Could there be something closer and dear to every inhabitant of our country than the legendary soviet cars? Many of us remember very well how these models were cut along the roads of large cities and villages. In this article, we have collected 27 of the most significant cars from the USSR of all times.

GAZ-A

GAZ-A, manufactured under license from Ford, became the first Soviet passenger car with local modifications, which were determined based on the operation of original Ford A cars in harsh Russian conditions. The first cars were assembled at the Nizhny Novgorod Automobile Plant in August 1932, and mass production began in December of the same year. In total, 41,917 vehicles were produced by 1936.

Despite the absolute unpretentiousness to fuel quality, maintainability in any conditions and relative cheapness, GAZ-A had a rather sluggish 40-horsepower engine, unreliable suspension on transverse springs, which quickly failed, as well as a weak non-rigid frame, which is why the body the car quickly fell into disrepair.

On the basis of GAZ-A, a sedan with a closed four-door body - GAZ-6 and a specialized taxi - GAZ-3 were produced. In addition, a modification of the GAZ-4 with a cargo-passenger pickup body, GAZ-A-Aero with an aerodynamic body and GAZ-A-Limousine was made.

GAZ-M1

This model in 1935 came to replace the first mass passenger car of the USSR - GAZ-A. The GAZ-M1, by analogy with the GAZ-A, was based on the successor of Ford A - Ford 40 (Model V8 40-730) with a modification of the chassis for the harsh real conditions of Russia. The abbreviation "M-1" stands for "Molotovets-first" in honor of the chairman of the government of the USSR - V. Molotov, and the A.A. Design Bureau was engaged in the design and development. Lipgart. In total, 62,888 copies of this model were made by 1942.

The main innovation in the design of the M-1 is the all-metal body, created using the advanced technology of the Ford body department. The modernized Ford A engine was used as a power unit, but produced on the original Soviet equipment. In addition, the design was changed, as a result of which "M-1" looked more modern, even in comparison with its overseas prototype.

On the basis of "M-1" were manufactured: a version of "taxi", GAZ-415 - a pickup truck of 500 kg, GAZ-11-73 - a modernized sedan with a 6-cylinder engine GAZ-11, GAZ-61-73 - the first in the world sedan 4x4, BA-20 - light armored car and 14-15 small-scale modifications.

GAZ-12 ZIM

Most Soviet cars were not intended for private ownership. Basically, they were created for numerous high-ranking party workers and heads of state enterprises. For them, at the end of the 40s, GAZ created GAZ-12 ZIM - a long wheelbase six-seater big sedan executive class.

It was produced from 1949 to 1960 and a total of 21527 units of all modifications were produced. The main design feature of the car is the load-bearing body. There was only a removable sub-engine subframe. The new car had a very high (up to 50%) degree of unification with other models already produced by the plant.

ZIM was equipped with a not very powerful 3.5-liter GAZ-11 90 hp engine. For the first time in Soviet practice, a gearbox with a steering column lever received synchronizers and was installed, in addition to ZIM, on Pobeda. On the basis of ZiM (GAZ-12), the following were made: taxi - GAZ-12A, sanitary version - GAZ-12B, GAZ-12 phaeton and even railroad cars. ZiM cars were exported both to the countries of the socialist camp, and to Finland and Sweden. There were also racing versions called "Dzerzhinets" and "Avangard".

GAZ-13 "Chaika"

Another executive limousine from the Gorky Automobile Plant. In total, 3179 units were assembled at GAZ from 1959 to 1981. In 1958, The Seagull was presented in New York and Brussels. The design of the GAZ-13 was reminiscent of the 1955 Packard.

The Chaika was a revolutionary car, unlike the ZiM: a 195 hp V8 engine with an automatic transmission with push-button control was installed, there was power steering and brakes, as well as electric windows. This car could not be bought in the USSR, it could only be earned.

The following modifications were made on the basis of the Chaika: GAZ-13A - for the USSR Ministry of Defense with a partition between passengers and the driver, GAZ-13B - with a Phaeton body, GAZ-13S - a sanitary version, several copies of Chaeks for filming , ceremonial phaetons. Subsequently, several cars were converted into railway carriages.

GAZ-M20 "Victory"

A truly legendary Soviet passenger car that has earned love and respect not only in the USSR, but also in many countries of the world. It was produced under license in Poland (Warsaw), North Korea and even China. In total, 241,497 cars were produced from 1946 to 1958 (excluding foreign production).

It was one of the world's first mass-produced passenger cars with a monocoque body of a fully pontoon type. The appearance of "Victory" in the form of a streamlined teardrop-shaped body with a flat sidewall without protruding wings was originally created by the factory designer Valentin Brodsky. Cars of the first and second series had a characteristic three-story radiator grill, which was called "Martosskaya".

The first series was produced from 1946 to 1948. The second series, the production of which lasted from 1948 to 1955, received a new gearbox from ZIM with a lever on the steering wheel, as well as an updated 4-cylinder engine with 50 hp. (since 1955 - 52 hp).

The third series - M-20V (1955 - 1958) already had a different grille, new design front axle beams, modernized carburetor, new air filter, new steering wheel and appliances of a different color.

The main upgrades of the serial version are:

- GAZ M-20B "Pobeda" in the back of a "phaeton" - with rigid roll bars and an open top, of which 14,222 were produced.

- GAZ M-72 - an all-wheel drive version on the GAZ-69 chassis with an additionally reinforced body, increased ground clearance, mud flaps on the rear wheel arches and 6.50-16 tires with herringbone tread. For the first time for Soviet cars, a pedal-operated windshield washer was used here. 4677 pieces of M-72 were manufactured.

GAZ-21 "Volga"

It was one of the most beautiful and coveted Soviet middle-class cars, which was produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant from 1956 to 1970. A total of 639,478 copies were produced in three series and in several dozen different modifications. In the design of the Volga, the influence of the "aerostyle" of American cars such as Ford, Chevrolet, Plymouth, Kaiser was clearly guessed. But the entire mechanical part of the GAZ-21 was of the original Soviet design.

After the manufacture and testing of four prototypes in 1956, the production of the first series of GAZ-21 with a characteristic "Star" on the radiator grille began. The "first series" was first equipped with a modernized engine from "Pobeda", and since 1957 - with a modern overhead valve engine ZMZ-21A. A total of 30 thousand cars of the first series were produced.

The "second series" began production from 1959 to 1962. She had redesigned front fenders, a shark mouth grille, a new instrument panel, windshield washers, and new wiring with a "minus" on the ground. More than 140 thousand copies were made in total.

In 1962, a "soft modernization" of the car was made, which mostly affected only appearance... The "third series" has a new "whale whisker" grille with 37 vertical elements, new bumpers and decorative details, new interior trim made of more durable materials. The engine power was increased to 75 hp. n, and the body began to be painted with more resistant synthetic enamel. In total, the "third series" cars were produced about 470 thousand copies.

Of the numerous modifications of the Volga, we note the GAZ-22 with a wagon-type cargo-and-passenger body based on the third series car. The station wagon was also produced in the form of an "ambulance" GAZ-22B.

GAZ-24 "Volga"

The successor to the Volga GAZ-21 was one of the most notable Soviet cars in history domestic auto industry - GAZ-24 "Volga". It was mass-produced from 1967 to 1985 and was produced in the amount of 1,481,561 pieces of all modifications. GAZ-24 had a new, more modern body with a lower height, which increased stability and controllability, a wider cabin, an increased glass area and improved visibility.

The "first series" GAZ-24 (1967-1977) had bumpers without fangs, a long molding under the radiator grill, it had no fog lights, and parking lights were located on the chrome-plated ventilation pads of the rear pillars. Chrome caps had red circles in the center, and mud flaps - branded "deer".

The "second series" was a smooth modernization in the period 1972-78. There were "fangs" on the bumpers, fog lights, rear lights with built-in reflectors were changed, "Zhiguli" halogen headlights appeared, direction indicators on the front fenders, in the cabin - imitation wood on the panel and steering wheel, a more modern receiver, armrest in the rear seat.

In the mid-80s, a deep modernization of the model was carried out and the GAZ-24-10 ("Third Series") appeared. The vents disappeared from this model, the door handles were recessed, a new plastic black radiator grille appeared, the inscription "Volga" disappeared from the front fenders. The car was installed on radial wide low-profile tires 205/70 R14 instead of the previous 185 bias tires. Inside: new seats, handbrake on the floor, heated rear window. And most importantly, under the hood, an improved ZMZ-4022.10 engine with 100 hp.

The lineup also included the GAZ-24-02 with a station wagon body. This car had a seven-seater convertible saloon. On the basis of this model, a sanitary version of the Volga GAZ-24-03 and a version for a taxi were manufactured.

GAZ-67

The most legendary and combatant of all Soviet military all-wheel drive cars, the GAZ-67 has managed to fight actively since 1943, both as a command and reconnaissance vehicle, and as an artillery tractor. Until the end of World War II, about 8,000 GAZ-67 units were produced.

They tested a military off-road vehicle like no other car in the USSR: it covered 2200 km with a 76-mm ZIS-3 cannon weighing 1850 kg, of which 930 km on country roads and 550 km on knocked out cobblestones.

For reliability and better cross-country ability, the GAZ-67 wheelbase was shortened by 755 mm compared to the GAZ-61. The same qualities were subordinated to the modernization of the suspension and chassis of the car. In addition, the GAZ-67 was installed on tires with split-tree lugs 6.50-16 in size. Electrical equipment was used from GAZ-M1 and GAZ-MM.

The body for a quick evacuation was doorless for 4 people, plus two more could sit on the sides on the shelves of the rear fenders. There were also boxes for weapons, ammunition and a radio. The modernized GAZ-64-6004 engine was used as a power plant.

GAZ-69

The famous Soviet off-road vehicle, which received the nickname "goat" for its rigid suspension. Over the period from 1952 to 1972, more than 600 thousand cars were produced. In addition, GAZ-69 was exported to 56 countries of the world in different climatic versions. The production was first started at the Gorky Automobile Plant, and in 1956 production was transferred to the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant.

The car had two basic modifications: GAZ-69 with a 2-door 8-seater body and the commander's GAZ-69A with a 4-door five-seater body. In order to increase the unification and maintainability, the engine with a gearbox, steering gear, shock absorbers, brakes, optics and a battery for this machine were taken from serial Soviet cars and trucks.

Moskvich-400 / -401

This Soviet small car was available to many middle-income citizens of the USSR and often became the first car in the family. It was with her that the mobility of Soviet people began.

The first serial "Moskvich-400" left the MZMA plant in December 1947. The car had interesting and innovative solutions such as a monocoque body, aluminum engine pistons, hydraulic brakes and independent suspension Dubonnet. And at the same time, the car did not have direction indicators, and the wiper was mechanically driven from the engine camshaft.

In 1954, an improved modification of the "Moskvich-401" was released, which had a forced 26 hp engine. against 23 hp the "400th" model, synchronizers in 3rd and 4th gears, gearshift lever on the steering column, new steering wheel... From 1949 to 1954, the Moskvich-400-420A was produced - a 4-door convertible with an open top, but with non-removable sidewalls and door frames with glass.

Moskvich-402 / -407

The first Soviet passenger car of the "thaw" period, which was completely created by Soviet engineers. The production of this model began in 1956. In just two years, 87,658 copies were produced.

Compared to its predecessor, "Moskvich-402" had a more modern exterior and a more perfect body structure. The car received a separate trunk with external access, curved windshield and rear windows, a high level of interior trim, independent, pivotless front suspension with double wishbones and 12-volt electrical equipment, as well as many other innovations. It was equipped with an M-407 engine, which worked in conjunction with a mechanical 3- and 4-speed gearbox.

The first modification of the car took place in 1958. The modified car was named "Moskvich-407" and an improved 45 hp engine. The “Moskvich-407” became the half-million MZMA car that rolled off the assembly line in December 1960. For several years in a row, half of all Moskvich-407s were exported, incl. to France, Belgium, Scandinavia, Finland, England and other countries.

In 1962, a transitional model "Moskvich-403" was released, which had a different sub-engine frame and configuration engine compartment... This model also used new units that were developed for the new "Moskvich-408".

On the basis of the "407th" model, the four-wheel drive sedan "Moskvich-410 (410Н)" and all-wheel drive station wagon "Moskvich-411". These Soviet off-road vehicles were geared towards the needs of rural residents. The cars were fitted with tires of increased dimension 6.4-15 inches with a "toothed" tread pattern, and ground clearance increased to 220 mm.

Moskvich-412

This is perhaps one of the most famous Soviet rear-wheel drive passenger cars, which became famous for its outstanding sporting achievements in many international competitions. The car was produced from 1967 to 1977 at the MZMA / AZLK plant and from 1967 to 1998 at the Izhevsk Automobile Plant.

"412th" replaced "Moskvich-408", but in fact it was a modification with a more powerful engine. In the early years, it was very actively shipped for export. In 1969, a modernization was carried out, as a result of which passive safety body, installed seat belts, soft interior elements, 2-contour braking system and fangs on the bumpers. The new car was designated "Moskvich-412IE".

A characteristic element of Moskvich-412 were square headlights produced by the GDR, which were also installed on the German Wartburg 353. On the basis of the basic model, the Moskvich-427 station wagon and the Moskvich-434 van were created.

AZLK-2141

"Moskvich" AZLK-2141 - Soviet and Russian passenger front-wheel drive car with a hatchback body, produced from 1986 to 1998 at AZLK. A total of 716,831 copies of this model were produced.

AZLK-2141 has a layout with a longitudinal arrangement of the power unit UZAM-331.10 and VAZ-216-70, which worked in tandem with a 5-speed gearbox of an original design with primary and secondary shafts located at the same height. As a result, it was possible to lower the overall height of the power unit and lower the bonnet line. Along with the base 1.5 and 1.6-liter engines, VAZ and UZAM engines of 1.7 and 1.8 liters were used.

Structurally and externally, the car looked like a real breakthrough compared to previous models: 5-speed gearbox, fourteen-inch wheels, relatively large wheelbase, wide hatchback body, MacPherson-type front suspension and dependent rear suspension with stabilizer and Panhard transverse rod, rack and pinion steering and integrated "volumetric" plastic bumpers. The body itself was estimated to have a fairly decent aerodynamic coefficient Cx \u003d 0.35.

In 1997, the modernization "Moskvich-2141-02" "Svyatogor" appeared with a more powerful Renault 2.0 liter engine and an updated appearance. Also in 1997, a small-scale M-2141R5 "Yuri Dolgoruky" appeared with a hatchback body extended by 200 mm and a similarly elongated Moskvich-2142R5 "Prince Vladimir" sedan.

ZIS-110

This impressive car from the USSR was a real large and solid seven-seater limousine with a length of 6 meters and a mass of 2.5 tons. Its entire exterior resembled the limousines of the American company Packard.

The ZIS-110 was equipped with an inline eight-cylinder engine with a volume of 6 liters and a capacity of 140 liters. with., working in tandem with a 3-stage mechanical box gear. The limousine was primarily intended for the top party leadership of the USSR and well-known workers in culture and science. Its production lasted from 1945 to 1961 at the Stalin automobile plant. A total of 2089 cars of all modifications were produced.

The car was technically fully equipped with: a 3-speed gearbox shift lever on the steering column, unusual for Soviet cars, hydraulic valve tappets and a hypoid main gear, which ensured the ZIS-110 a high level of acoustic comfort; independent pivot suspension of the front wheels on double wishbones; luxurious interior equipment, including electro-hydraulic windows, high-end radio, heating and ventilation system.

Basic modifications: ZIS-110A - ambulance car; ZIS-110B - a phaeton with a folding fabric roof; ZIS-110P - four-wheel drive vehicle; ZIS-115 is an armored version.

ZAZ-965A "Zaporozhets"

ZAZ-965A "Zaporozhets" was a real Soviet "people's car", produced at the Kommunar plant in Zaporozhye from 1962 to 1969. A total of 322,166 of these cars were produced.

It was equipped with a rear-mounted MeMZ-966 air-cooled engine with a capacity of 27 hp. and a volume of 887 cc. In 1965, with a new carburetor, the power was increased to 30 hp. The car was exported to European countries through the Belgian exporter Jalta, and the cars went to Finland under the Yalta brand.

The design was based on the Italian Fiat 600 due to its successful and progressive body structure for mass production. Unlike Fiat 600 "ZAZ-965A" had a three-volume body of the "two-door sedan" type with a clearly defined volume of the trunk of the engine compartment in the form of a "hump" and a large rear window, unified with the windshield.

The suspension was on double trailing arms with two transverse torsion bars as elastic elements. The car relied on the road using 13-inch wheels with high profile, which provided acceptable cross-country ability. Modifications for disabled people and a mail van for collecting letters with a right-hand drive were also produced.

ZAZ-966 "Zaporozhets"

The successor to ZAZ-965A was the model with the index 966, which was produced from 1966 to 1972. ZAZ-966 had an independent front suspension of a parallelogram type, with a guide device in the form of double trailing arms and two transverse plate-type torsion bars as the main elastic element. Also "966" got a new, more advanced rear independent suspension.

Since 1967, the car has been applied updated engine "Forty" with a volume of 1197 cc with significantly better traction characteristics and with an increased resource. The rear body had the characteristic "ears" of air traps for cooling the engine compartment. For this element, ZAZ-966 was nicknamed "Eared".

The fully synchronized forward row transmission was successful and reliable, allowing it to work with more powerful engines. The semi-axles with rather "delicate" rubber anthers of the internal hinges were not very successful design elements.

ZAZ-968 "Zaporozhets"

The "968th" model was a further development and modernization of the ZAZ-966, it appeared in 1971 and was produced until 1994. It was also a legendary Soviet car of the 1st group of a small class.

At first, the ZAZ-968 differed from its predecessor only in other reversing lights. Only in 1973, an upgraded model ZAZ-968A appeared, which already had a narrow molding instead of a false radiator grill, new seats, a 2-circuit brake system, a new instrument panel and an ignition lock with an anti-theft device.

ZAZ-968M "Zaporozhets"

In 1979, another modernization appeared - ZAZ-968M, which had rectangular rear lights instead of round ones, a new convex front panel with a middle black stripe and the inscription "968M", as well as rectangular direction indicators. In addition, this modification, along with the base, was equipped with a 50-horsepower MeMZ-968BE engine.

The engine cooling system was structurally changed, where air began to flow through a stamped grille in the hood lid: the "ears" were replaced with small "gills", where the right grill was used for air intake, and the left one for exhaust.

VAZ-2101

It was one of the most popular and popular Soviet small-class passenger cars produced at the Volzhsky Automobile Plant. It can be called a real "people's car" of the Soviet era.

VAZ 2101 was the "firstborn" of the classic family of VAZ cars, which was produced until 2012. The production of the 2101 model lasted from 1970 to 1988, and over 18 years, 4.85 million units of the VAZ-2101 of all modifications were produced.

The Italian FIAT 124 was chosen as a prototype for the VAZ-2101, but in the Soviet car they were replaced rear brakes on drum for driving on bad roads, the front suspension was strengthened and completely replaced with a more modern rear suspension, the cardan gear was modified, the clutch was reinforced and the design of the synchronizers in the gearbox was improved. Modifications have also been made in terms of comfort and safety. In total, more than 800 changes were made.

The base model was powered by a 1.2-liter 62-horsepower engine. The car was also called "Zhiguli", "unit" and "penny". The main modifications of the model "2101" can be called: VAZ 21011 "Zhiguli -1300" - equipped with a more powerful engine with a volume of 1.3 liters 69 hp. with some modifications to the body and interior structure; VAZ 2102 - station wagon, is a licensed version of the Fiat 124 Familiare with numerous changes and modifications. A total of 666,989 copies of such station wagons were produced. At the VAZ-2102, the suspension springs and shock absorbers were strengthened, which made it possible to maintain a carrying capacity of 250 kg with two passengers. There was also a version of the VAZ-2102E / 2801 "Electro" electric van, produced in a total of 47 units.

VAZ-2105

it further development VAZ-ovsky models of "classics". The VAZ-2105 is the longest-standing Soviet car in the Zhiguli family - 31 years from 1979 to 2010. It was also one of the cheapest cars on the Russian market.

VAZ-2105 in comparison with "2101" had more angular body shapes, replaced by chrome parts for matte black plastic or painted metal. Here, for the first time, a toothed belt of the engine timing drive was used instead of a chain; for the first time, parking and fog lights, turn signals, brake lights and reversing lights were combined under one lamp. In addition, the vents on the side windows were removed, but blowing of the side windows and heating of the rear window were added.

A total of 2,091,000 copies of the VAZ-2105 were produced. The basic configuration used a 1.29 liter engine with 63.6 hp. with 4-speed gearbox. But there were modifications with a 5-speed gearbox and more powerful engines: 1.45 l - 71.4 hp, 1.57 l - 80 and 82 hp. For law enforcement agencies, they even installed a VAZ-4132 Wankel rotary piston engine - 1.3 liters, 140 hp. For export, the VAZ-2105 was shipped under the name LADA RIVA.

VAZ-2106

This is a Soviet-Russian passenger car produced by VAZ from 1976 to 2006. In total, 4.3 million units of this model were produced at various factories during this time, which makes the VAZ-2106 one of the most massive domestic cars in history.

The exterior of the "2106" was developed using the then popular black plastics with a modified front fascia, rear trunk panel, bumper, wheel covers, side direction indicators, ventilation grilles and even a factory badge. In the basic configuration, the 2103 engine was used, the working volume of which was increased to 1.57 liters, the torque and power increased by 12% - up to 78 hp.

“Six” became the three- and four-millionth car produced by VAZ. VAZ-2106 for a long time remained the most prestigious model in the Zhiguli line, having an assessment of the car of increased comfort and reliability.

VAZ-1111 "Oka"

This Soviet and Russian microcar was produced at VAZ, KamAZ and SeAZ from 1987 to 2008, and about 700 thousand copies were produced during this period. The main prototypes on which the Soviet designers relied when developing the Oka were Japanese “kei-cars” such as the Daihatsu Cuore (L55), Subaru 700 and Honda Today.

Engine for VAZ-1111 29.7 HP created on the basis of the VAZ-2108 engine, taking the middle two cylinders with pistons moving synchronously. Such an engine was unofficially named "half past seven", and according to official documentation it was assigned the number "1111". The body of the "3-door sedan" type was self-supporting, with box-section front fenders as load-bearing elements.

The cooling system was taken from the VAZ-2108. The original carburetor was used in the power system. Front suspension - MacPherson strut with anti-roll bar. Rear suspension - flexible transverse beam. The car was mounted on small 12-inch wheels with three nuts. More than a third of the parts were borrowed from VAZ-2101, VAZ-2103, VAZ-2108, VAZ-2121.

After the cessation of production of Oka at VAZ in 1995, due to its unprofitability, production was moved to Serpukhov, where the SeAZ plant began to produce SeAZ-1111, and to Naberezhnye Chelny at ZMA, where KamAZ-1111 was created. These models were already equipped with a more powerful 0.75-liter 33-horsepower VAZ-11113 engine - half of the 1.5-liter VAZ-21083 engine.

Production at KamAZ was discontinued in 2006 after the purchase of the enterprise by Severstal-auto, and at SeAZ in 2007 the production of Oka with a domestic engine was stopped and completely re-equipped to use a Chinese 3-cylinder 1-liter unit with a capacity of 53 liters. with .. An attempt was also made to produce pickups and vans of the SeAZ-11116-50 family. But in 2008, production was stopped at SeAZ due to its unprofitability.

UAZ-452

Legendary Soviet all-wheel drive utility vehicle produced at the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant from 1965 to the present. For its cubic appearance with rounded edges, the UAZ-452 was popularly nicknamed "a loaf", and in the cargo side version - "tadpole".

The UAZ-452, in addition to the basic "van", has a large number of different modifications, the main of which are: UAZ-452A - an ambulance that is able to get off-road to the most remote places; UAZ-452V - nine-seater minibus; UAZ-452D - a truck with a double cab and a wooden body.

In 1985, the UAZ-452 and its modifications received new indexes. So the all-wheel drive minibus began to be designated - UAZ-2206, and the ambulance - UAZ-3962. On the basis of the UAZ-452, they also created a special armored vehicle for transporting valuables.

UAZ-469

The all-terrain vehicle UAZ-469 became the successor to the legendary predecessor GAZ-69. It was produced at the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant for over 30 years, from 1972 to 2003. Since 1985, after modernization, the car began to be produced under the name UAZ-3151.

As conceived by the designers, the UAZ-469 should be a reliable, durable and all-passable utility vehicle on the tested units of domestic "GAZ" cars. UAZ-469 had a 5-seater body with a removable canvas top and side glazing, as well as a folding rear fifth door for loading cargo. The body was mounted on a rigid and durable spar frame.

The ground clearance reached 300 mm for the version with "military" bridges and 220 mm for the civilian "UAZ". Disconnectable hubs were mounted on the front axle, which made it possible to disconnect front axle and reduce fuel consumption when driving on the highway. Later, quickly disconnected or self-locking couplings began to be used. Since 1983, the UMZ-414 engine with 77 hp has been installed on the machine.

The UAZ-3151 version, modernized in 1985, had additionally: a hydraulic clutch release drive, new lighting devices, a windshield washer, high-reliability drive axles, a dual-circuit brake system, an UMZ-417 engine with an increased power of up to 80 hp. and a number of other changes.

The main modifications of the UAZ-469 include: UAZ-469B - a civilian version with a ground clearance of 220 mm; UAZ-469BG - medical option; UAZ-469AP - patrol police version with a hard roof. UAZ-469 in 2010 set the world record for the capacity of a passenger car - 32 people with a total weight of 1900 kg fit inside it.

IZH-2715

IZH-2715 (or as it was called - "Kabluchok") Soviet and Russian utility vehicle serially produced from 1972 to 2001 at the Izhevsk Automobile Plant. For almost 30 years 2,317,493 copies of cars of this model were produced.

The truck was created on the basis of Moskvich-412 with a two-seater cabin and cargo van or with a passenger compartment. IZH-2715 in the USSR was the only light delivery vehicle for supplying small trade organizations. Its carrying capacity was 450-500 kg. And because of the frequent use in the transportation of confectionery, IZH-2715 was also called "Pie" and "Pirozhkovoz".

The main modifications of the IZH-2715 include: the base one with an all-metal van, the IZH-27151 in the back of a pickup truck with a tailgate and IZH-27156 — a six-seat passenger-and-freight option for short-term transportation of passengers. The car was shipped for export to Latin American countries (for example, to Panama), as well as to Finland under the name "Elite PickUp".

The IZH-2715 was powered by a standard UZAM-412E 75 hp engine. and derated - 68 hp. in the version for gasoline A-76.

LuAZ-969 "Volyn"

LuAZ-969 "Volyn" was a small Soviet-Ukrainian off-road vehicle, produced at an automobile plant in the city of Lutsk from 1966 to 2002. The 969th was the first SUV that could be bought for personal use, since it was specially created for the needs of the villagers.

The car had a very functional, uncomplicated design and the most minimal comfort. It was equipped with two types of MeMZ-969 engines with a volume of 890 cm³ and a power of 30 hp. and MeMZ-969A, with a volume of 1197 cm³, with a capacity of 40 hp. The initial production copies of the LuAZ-969 were only front-wheel drive, but with a power take-off shaft to drive attachments or trailed equipment. The all-wheel drive version of "LuAZ" began to be produced in 1971.

The body structure was semi-bearing with an integrated spar frame. The layout of the interior is even visually strongly displaced forward to ensure constant loading of the front axle in order to ensure better traction on the ground. In the all-wheel drive version, rotation is transmitted from the power take-off shaft from the gearbox to the gearbox rear axle using a non-hinged thin shaft. There was no center differential in the design. Suspension - torsion bar on trailing arms. Drum brakes without booster.

The main modifications include: LuAZ-969A with a more powerful 40-horsepower engine and LuAZ-969M with a new shape and body finish, as well as an updated aggregate part.

RAF-2203 "Latvia"

Soviet minibus produced at the Riga Automobile Plant "RAF" from 1976 to 1997. It has successfully replaced its predecessor RAF-977. RAF-2203 became the most massive and almost the only minibus model in the USSR. It was produced in 18 thousand copies a year with a total end result of 274,000 cars of all modifications.

The minibus, according to the original design of the designers, was to be completely unified with the units of already existing Soviet cars. The main elements are taken from the Volga GAZ-24, wheel caps from the GAZ-21, the dashboard from the GAZ-24, chrome-plated mirrors and taillights from the Moskvich-412 car.

The engine was installed as a power unit from the "Volga" GAZ-24, which was located in the cabin between the front seats. Front suspension independent, spring, wishbone. Shock absorbers are hydraulic, telescopic, with reinforced springs. The rear suspension is dependent on semi-elliptical longitudinal springs. The salon was divided into two compartments: for the driver and front passenger, who sat on the front track covers and the passenger compartment for 10 seats with a passage to back row seats.

The main modifications of RAF-2203 include: RAF-2203 basic passenger minibus for 10 seats, ambulance car - RAF-22031 with several subsequent upgrades, fixed-route taxi - RAF-22032 with a derated engine ZMZ-2401, as well as specialized minibuses of the RAF GAI -22033 and fire-fighting command vehicles RAF-22034. In total, more than 90 different modifications were produced on the basis of RAF-2203.

The history of the first passenger car in the history of the USSR began with the fact that in 1925, a final year student at the Moscow Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Institute, Konstantin, who for a long time could not decide on the topic of his thesis, finally decided what he wanted to write about and approved the work plan for his supervisor. Then the Soviet automakers were faced with the task of developing a small car that can be used without problems in domestic realities. Some experts suggested simply copying the foreign Tatra passenger car, but it turned out that in many respects it did not fit, so it was necessary to design something of our own. It was this problem that Sharapov took up.

It is not clear whether he understood then that his work entitled "A subcompact car for Russian operating and production conditions" would become historical, but he approached it with all seriousness.

The student was attracted by the idea of \u200b\u200bcombining in one unit a simplified design of a motorized carriage and a car passenger capacity. As a result, his supervisor liked Sharapov's work so much that he recommended him to the Automotive Research Institute (NAMI), where he was admitted without any competition and tests. The project of the car developed by him was decided to be implemented.

The first drawings of a small car, prepared by Sharapov in 1926, were modified for the needs of production by the famous engineers Andrei Lipgart, Nikolai Briling and Evgeny Charnko who later became famous.

The final decision on the production of the car was made by the State Trust of Automobile Plants "Avtotrest" in early 1927. And the first sample of NAMI-1 left the Avtomotor plant on May 1 of the same year. It is noteworthy that then the designers assembled only the chassis of the car for testing, there was no talk of creating a body yet - at first it was necessary to understand whether the innovative design could generally show itself well in real road conditions.

The tests of the passenger car were carried out a week later, in the first test drives the car proved to be worthy, and by September 1927 two more cars were assembled in production. For them, the engineers prepared a more serious test - the cars had to overcome the Sevastopol - Moscow - Sevastopol route.

For safety reasons, Ford T cars and two motorcycles with sidecars were sent on a test run together with a pair of NAMI-1. The subjects also performed well this time.

No serious breakdowns occurred on the way, especially considering that there was almost nothing to break in the design of new cars.

One of the main advantages that allowed NAMI to overcome the track without any problems was the high ground clearance. In addition, the car turned out to be very economical - a full tank was enough for the car for about 300 km.

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After the successful completion of the tests, the designers proceeded to create a body for NAMI-1. Initially, two options were developed: one is simpler and cheaper, and the second is more advanced, having a two-section windshield, three doors and a trunk, but quite expensive. However, none of them got into production - the third prototype of the body began to be installed on the cars, which was quite extraordinary and by no means elegant, which subsequently caused discontent among drivers and passengers.

NAMI went into series

The decision to start serial production of NAMI-1 was made in the same year 1927. The Avtorotor plant was engaged in the assembly of cars. Separate parts of the car were manufactured at other enterprises, in particular, the 2nd car repair plant and the plant of car accessories No. 5.

Cars were assembled by hand, which made the production process quite lengthy and expensive. As a result, only the first 50 vehicles were ready by the fall of 1928. And they got to users in the spring of 1929.

It is noteworthy that in those days cars were not sold to ordinary people - they were distributed between the garages of enterprises, where professional chauffeurs drove them. At first, many drivers who are accustomed to driving on foreign vehicles reacted to the new product with skepticism. During operation, NAMI-1 really showed a number of significant shortcomings: an uncomfortable salon, an improperly designed awning, strong vibration from the engine, for which the car is popularly nicknamed "Primus", and the lack of a dashboard.

In the press, a discussion even flared up about whether NAMI-1 has the right to further existence and development. For its small size, efficiency and special design, the car has received another name among the people - "motorcycle on four wheels". And this, according to the drivers, did not paint it.

"I believe that, by design, NAMI is not a car, but a motorcycle on four wheels, and therefore NAMI cannot play any role in the motorization of the country," wrote in 1929.

Many engineers stated that the car needed to be greatly reconstructed and that it would be possible to speak about the continuation of its production only after making these changes to the design. At the same time, one of the developers of the small car, Andrey Lipgart, answered his opponents that this car has a great future, and the existing shortcomings can be eliminated, but this will take time.

“Analyzing NAMI-1 diseases, we come to the conclusion that all of them can be easily and quickly eliminated. It is not necessary to make any fundamental changes either in the general scheme of the machine or in the design of its main mechanisms. We will have to make minor design changes, the need for which will be revealed by the operation, and most importantly, it is necessary to improve production methods. The production workers themselves are well aware that they do not make cars the way they should, but they do not always dare to admit this, "wrote in the 15th issue of the magazine" Za Rulem "in 1929.

At the same time, despite numerous complaints from drivers, NAMI-1 performed well on narrow Moscow streets, where it easily overtook even more powerful foreign competitors.

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The village also spoke well of the new small car - provincial drivers argued that the car had high cross-country ability, which was so necessary in rural conditions.

The subcompact drove to a dead end

As a result, supporters of stopping production of the car won the dispute over the further "life" of NAMI-1. The last sample of the small car left the plant in 1930. In just less than three years, according to various sources, from 369 to 512 cars were produced. The order of "Avtotrest" to terminate production spoke about the actual impossibility of correcting design defects. The slow pace of car production also played a role - the industry then needed about 10 thousand NAMI-1 per year, but the Avtorotor plant could not cope with such volumes.

However, the creator of the small car did not stop there - by 1932 at the institute where he worked, an improved model of NAMI-1 appeared, which was named NATI-2. However, this model also faced a failure - it never went into mass production.

The fate of Sharapov himself was not the best in the future. During the Stalinist repressions, he was detained on suspicion of transferring car drawings to a foreign citizen.

The engineer was sent to serve his sentence at a motor depot in Magadan. There he continued to design various devices and even on his own initiative developed a diesel aircraft engine. Sharapov was released only in 1948, after which he was appointed deputy chief engineer of the Kutaisi car assembly plant.

However, life again played a cruel joke with the talented engineer - less than a year later, in January 1949, Sharapov was again arrested and exiled to Yeniseisk. He was finally released only after Stalin's death in 1953.

After rehabilitation, Sharapov worked at the USSR Engine Laboratory, then at the Central Research Institute of Motor Engineering. In this organization, the engineer took part in the development of an onboard power plant for an artificial Earth satellite.

The first serial passenger car of the new Soviet state, produced from 1932 to 1936. The car was originally presented in the body of a phaeton, which was eventually supplemented by a sedan and a pickup truck. The engine is 3.3 liters and 40 hp. accelerated GAZ A to 90 km / h. Retail sales of the car were sporadic (in total, about 1000 cars were sold to private hands), and the main consumers were government services, the army and taxi companies. The total output was 41,917 vehicles.

At its core, GAZ A was a licensed copy of the American Ford Model A (photo on the right), which by the beginning of production in the USSR had already been discontinued in the States. In the process of adaptation, Soviet engineers and designers based on GAZ A created several more modifications, including a fire, armored and half-track.

KIM-10 / Ford Perfect

According to the idea of \u200b\u200bthe Soviet government, the KIM-10 was to become the first mass-produced car intended for sale to the public. The basis for the first "people's" car of the USSR was a technically simple and inexpensive Ford Perfect model of 1938, produced by the British division of the American brand. According to the projects of Soviet designers in the United States, stamps were created for three bodies: a coupe, a sedan and a convertible.

The first production samples of KIM-10 were released in April 1941. And less than three months later, production was stopped - the Great Patriotic War began.

In total, the plant managed to make less than 1000 cars.

Moskvich 400 / Opel Kadett K38

Ideological follower of KIM-10. It was decided to create a new "people's" car on the basis of one of the German "captured" cars, of which a lot had accumulated by the end of the war on the territory of the USSR. The choice fell on the quite modern Opel Kadett K38 model of 1937 for those times. True, it was necessary to recreate the car practically from scratch, since most of the documentation and equipment of the Opel plant were destroyed or taken out by the Americans (the Opel brand since 1929 belonged to the General Motors concern).

As a result, in December 1946 the first Moskvich 400 was produced. At the beginning of its production, the car was equipped with a 1.1-liter 23 hp engine, a three-stage manual transmission and independent front suspension. Moskvich was produced in several body styles, including sedan, convertible, van, pickup and chassis with a cab.

A total of 247,861 vehicles were produced from 1946 to 1956.

GAZ-M20 "Pobeda" / Opel Kapitan

The first serial Soviet car with a monocoque body. GAZ-20 was equipped with a 2.1-liter four-cylinder engine with a capacity of 52 hp, which was weak for its weight. with a three-speed gearbox without synchronizers (Later, synchronizers appeared in 2nd and 3rd gears). A limited version of the GAZ-M20G with a more powerful 90-horsepower six-cylinder engine was created specifically for the special services.

GAZ-M20 was not created by direct copying, but was the quintessence of the technical ideas of all captured and lend-leased equipment that ended up on the territory Soviet Union after the war. However, a significant role in the creation of "Pobeda" was played by the German Opel Kapitan (at that time - the flagship of the Opel model range) - it was his design features were largely adapted to create a new domestic model.

By the way, the modification of Pobeda (GAZ-M72) on the all-wheel drive chassis GAZ-69 of the 1955 model is, in fact, the world's first crossover - that is, an all-wheel drive off-road passenger car with a monocoque body.

A total of 235,999 cars were produced from 1946 to 1958.

GAZ-21 "Volga" / Ford Mainline / Plymouth Savoy / Chevrolet 210 DeLuxe

Like Pobeda, the GAZ-21 is not a direct Soviet counterpart to any of the Western models. Moreover, at the initial stage of development, domestic designers acted completely independently, trying to modernize the existing GAZ-M20. Already during the running tests of the next generation prototype, the GAZ plant took foreign samples for study and comparison, among which were the models Ford, Plymouth, Chevrolet, Kaiser, Willys, Opel.

As a result, the new GAZ-21 "Volga" stylistically began to strongly resemble all the available Western counterparts of that time, but it was not a copy of any of them. In addition, some technical solutions were borrowed from Western models, which were recognized as successful by our designers or in the creation of which our specialists did not have experience. Thus, the GAZ-21 "Volga" became the first serial Soviet car to be fitted with an automatic transmission based on the Ford-O-Matic transmission.

During production, the GAZ-21 had a large number of modifications with different bodies and engines, including a station wagon, a "parade" convertible, special services vehicles with a V8 engine, as well as export diesel versions.

A total of 639,483 cars were produced from 1956 to 1970.

ZAZ 965 / Fiat 600

After the release of the "Moskvich 402" model, which turned out to be almost twice as expensive as its "budgetary" predecessor, the question of creating a cheap car capable of transporting four people arose again. Having studied the Western counterparts, the Soviet designers chose a model for adaptation - it turned out to be a Fiat 600 of the 1955 model. Compact two-door hatchback with rear-engine and rear-wheel drive configuration. (Front-wheel drive cars were not considered by our designers, since the domestic industry was not able to master the production of constant velocity joints (SHRUS).

As a result, the Fiat 600 was significantly redesigned at the MZMA plant and was originally named "Moskvich-444". However, serial production was mastered at two factories in Zaporozhye and Melitopol, after which the car was named "ZAZ-965". The car with a length of 3.33 meters received a three-volume body (unlike the two-volume Fiat), a four-cylinder air-cooled engine with a volume of 870 "cubes" (26 hp) and a front suspension on two transverse torsion bars.

In total, from 1960 to 1969, 322,166 cars of all modifications were produced.

ZAZ 966 (968) / NSU Prinz 4

The next generation of "Zaporozhtsev", which received an index of 966 (after minor modernization - 968), was also copied from the western counterpart. This time, the appearance of the Soviet car almost literally repeated the exterior of the West German NSU Prinz 4 of the 1961 model, which in turn itself was stylistically close, first of all, to the 1959 Chevrolet Corvair.

The German car did not have an advanced technical filling, but it was successful due to its low cost and simple design - initially a two-cylinder engine with air cooled (later a 1200 V4 engine), a synchronized gearbox and a differential were housed in a single housing at the rear of the car.

All these technical features were completely recreated on the ZAZ 966 (968). The only "trademark" difference was the "ears" - air intakes on the sides of the ZAZ, which disappeared with the release of the restyled version of the ZAZ 968M. "Eared" did not have a high degree of reliability, but was very "tenacious" - the ability to move around with strong technical problems formed the basis of many anecdotes.

In total, modifications of the ZAZ 966 (968) lasted on the conveyor from 1967 until 1994.

GAZ 24 / Ford Falcon / Plymouth Valiant

The most massive passenger car of the Gorky Automobile Plant. Like the previous model, "Twenty-fourth" was not designed "as a blueprint", but on the basis of general trends in the models of the American automobile industry of those years. Stylistically, the exterior and interior clearly discern the features of such cars as the Ford Falcon and Plymouth Valiant of the early 1960s.

The main component was a 2.5-liter gas engine (85 or 95 hp) and a manual four-speed gearbox. A limited edition of cars was equipped with a 5.5-liter V8 engine paired with an automatic transmission. In addition, Soviet designers tried to master the installation of foreign six-cylinder gasoline engines under the hood of the GAZ-24, as well as a French diesel engine for export options. Structurally, the GAZ-24 was at the level of its American counterparts, but it was noticeably inferior to European cars of the same class.

Just like the GAZ-21, the new Volga had many body modifications and became the most prestigious mass car of its time in the USSR.

A total of 1,481,561 GAZ-24 vehicles were produced from 1970 to 1992. Upgraded versions GAZ-24 was produced flesh until 2009.

VAZ 2101 / Fiat 124

Today hardly anyone does not know that the legendary Soviet "Kopeyka" is a licensed copy of the Italian Fiat 124 model 1966, which in the same year received the title "Car of the Year in Europe". In general, the Soviet auto industry has become truly massive, starting with the VAZ-2101. With the emergence of this model, not only a new plant is being built in the Soviet Union, but also subsidiaries to provide it, and the automobile infrastructure for the population is also developing.

Despite the high-profile title, the Fiat 124 was not an advanced car for its time, but it was distinguished by good consumer and driving qualities with a simple design and a low price. Technically, the VAZ-2101 is not an exact copy of Fiat, since the latter was originally created with the expectation of good European roads and a warm climate. During driving tests, our engineers "shaken up" the design of almost all components and assemblies, making the car more reliable in the conditions of domestic realities.

For Soviet car owners of that time, the VAZ-2101 became a real technological breakthrough in many respects, the main of which was comfort, both driving and operational.

Despite the fact that the production of the Fiat 124 was completed in 1976, the VAZ-2101 and all its subsequent modifications existed on the assembly line for almost 42 years (!) From 1970 right up to September 2012.

Moskvich 2141 / Simca-Chrysler 1307

In the second half of the seventies of the last century, following the example of AvtoVAZ, the new management of the AZLK plant began searching for a foreign partner with a ready-made model, the production of which could be set up in the Soviet Union. In terms of concept and price, the "new Moskvich" was supposed to become front-wheel drive and take a place between the mass "Zhiguli" and the prestigious "Volga".

The choice fell on the French car Simca-1307 of the 1975 model, produced by a subsidiary of the Chrysler Europe concern. Just like the Fiat 124 at the time, the Simca-1307 in 1976 received the title of "Car of the Year in Europe". AZLK designers completely redesigned the front of the car for the installation of a domestic engine, replaced the rear torsion bar suspension Simca with a semi-independent beam with coil springs and changed the body panels. However, the body frame and general appearance of the model, called "Moskvich 2141", repeated the French car.

The main advantages of the car were a spacious and ergonomic interior for its time, as well as good directional stability and ease of control. Disadvantages - weak outdated engines from the VAZ-2106 or the Ufa Motor Plant. Frankly low build quality, components and corrosion resistance, in the end, and ruined the car, and then the entire AZLK plant.

During the history of the existence of "Moskvich 2141", several attempts were made to modernize, including the installation of a diesel motor ford and a Renault gasoline engine. Also, several modifications were released in the sedan, coupe, pickup and station wagon projects. All of them have remained piece or exhibition.

"Moskvich 2141" was produced from 1986 to 2003.

Volga Siber / Chrysler Sebring / Dodge Stratus

By the end of the 2000s, the GAZ enterprise once again faced the question of replacing the Volga model, which is archaic in all respects, whose design was 38 years old. According to the established Soviet tradition, the new model was decided to make a licensed copy of the Chrysler Sebring (Dodge Stratus) model of 2000 already discontinued in the States, especially since the domestic plant already had an agreement with Chrysler for the supply of engines.

As a result, in 2008, with minimal external and technical changes, the car went into production. The car was equipped with a "native" 2.4-liter engine, first with a four-speed automatic, and then with a five-speed manual transmission. There were plans for the installation of gasoline engines 2.0 and V6 2.7 liters, but they were not destined to come true.

Only two years later, in October 2010, due to extremely low demand, the production of Volga Siber was curtailed. Let us explain the failure: domestic consumers were waiting for a new "Volga" - that is, a large, structurally simple and cheap car, but received a relatively modern "foreign car" of the corresponding cost.

With the end of Volga Siber production, the history of GAZ passenger car production was over. To date, contract assembly has been established at the vacated facilities skoda cars, Volkswagen and Chevrolet.

In total, 8,933 Volga Siber cars were produced from 2008 to 2010.

Lada Largus / Dacia Logan MCV

In 2009, the Russian authorities turned to the management of the Renault-Nissan alliance with a request to modernize the AvtoVAZ plant (the Franco-Japanese concern already owned 25% of the shares of the Russian company at that time).

It was decided to jointly produce a new model, which is a licensed copy of the Franco-Romanian Dacia Logan MCV car. Especially for the new model, new ones were created or re-equipped production capacity... In addition, the level of localization of the new machine has exceeded 60%, and by 2014 it should be 72%.

Aggregate Lada Largus is no different from its European "analogue", which will soon be presented in the second generation. Under the hood is a 1.6 petrol engine with 84 or 105 horsepower, docked with a five-speed manual transmission. The changes of domestic engineers were reduced to "point" modifications of the suspension, the installation of plastic and rubber anthers, mud flaps and protective linings.

Lada Largus is available only as a station wagon, both in five and seven-seater versions. There is also a commercial cargo modification. The installation of an automatic transmission is being considered. In any case, Lada Largus today is the most modern model produced under the Russian brand.

According to the plan, production of the car should last until 2023.

At the moment, of all the enterprises that produce domestic cars, only the giant AvtoVAZ with its subsidiary IzhAvto has survived, and even then, thanks to unprecedented financial investments from the state. And also the Sollers group of companies, which managed to preserve the production of UAZ off-road vehicles.

However, in the near future AvtoVAZ should completely come under the control of the Renault-Nissan alliance, which will definitely focus on the production of its own models in Russia (albeit under the Lada brand). Sollers is already focused on licensed assembly of Ford, SsangYong, Isuzu,.

Most likely, in the coming decades, the history of the domestic passenger car industry will come to its logical ending. Leaving endless attempts to adapt and modernize outdated own and Western counterparts, Russian enterprises will simply become production sites for world car brands.

The material used photographs from the sites nnm.ru, motor.net.pl, zp-avto.ru, dic.academic.ru, ned.ronet.ru, autowp.ru, telegraaf.nl, wwww.zaz.su, tempauto. su, lada-largus.com, cep.sabah.com.tr.

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Copying foreign cars began with the very first Soviet passenger cars produced under license from Ford. Over time, copying took place most often without the permission of Western car factories. The Scientific Research Automotive Institute of the USSR bought several advanced models "for study" from the capitalist oppressors of the working people at once, and a few years later the Soviet analog rolled off the assembly lines. True, by that time, the prototype was often already outdated and out of production, and the Soviet copy was produced for more than a decade.

GAZ A

The first mass passenger car of the USSR was borrowed from the American automobile industry. GAZ A is a licensed copy of the American Ford-A. The USSR bought equipment and production documents from an American firm in 1929, and two years later the production of Ford-A was discontinued. A year later, in 1932, the first GAZ-A cars were produced.

Despite the fact that the first cars of the plant were made according to the drawings of the American firm Ford, they were already somewhat different from the American prototypes from the beginning. After 1936, the operation of the obsolete GAZ-A was prohibited in Moscow and Leningrad. Small number of car owners were ordered to hand over GAZ-A to the state and purchase a new GAZ-M1 with a surcharge.

Leningrad-1

The Soviet experimental passenger car was almost an exact copy of the Buick-32-90, which by American standards belonged to the upper-middle class.

The Krasny Putilovets plant, which previously produced Fordson tractors, produced 6 copies of the L1 in 1933. A significant part of the cars could not reach Moscow on their own without serious breakdowns. As a result, "Krasny Putilovets" was reoriented to the production of tractors and tanks, and the improvement of the L1 was transferred to the Moscow ZiS.

Since the body of the "Buick" no longer corresponded to the fashion of the mid-thirties, the ZiS redesigned it. The American body shop Budd Company, based on Soviet sketches, designed an elegant and outwardly modern body for those years. It cost the government half a million dollars and took 16 months.

GAZ-M-1

GAZ-M1, in turn, was designed on the basis of the Ford Model B (Model 40A) of 1934, the documentation for which was transferred to GAZ by the American side under the terms of the contract.

During the adaptation of the model to domestic operating conditions, the car was largely redesigned by Soviet specialists. Emka surpassed Ford's later production in some positions.

KIM-10

The first Soviet serial subcompact car, based on the British Ford Prefect.

In the USA, they made stamps and developed drawings of the body according to the models of the Soviet designer. In 1940, the plant began production of this model. The KIM-10 was supposed to become the first truly "people's" Soviet car, but the Great Patriotic War prevented the implementation of the country's ambitious plan to provide the majority of citizens with personal cars.

ZIS-110

The body design of the first Soviet post-war passenger car of the executive class almost completely imitated the American "Packards" of the older series of the pre-war production. Down to the smallest detail, the ZIS-110 was similar to the Packard 180 with the Touring Sedan body of the last pre-war model of 1942.

An independent Soviet development, they deliberately betrayed the appearance of the American Packard in accordance with the taste preferences of the country's top leadership and, mainly, Stalin personally.

It is unlikely that the American company liked such a creative development of its ideas in the design of the Soviet car, but no complaints from its side in those years followed, especially since the production of large Packards was not resumed after the war.

Moskvich 400

The Soviet small car was a complete analogue car opel Kadett K38, produced in 1937-1940 in Germany at the German Opel branch of the American concern General Motors, recreated after the war on the basis of surviving copies, documentation and equipment.

Part of the equipment for the production of the car was removed from the Opel plant in Rüsselheim (located in the American occupation zone) and installed in the USSR. A significant part of the lost documentation and equipment for production was recreated anew, and the work was carried out in Germany by order of the Soviet military administration by the forces of mixed labor collectives, consisting of seconded Soviet and civilian German specialists who worked in design bureaus created after the war.

The next three generations of "Muscovites" will lag behind the production of Opel.

GAZ-M-12

Six-seven-seater passenger car large class with a body "six-window long-wheelbase sedan" was developed on the basis of the Buick Super. Serially produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant (Plant Named after Molotov) from 1950 to 1959 (some modifications - to 1960.)

The plant was strongly recommended to completely copy the Buick of the 1948 model, but the engineers based on the proposed model designed a car that would be based on the units and technologies already mastered in production. ZiM was not a copy of any specific foreign car, either in terms of design, or, in particular, in the technical aspect - in the latter, the designers of the plant even managed to some extent "say a new word" within the framework of the global automotive industry. In October 1950, the first industrial batch of GAZ-M-12 was assembled.

GAZ-21 "Volga"

The middle-class passenger car was technically created by domestic engineers and designers from scratch, but outwardly copied mainly American models of the early 1950s. During the development, the designs of foreign cars were studied: Ford Mainline, Chevrolet 210, Plymouth Savoy, Standard Vanguard and Opel Kapitän.

GAZ-21 was mass-produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant from 1956 to 1970. The factory model index is initially GAZ-M-21, later (since 1965) - GAZ-21.

By the time of the start of serial production by world standards, the design of the "Volga" had already become at least ordinary, and did not particularly stand out against the background of serial foreign cars of those years. By 1960, the Volga was a car with a hopelessly outdated design.

Moskvich-402

The appearance of a small car was the same as the Opel Olympia Rekord, the successor to the Opel Kadett K38. The participation of specialists from GAZ, where the development of the Volga GAZ-21 was in full swing, had a strong impact on the car being designed. "Moskvich" took over many elements of its design from her.

Serial production of "Moskvich-402" was curtailed in May 1958.

GAZ-13 "Chaika"

Executive passenger car of a large class, created under a clear influence latest models the American company Packard, which in those years were just studied at NAMI (the Packard Caribbean convertible and the Packard Patrician sedan, both 1956 model years).

"The Seagull" was created with a clear focus on American style trends, like all GAZ products of those years, but it was not a 100% "stylistic copy" or Packard's modernization. The car was produced in small series at the Gorky Automobile Plant from 1959 to 1981. A total of 3,189 vehicles of this model were manufactured.

"Seagulls" were used as a personal transport of the highest nomenclature (mainly ministers, first secretaries of regional committees), which was issued as component the assigned "package" of privileges.

Both sedans and seagull convertibles were used at parades, served at meetings of foreign leaders, prominent figures and heroes, and were used as escort vehicles. Also, "Seagulls" came to "Intourist", where, in turn, everyone could order them for use as wedding limousines.

ZIL-111

The copying of American design at various Soviet factories led to the fact that the appearance of the ZIL-111 car was created according to the same models as the Chaika. As a result, externally similar cars were simultaneously produced in the country. ZIL-111 is often mistaken for the more common "Chaika".

The high-end passenger car was stylistically a compilation of various elements of the mid-to-high class American cars of the first half of the 1950s - mostly reminiscent of Cadillac, Packard and Buick. The basis external design The ZIL-111, like the "Chaika", was the design of the models of the American company Packard in 1955-56. But compared to the Packard models, the ZiL was larger in all dimensions, looked much stricter and "more square", with straightened lines, had a more complex and detailed decor.

From 1959 to 1967, only 112 copies of this car were collected.

ZAZ-965

The main prototype of the minicar was the Fiat 600.

The car was designed by MZMA ("Moskvich") jointly with the Automotive Institute NAMI. The first samples received the designation "Moskvich-444", and were already significantly different from the Italian prototype. Later the designation was changed to "Moskvich-560". Meanwhile, the conveyor of the MZMA itself by that time was fully loaded, and the plant did not have reserves for development in the production of minicars. Therefore, for the production of the car, it was decided to reconstruct the Kommunar plant in the city of Zaporozhye (Ukrainian SSR), which was previously engaged in the production of combines and other agricultural machinery.

ZAZ-966

A passenger car of an especially small class demonstrates a considerable similarity in design with the German subcompact NSU Prinz IV (Germany, 1961).

GAZ-24 "Volga"

The mid-range passenger car has become a hybrid of the North American Ford Falcon and Plymouth Valiant.

Serially produced at the Gorky Automobile Plant from 1969 to 1992. The exterior and construction of the car were quite standard for this direction, specifications were also about average. Most of the Volgas were not intended for sale for personal use and were operated in taxi companies and other state organizations.

VAZ-2101

VAZ-2101 "Zhiguli" - a rear-wheel drive passenger car with a sedan-type body is an analogue of the Fiat 124 model, which received the title "Car of the Year" in 1967.

By an agreement between the Soviet Vneshtorg and Fiat, the Italians created the Volzhsky car factory in Togliatti with a full production cycle. The concern was entrusted with the technological equipment of the plant, training of specialists.

VAZ-2101 has undergone major changes. In total, over 800 changes were made to the design of the Fiat 124, after which it was named Fiat 124R. The "Russification" of the Fiat 124 turned out to be extremely useful for the FIAT company itself, which has accumulated unique information about the reliability of its cars in extreme operating conditions.

VAZ-2103

Rear-wheel drive passenger car with a sedan-type body. It was developed jointly with the Italian firm Fiat based on the Fiat 124 and Fiat 125 models.

Later, on the basis of the VAZ-2103, a "project 21031" was developed and later renamed the VAZ-2106.

VAZ-2105

The VAZ-2105 model was developed through a serious modernization of previously produced models within the framework of the "second" generation of VAZ rear-wheel drive vehicles as a replacement for the first-born VAZ-2101. The design was based on the Fiat 128 Berlina model.

In the screensaver of episode 15 of the 17th season of The Simpsons, in which the Simpsons are played by real actors in real scenery, Homer drives home in a Lada Nova (export name "five").

Moskvich-2141

The replacement Moskvich-412 was designed only in the 1980s, and it was already a completely different car - the Moskvich-2141, a front-wheel-drive hatchback based on the body of the French Simka and the UZAM engine, which was already obsolete by that time. Export name - Aleko, from the Lenin Komsomol Automobile Plant.

As the best prototype for accelerating the design of a new car, Minavtoprom saw the recently appeared Franco-American model Simca 1308 produced by the European branch of Chrysler. The designers were ordered to copy the car down to the hardware. " However, during the development process, the body of the "Moskvich" was redesigned, as a result of which the exterior of the car was significantly different from the French model and, albeit with some stretch, but corresponded to the level of the mid-eighties.