipped with a small engine and weighed only a couple of centners.
The Devel 16
Imagine that you can accelerate to a hundred kilometers per hour in 1.8 seconds! That you can go at a speed of more than five hundred kilometers per hour! Well, all this embodies this powerful car with an engine of five thousand Horse power. It was designed in Dubai. Apparently, everyone loves it on a grand scale - not only is the tallest building in the world located there, but now the fastest car has appeared. However, not everyone will be able to get it, since the price is approximately one million dollars.
Stout Scarab
This is not the prototype of the famous "Beetle" from Volkswagen. This is an American-made car that appeared at the very beginning of the development of the automotive industry. It was released in the thirties and forties. It was developed by William Stout, a former director of Ford. Despite the intimidating appearance, the car was considered extremely innovative. He was the first family minivan, as well as the first car with independent suspension, which guaranteed smooth ride amazing for those times.
Sunswift eVe
This is unusual Sport Car working on solar battery, and the first of its kind to be considered perfectly legal in Australia. The car can travel eight hundred kilometers and develops a speed of up to 150 kilometers per hour.
BMW Isetta
This is a micro car with a single cylinder engine, which was originally developed in Italy. Although production began there, the design was licensed in other countries, from Brazil to Germany. There were many manufacturers, but the BMW version turned out to be the most popular. It sold over 160,000 copies in its six years of release.
I continue to acquaint you with interesting samples of the domestic automotive industry, which never saw the light of day. Perhaps some of them were a breakthrough, and perhaps they would not have saved the image of the modern Russian auto industry.
By the end of the 80s, the AZLK models that were in production were outdated both technically and in terms of appearance. Therefore, a new production car was needed. Moskvich-2143 called "Yauza" was supposed to be such a car.
In the early 90s, at the Lenin Komsomol Automobile Plant, first mock-ups were developed and built, and then a running prototype of a sedan with the most unusual appearance in the history of the domestic automotive industry - AZLK-2143 Yauza.
Let's find out more about this car...
Photo 2. 
Under the cover
In the mid-90s, the AZLK museum, located next to the plant in a round building, which was popularly called the "flying saucer", was closed to visitors. However, in the summer of 1994, several retro car lovers who were engaged in old Moskvich cars managed to get into the museum, having agreed with its director Viktor Voronov. Examining the exhibits standing on the podium, the guests paid attention to two cars covered with a tarpaulin. Under the covers, the outlines of modern wedge-shaped bodies were visible.
Out of curiosity, the visitors decided to look under the covers. Under one was a cherry Pontiac Grand Prix CE Coupe of 1989 - this car was presented to the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee MS Gorbachev in the USA. On the doors were the initials of the head of the Soviet state and his wife Raisa Maksimovna - MG and RG. Wanting to show the public that, unlike Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev, he does not collect cars, Gorbachev handed over Pontiac to AZLK - they say, let the designers learn modern automotive engineering.
Under the second cover, which the museum guests began to lift from the side of the trunk, there was a red car, rear lights which resembled the Saab 9000. Uncovering the middle of the cabin, they discovered “something was not right”, and when the tarpaulin was completely rolled up, they froze in amazement - the car that appeared before their eyes looked so unusual
Photo 3. 
With an eye on the future
In May 1988, Alexander Evgenievich Sorokin, chief designer Production Association Moskvich, whose head plant was AZLK, spoke at a meeting of the collegium of the Ministry automotive industry USSR with a report on the prospects for the development of the enterprise until 2000. It was about promising types of Moskvich cars - about new modifications base car AZLK-2141 "Lux", AZLK-2142 sedan in the "Norma" and "Lux" versions, a new family of gasoline and diesel engines, a seven-seat station wagon, a van and a pickup truck based on it, a multi-fuel search "car of the year 2000".
Separately, it was said about the project of a promising base model of a passenger car of the third group of a small class. “Given that technical project model "2141" was approved in 1982, in the middle of the XIII five-year plan, a transition to a replacement model with a completely new body is necessary, ”Sorokin told members of the board. He also pointed out some features of the future car: “The body of the new model in the dimensions of the 2141 model should provide a more spacious interior, have C” within 0.25-0.28, a characteristic individual appearance ...”. The expected date for mastering the release of the new base model was also announced - 1993.
When work began on promising car models at Soviet automobile plants, as a rule, several series of prototypes were built. Machines of the very first, "zero" series (sometimes it was single copy, sometimes two of the same type) usually differed significantly from the “finished” car, which then went into production. The first sample has always been considered a sighting, a test of strength. On it, the designers checked the correctness
selected layout solutions, basic dimensions, performance of new units and assemblies. A typical example of the first series was just the AZLK-214E sedan, which was supposed to replace the "forty-first".
Photo 4. 
test of strength
The main work on the new car started at the turn of the 80-90s, in the midst of perestroika. Sorokin appointed Vyacheslav Grymov as the lead designer, Georgy Mikhailov as the lead designer for the body, Marat Elbaev as the lead exterior designer, who in the late 80s was in fact the chief stylist of AZLK.
The terms of reference contained conflicting requirements. To reduce fuel consumption, it was necessary to radically improve aerodynamics compared to AZLK-2141 - and this despite the fact that the body of the "forty-first" was quite streamlined. But the authors of the body design again, as has happened more than once in the past, rested on the layout engine compartment with a high engine position and were forced to put up with a high hood.
Marat Antonovich Elbaev, an experienced designer who worked at the plant for about 30 years, proposed his solution. He made a high hood in the form of a rounded "lollipop", and gave a low windshield a spherical shape with smooth transition to the roof and windows of the front doors. A few years earlier, during the competition of alternative projects, Marat Elbaev presented his sketch of the exterior of the “car of the year 2000”, the future Istra, and on that sketch the pairing of the hood with the windshield was about the same.
The problem was that the windows of the front doors inevitably acquired a bend in two planes, and the technological capabilities of those years did not allow the windows to be lowered with such a complex bend.
However, colleagues from Gorky, faced with a similar problem on the promising Volga GAZ-ZYu5, found a solution: they made door glass from
two halves, with an opening window at the bottom.
Photo 5. 
At the turn of the 80s and 90s, there was an opinion among designers and designers that the usual sliding windows in the doors would soon become a thing of the past. To maintain the microclimate in the cabin, you can use the air conditioner or air conditioner, which is expected to be included in the basic equipment of any model, and lowered windows significantly impair the aerodynamics of the car and increase fuel consumption. Small vents at the bottom are necessary in order, for example, to hand over documents to the traffic police inspector or a ticket at the entrance to the parking lot. An interesting option proposed by the chief designer of AZLK A. E. Sorokin, a professional designer. He decided to act even more radically than the specialists who worked on the GAZ-ZYu5, and Elbaev took up the implementation of his unusual idea. side windows"cut" at the level of the hood with a powerful horizontal beam, which has become an integral part of the power structure of the doors and connected the lines of the hood and high trunk into one whole. Below this horizontal rib were opening windows. So the car acquired its unique appearance, which shocked everyone who saw it. The solid strip of taillights on the trunk above the license plate looked like a natural continuation of the line of lower windows, although it was this that gave the rear of the prototype some resemblance to Saab. In the same way, for the sake of unity of style, the lower tier of glass in the front doors repeated in miniature the rounded silhouette of the hood. On this lower "floor" of window openings, there was a place for vertical door handles.
Photo 7. 
Photo 8. 
The most unusual example
First, a 1:4 scale model was released, which the designers called the “quarter”. The technology of building models in the Art and Design Bureau has been improved over the years. Gone are plasticine and gypsum. Now, a polyurethane outer layer was sprayed over the frame of foam frames, which was then milled, obtaining a given shape of the body surface and detailing. As a result, a high quality outer surface was quickly formed, which did not even need to be trimmed with putty.
In addition, in the early 90s, when creating the A3 / 1K-2143 body, mathematical models developed on a computer in the recently organized department of machine design at UKER were already used. The transformation of a bold design idea into "iron" running samples handled by the Body Bureau. The details that made up the front part were designed by Alexander Nesterov, the back elements were designed by Nikolai Androsov, the design of unusual doors was created by Anatoly Tsebriy. Georgy Mikhailov, the leading body designer himself, worked on the sidewalls, and Valentina Belova prepared the floors. At one time, Belova participated in the transformation of the M-402 sedan into the M-423 station wagon and reshaped the M-407 spars into the M-403.
Photo 9. 
It was Mikhailov who was responsible for the manufacture of all the unusual body glasses of the M-2143. He collaborated with subcontractors from the Research Institute technical glass(NITS), from which the work was led by Alexander Fedotov, the best bending specialist in the USSR. Together, Mikhailov and Fedotov created non-hardened thin glasses, top non-drop and bottom drop glasses, the strength of which was achieved by ion strengthening.
Years later, Mikhailov recalled that he did not like the "two-story glass" from the very beginning. Nevertheless, he conscientiously brought Sorokin's idea to life by creating an unusual prototype glazing. In addition, Mikhailov and Tsebriy tried on AZLK-2143 a new design of doors with closed flanges for the early 90s, which they spied on Citroen - such doors could well be equipped with ordinary windows with the usual power windows.
When it came to the construction of "iron" running models, everything did not go as smoothly as on the layouts. The transitions between the double windows and body panels are somewhat rough.
I had to abandon the original oval headlights, straightening their edges - there were difficulties with the selection of optics. But, in the end, it was just a prototype of the earliest, "zero" series, created for the speedy verification of technical and design solutions.
As a result of the design work, it turned out to be a difficult and in many ways controversial car. But if he were presented to the public in Russia or abroad, he would certainly not leave anyone indifferent.
As conceived by the designers, the rear lights and the lower floor of the windows were combined into one whole
Bio style interior
While Sorokin and Elbaev were working on the exterior of the car, the second lead designer, Konstantin Gromadzkiy, was working on the interior of the cabin. Gromadzky was young, but already quite an experienced and versatile specialist. He started as a “home-made man”, went through the difficult school of building the Arbat minivan, worked on landing models of a multi-seat cabin in Italy and the “luxury” interior of the AZLK-2142 sedan. Gromadzky was assisted by an experienced specialist in salons and ergonomics Leonid Leonov. Gromadzky and Leonov worked out their ideas on the so-called "fronts" - models that started from the motor shield.
The most original idea was the principle of installing a combination of instruments. The standard equipment of the car of the 90s should have included a height-adjustable steering column. Gromadsky decided that together with the steering wheel, the entire “visor” with instruments should move up and down. As a result, the distance between the steering wheel and dashboard at any position of the column it turned out the same, at no time did the steering wheel overlap the instruments. In addition, the main switch keys were placed on the visor, and when adjusting the column, the distance from the steering wheel rim to the keys did not change. Although digital instrument clusters, similar to the then fashionable electronic watches, were tested on “front” models, in the final version the instruments remained traditional, pointer, but with a modern scale arrangement for the 90s.
In guise dashboard and AZLK-2143 consoles were dominated by round and oval elements that personified the biodesign style that was included in the 8th fashion. This is clearly visible in the rounded outlines of the steering wheel hub, ventilation grilles, door handles, “windows” for hours, buttons and keys. The elaborate form of the so-called door cards allowed to make the interior cozy, despite the low divided windows. At the bottom of the console was a new device for that time - on-board computer. The only compromise can be called the Bylina serial radio receiver, which was taken from the usual "forty-first" to save time.
Photo 10. 
Motor of Hope
On the AZLK-2143 car, it was supposed to use engines that were supposed to be produced at the new AZLK engine production under construction in Moscow. No modifications of the new model with Ufa engines (and even more so with VAZ ones) were planned. In terms of engine production, AZLK was completely dependent on the Ufa Motor Plant for many years, so modifications of the M-412 engine never got into mass production. The launch of a new engine plant on the “new” territory in Moscow allowed AZLK to return control over the production and modernization of engines. Through the efforts CEO AZLK V. P. Kolomnikov in 1986, the Council of Ministers adopted a resolution on the creation of the production of engines within the framework of the Moskvich software. Work on the design of new families of gasoline and diesel engines went on throughout the first half of the 80s. In 1985, the development of a promising family of engines began, which was supposed to be produced by the Moscow engine branch.
A completely new engine, which was created by Yuri Ptashkin, Viktor Borisov, Anatoly Chernomordik, Nikolai Khitroye, Ibrahim Kamaev and other designers, did not retain structural and technical continuity with the M-412. As an alternative, "on a competitive basis", a technical design of the engine created at VAZ (designers Leonid Novikov, Mikhail Korzhov and others) was considered. But the AZLK version won in many respects: it was more modern in design, more technologically advanced in production, cheaper to master, and consisted of fewer parts. Compared to the M-412, it was a return from an aluminum block to a cast iron one, from wet shells to a solid one-piece block. The camshaft was located, of course, in the head and was driven by a toothed belt. At first, the designers prepared drawings for the most labor-intensive parts: block, head, crankshaft, pistons.
Photo 11. 
Photo 12. 
The base model of the engine with the index "21414" was a gasoline, carburetor, 8-valve, displacement of 1.8 liters (cylinder diameter 82 mm, piston stroke 85 mm). Several modifications were envisaged, the indices of which sometimes intersected with the indices promising cars and chassis. The gasoline "21415" was distinguished by distributed injection, the 16-valve "21416" had the same power system. Diesel engines were also envisaged - one naturally aspirated, the other with turbocharging and intercooling of the air. The working volume of gasoline engines could be 1.6,1.8 and 2.0 liters with a possible increase to 2.2 liters. Diesels were planned 1.8- or 1.9-liter.
By the end of 1986, the first samples were built: a 1.8-liter carburetor and an atmospheric 1.9-liter diesel engine (cylinder diameter 80 mm, piston stroke 89.5 mm). Both engines on stands were demonstrated at the Ministry of the Automotive Industry. Subsequently, in the course of design work, three series of samples appeared, and about 2000 parts were manufactured to set up production. The motors were designed without focusing on any foreign analogues- it was 100% own development. True, imported components were used: fuel equipment diesel engines, turbocharger, all injection components, converter. Under the hood of the red prototype, AZLK-2143 took its place carbureted engine"21414" of the third series.
Photo 13. 
As a basic model of the AZLK-2143 family, it was originally designed not front-, but all-wheel drive vehicle
original solution
As a basic model of the AZLK-2143 family, not a front-wheel drive, but an all-wheel drive car was originally designed. Abroad, in the late 80s and early 90s, not off-road, but ordinary 4 × 4 passenger cars became more and more widespread. Obviously, under the conditions Russian roads an all-wheel drive vehicle is more competitive. The standard AZLK-2141 gearbox was still taken as the basis for the transmission of a new generation all-wheel drive vehicle, supplementing it with torque transmission units to the rear wheels.
The conversion of AZLK-2141 into an all-wheel drive vehicle began long before the design of AZLK-2143. In 1984-1986, the development of the 4 × 4 transmission was already in full swing. This direction was opened by an experienced designer Lev Smorgonsky, who came to the plant in the early 50s. Decades later, he became the lead designer of the AZLK-2141 gearbox.
It should be noted that the AZLK-2141 car itself in the 70s was practically “built around the transmission”. Front-wheel drive included a gearbox and main gear in one crankcase, and the fundamental possibility or impossibility of installing a large M-412 engine under the low hood of a car with a modern wedge-shaped silhouette depended on the correctly chosen layout of this entire unit. At first, the M-412 engine could not be placed at a low altitude - this was hindered, first of all, by the gearbox layout. The problem was solved in 1977, when it was decided to install the primary and secondary shafts of the box in a horizontal plane: not one above the other, as in ordinary boxes, but side by side. Such an original solution was invented by a young designer of the design bureau of the general layout, Lev Zheleznyakov.
Photo 14. 
In the mid-80s, with the lead designer Lev Smorgonsky, many options were proposed for installing a center differential and various designs of this unit on the AZLK-2141 box. Some existed only in drawings, others were made in metal and tested on cars with a "forty-first" or "forty-second" body. The differential was designed by Yu. Stepakov, A. Novichkov, D. Dorofeev and other designers. In the end, the transmission design bureau, headed by Vladimir Dlugokansky, managed to create a workable design.
In the final version, it was necessary to change by several degrees (compared to the front-wheel drive car) the inclination of the entire power unit relative to the vertical axis. The modification of the 4 × 4 chassis recommended for production included a self-locking differential, a separate unit rear gear combined with independent rear suspension on oblique levers and open axle shafts. The first production car with a set of 4 × 4 units was supposed to be AZLK-21416 with a hatchback body and the appearance of a serial AZLK-2141. A transmission of the same type was installed on the AZLK-2143 prototype. Interestingly, this transmission eventually ended up on the conveyor. In 1999-2001, such all-wheel drive units were equipped with a small number of serial elongated sedans "Prince Vladimir" and "Kalita" AZLK-2144, as well as pickup trucks AZLK-2344.
Another interesting feature of the AZLK-214E was the ventilated disc front brakes. From the brakes of a production car, they differed completely original parts calipers, but assemblies of ventilated brakes were interchangeable with standard AZLK-2141 brakes. Prototypes of such mechanisms were also run in machines "in a serial body"
Photo 15. 
unknown cars
The set of running samples was approximately the same as that of the C1 model in the 70s. According to various sources, three or four samples of AZLK-2143 were manufactured (possibly three cars and one body). Only one red car was fully equipped. Other samples were the so-called "mules", the carriers of the aggregates, which were promptly transferred to the testers. They lacked trim. Seats and instruments were used from serial AZLK-2141. Cars made in 1993 were still quite raw. Each of the departments of the UKZR successfully coped with its area of work.
The bodybuilders and designers had an unusual body and modern salon. Engineers have a new family of engines, aggregators have a well-developed four-wheel drive and safe ventilated brakes. But it was not possible to collect all this together and turn it into a well-functioning mechanism. There were many “inconsistencies” in the experimental car: for example, the under-engine frame, on which the entire power unit, had to admit frankly unsuccessful. But for the first prototypes of the "zero series" this is a common occurrence. Unfortunately, the circumstances in the early 90s were such that finishing work and the construction of new models had to be abandoned.
Photo 16. 
The plant entered market relations with a mass of unresolved problems: the AZLK-2142 sedan has not yet been mastered, the construction of the engine plant has not been completed. The most annoying thing is what motor production it was almost ready - it took quite a bit to complete the equipment and start producing engines.
In 1994, the chief designer of AZLK A.E. Sorokin was replaced by A. V. Kulikov. His team found it inappropriate to start a family of new cars with a sedan - in this sector of the market there was
the toughest competition. As a new base model, they adopted a five-door all-metal compact van, an analogue of the appeared later cars Renault Medape Scenic, Opel Zafira or Citroen Xzoro Picosso. The dimension of his body was calculated by carefully measuring all the passages, alignments and "bottlenecks" on the existing conveyor so that production could be started without breaking anything in the production chain. Such a car attracted the bulk of buyers of "Moskvich" "forty-first" family - practical
car enthusiasts, summer residents in the snow”, private taxi drivers who needed a small and not very expensive car with the most spacious interior.
Compared to the AZLK-2141, the price of the future compact van increased just enough to not scare away potential consumers and at the same time make the product quite profitable for the plant. Design work on the new universal AZLK-2143 was stopped by his order, who took the post of director of the plant R. Asatryan.
Photo 17. 
Producer: AZLK / OAO Moskvich
Plant: AZLK (Moscow, Russia)
Grade: D
Other name: Moskvich-Yauza
Design Body type: sedan
Layout: front-engine, front-wheel drive
front-engine, all-wheel drive
Gearbox: 5-speed
Engine
Own development of AZLK
Characteristics
Dimensions Length: 4710 mm
Width: 1690 mm
Height: 1400 mm
Wheelbase: 2780 mm
| Moskvich-2143-Yauza | |
| Specifications: | |
| body | closed, sedan |
| Number of doors | 4 |
| number of seats | 5 |
| length | 4710 mm |
| width | 1690 mm |
| height | 1400 mm |
| wheelbase | 2780 mm |
| front track | mm |
| rear track | mm |
| ground clearance | mm |
| trunk volume | l |
| engine layout | front longitudinally |
| engine's type | 4-cylinder, gasoline, carburetor, four-stroke |
| engine capacity | 1800 cm 3 |
| Power | 95/5800 hp at rpm |
| Torque | N*m at rpm |
| Valves per cylinder | 2 |
| KP | five-speed manual |
| Front suspension | independent, spring-loaded, with swinging telescopic struts on wishbones with anti-roll bar |
| Rear suspension | dependent, lever-spring, with two longitudinal elastic plate levers welded to an elastic cross beam, with a stabilizer inside the beam and transverse bar or independent with swing axles |
| shock absorbers | hydraulic, telescopic |
| Front brakes | disk |
| Rear brakes | disk |
| Fuel consumption | l/100 km |
| maximum speed | km/h |
| years of production | 1991 |
| type of drive | front or full |
| Curb weight | kg | - Pages of history. Moskvich 2131 Cruise and A. Kulygin The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy is made -
The global auto industry is not only mass VAZs, Golfs, Focuses, etc. The global auto industry is also a small part of truly original and original cars that are rarely found in the general stream. But, if you still manage to see their representative at least once, then for sure this moment will cause at least a smile or surprise, and at the most it will be imprinted in your memory for many years. Today we give you a chance not to wait for this happy moment, peering at the cars passing by. Today we give you the opportunity to get acquainted with the brightest representatives of a family of unusual and strange cars, carefully selected from around the world.
We tried to find the most interesting representatives and divided them into five groups, within which we made a small rating. Perhaps our opinion will not coincide with yours, but one thing is for sure - all the cars presented below rightfully deserve the opportunity to be present in our rating and someday they will definitely take or have already taken their place of honor in the world's leading automobile museums. And let's start, perhaps, with the most common, with design, because cars are also greeted by clothes.
Design quirks.
It was the most difficult to select candidates for the “design” category, since quite a lot of interesting cars with an original and unusual appearance were produced and are still being produced. But, despite the heated debate, we identified the five most curious cars that seemed to us the most unusual and controversial at the same time. So, let's begin.
Fifth place was given to the Japanese sports car, which was produced in small batches between the end of 2006 and 2014, when the world was presented with an updated and final version of the Orochi Final Edition, released in just five copies at a price of almost 125,000 US dollars. Outside of Japan, it is almost impossible to meet Orochi, since this very unusual sports car was oriented exclusively to the local public, who managed to appreciate the "dragon" design of the car, drawn based on the mythical eight-headed creature Yamata no Orochi.
The fourth line is occupied by another sports car -. Ask why? At least by the fact that looking at this car right away you can’t believe that this is a Ferrari. But really, this is the first all-wheel drive supercar in the history of the Italian manufacturer, and even in the back of a three-door hatchback, designed for four passengers. Introduced in 2011, the Ferrari FF still seems to be some kind of strange, kind of “ugly duckling” compared to other Ferrari models that are familiar to the eye.
We gave the third line in the ranking of original cars in terms of design to the Indian “baby”. This little car, during the creation of which the developers saved on absolutely everything, received a slightly inflated body and a boring, somewhat silly exterior design, thanks to which it is able to attract the attention of absolutely any motorist. However, Tata Nano also has a positive advantage, because at a cost of about $ 2,500 it is the cheapest car in the world. Although on the other hand, Tata Nano is the most unsafe car in the world, having failed absolutely all crash tests.
The second place is occupied by the American. This convertible pickup truck lasted only three years on the market (2003 - 2006) and was never able to win the hearts of even the American public, who loves bulkiness and solidity. The very ambiguous appearance of the car, more suitable for a cartoon image than for a serial car, can only cause a smile, but memories of the past, because such massive wings and small round headlights were quite popular in the middle of the last century. However, this is what makes the Chevrolet SSR special and interesting, otherwise it would not have made it into our rating.
Well, at the top of the Olympus of unusual automotive design is the first generation Italian compact MPV, produced from 1999 to 2004. What the Italian designers who drew the FIAT Multipla were thinking about and based on is not at all clear. The exterior of this car has a stupid "two-story" appearance, which appeared, apparently, during an unsuccessful attempt to cross the upper part of the body of a minivan with a piece of the body of a classic hatchback. Naturally, the car did not win great popularity, and in 2004, as part of the update, it received a more familiar front end.
Tricycle monsters.
“Very extremely rare” today are three-wheeled vehicles on the roads. Most of them are represented by only dozens - a maximum of hundreds of copies, and some are completely stuck at the stage of concept cars, never getting into the series. Our rating includes 4 models, one of which is historical, and three are quite modern, found on the roads in several countries at once.
Opens a list of interesting "tricycles" unusual car, produced in 1971 - 1974 in the UK. The unusual Bond Bug 700E was not only the presence of only three wheels and a strange appearance. One of the “chips” of this car is a top-hung door, or rather, an opening upper part of the body that served as a door. The Bond Bug 700E is a two-seat car that was positioned as (!) a sports car, which attracted the increased attention of the English public to it. As a rule, Bond Bug 700E cars were painted in bright orange tangerine, which made it even more noticeable. It is noteworthy that in England there are still Bond Bug 700E connoisseurs clubs that organize annual meetings and even racing competitions.
Third place in the ranking of unusual tricycles occupies an electric car, released in 2006 and lasted on the market until 2009. This funny and clumsy automotive midget has managed to offer customers as many as two body options - a 4-seater hatchback and a 2-seater pickup. ZAP Xebra was produced mainly in China, but managed to sell several thousand copies in the United States, where it was used by postal employees, and for advertising purposes and large companies eg Coca-Cola.
We decided to give the second place to a very interesting development called . Unfortunately, this project did not last long. Having started in 2007, already in 2009, Carver left the stage due to the bankruptcy of the developer, who failed to carry out a proper marketing campaign to promote his offspring. The Carver was a single-seat car that had a very interesting feature - a body deviating towards the turn, which provides better stability and at the same time creates the effect of riding a sports motorcycle.
The top line of the rating of unusual "three-wheelers" is occupied by the most successful representative this class- which has been on the market since 1996 and has managed to survive several updates during this time. The Canadian three-wheeled vehicle, classified as a motorcycle in a number of countries, is positioned as a sports vehicle and has a rather interesting appearance, as well as the layout of the chassis with one rear drive wheel. Campagna T-Rex is not only successfully sold in many countries, but also managed to hit the movie screens, starring in several films.
Amphibious vehicles.
Ever since the appearance of the first mass-produced cars in the early 20th century, some manufacturers have tried to popularize amphibious cars, believing that such a versatile vehicle should gain popularity. Alas, or maybe not, but most motorists did not need amphibians, so their production eventually came down to small-scale production or assembly to order. Despite this, in the history of the global automotive industry, several models managed to leave a very bright mark.
We will not make a rating in this category, since we will only tell about three cars, each of which is unique and interesting in its own way. Let's start with the German one, which in 1961 became the first mass-produced amphibious vehicle in world history. With a slightly comical appearance, Amphicar was still in great demand in many countries, but its success was short-lived. Unfortunately, the Amphicar swam too slowly, which made moving on water not a real pleasure, and ordinary roads significantly inferior in quality and driving characteristics to other road users.
The amphibious car, created in 2003 in the UK, looks much more solid. This original car has a boat bottom, as well as a nice exterior with streamlined body contours. But this is not the main thing, the Aquada on-board electronics automatically determines the depth of the water and, when the desired level is reached, hides the wheels in wheel arches, turning a car into a boat in just 6 seconds. It is also worth noting that Aquada is a very nimble car: on land it can accelerate to 160 km/h, and on water up to a decent 50 km/h.
Another curious representative of this class of vehicles was invented in Switzerland in 2004. We are talking about amphibious, literally hovering above the surface of the water due to the effect of hydroplaning. This is achieved thanks to special hydrofoils and a propeller retractable from behind. At the same time, the designers managed the almost impossible: to fit the side hydrofoils into the thresholds of the car, and to make the rear wing flipped by 180 degrees also play the role of a familiar wing while driving on land. As a result, the sports amphibian is capable of accelerating up to 200 km/h on the race track and up to 80 km/h while hovering over the water surface. Whatever you say, but Rinspeed Splash- the perfect car for James Bond or any other superhero.
"Trucks".
Speaking of trucks, we used to think of KAMAZ, MAN, or at least a GAZelle, but trucks can be much smaller and more unusual than you think. It's even more logical to call these vehicles microtrucks or simply "trucks". We will introduce you to three representatives of this class, who manage not only to surprise others, but also to transport, if not bulky, but still cargo.
So, the third place in the ranking of unusual trucks is occupied by the one that was released in 1996. With a 'toy' design and a bonnet spare that often gets it called a 'rhinoceros', this compact car is only 2.8 meters long but manages to offer two cab options (single or double) as well as two cab options. body - van or pickup. The small delivery truck was aimed at small businesses and sold very briskly in Japan, but could not repeat the success of its predecessor, produced from 1957 to 1972.
There is also a microtruck in France. We are talking about, also offering several body options, including a dump truck. At the same time, the French have much more modern design, the truth is still quite funny, as well as two options power plant- diesel or electric motor. Despite the low operating costs and the possibility of being used on narrow Parisian streets, the Aixam-Mega MultiTruck has not yet won much popularity. Perhaps the fault is the price, starting at almost 15,000 euros.
We decided to call the Indian one the leader in the list of unusual trucks. You can start laughing, but this freight car with a sullen appearance completed diesel engine with a return of as much as 11 hp, which does not prevent him from carrying up to 600 kg of cargo and a driver with a passenger. Like all Tata models, the Ace Zip truck is quite cheap. Buying a new car costs Indian businessmen only $4,500-$5,000. However, this is not yet the limit of the introduction of "nanotechnology" in the Indian auto industry. Soon, Tata promises to release an even more compact modification of the Ace Zip with a 9-horsepower engine.
"Heroes of the past".
Concluding our excursion, I would like to turn your eyes to the past, where there were also many interesting, funny or original cars in their own way. Here again we will do without a rating, but we will just introduce you to the most interesting models who managed to leave their important mark in the history of the global automotive industry.
So let's start with the space car. This minivan, with an unusually futuristic appearance for its era, was born back in 1932 and was produced only to order. The Stout Scarab did not gain mass popularity, due to the high price of the car, which started at $ 5,000, which was a huge amount by the standards of that time. According to available historical data, only 9 copies of the Stout Scarab were collected for sale, several more cars existed as exhibition samples, including the first car in the history of the automotive industry with a fiberglass body.
Another hero of the past -. Meet the first mass-produced passenger car of the now famous Japanese automaker. It was produced in the period from 1960 to 1966 and during this time managed to disperse with a circulation of more than 60,000 copies, becoming along the way the first export car with the Mazda nameplate. The compact car accommodated 4 passengers and was equipped with a 16-horsepower engine, which allowed it to accelerate to 80 km / h. The R360 was so successful that Mazda managed to improve its financial position and start working on more modern cars.
Let's finish with another savior who pulled the famous Bavarian concern BMW. After the war, the German auto industry was going through a deep depression and the BMW brand had every chance to go down in history, if not for the unsightly little car, equipped with a 13-horsepower engine and a two-passenger interior. While all other representatives of the big German troika tried to fight in the segment over expensive cars, the Bavarians filled the market with a cheap model with a simple design, an unusual front single door and modest technical specifications. In total, during the release (1956 - 1962), more than 160,000 BMW Isetta 300 rolled off the assembly line, which allowed the Bavarians to significantly improve their financial situation.
