The car "Zaporozhets" is a passenger car, which was produced by the Zaporozhye plant "Kommunar", better known as ZAZ. The name, known all over the world, united the release of two generations of vehicles, which were similar in some technical characteristics. Moreover, for a certain period of time they gathered at the same time. A little later, the production of the initial models was stopped.

The history of the car "Zaporozhets" begins in 1960. The first generation is dated 1960-1969. During this period, the ZAZ-365 and ZAZ-365A models were produced. The second generation is represented by the ZAZ-368 and 368M line. It was produced from 1966 to 1994.

The main difference between Zaporozhets cars is their special design. They were all two-door sedans, the engine was of a carburetor type, and the suspension mounted on the wheel axles was independent in all cases.

ZAZ-965 / 965A

The main modification called ZAZ-965 was produced for nine years from 1960. This car "Zaporozhets" has a prototype from which the main body design was taken, as well as some technical aspects (we are talking about the steering wheel, suspension, gearbox). However, unlike the original model, which is the progenitor, the basic structure has been redesigned and the engine is assembled from scratch.

The car has 4 seats, including the driver's seat. Front and rear windows are able to interchange each other. The doors have an excellent mechanism that allows the doors to be opened backwards. The power unit, which this Zaporozhets car received, was a novelty for the world automobile industry, since it was used quite rarely. It is a 4-cylinder engine with special air cooling. It should be noted that it is located at the back, not in front. The rear wheels became the driving wheels. The described model ZAZ-365 was produced for export and disabled people.

The next model ZAZ-965A was distinguished by its engine: its volume was 887 m³, and its capacity was 27 liters. from. Instead of two mufflers, the car received only one, and the moldings on the sidewalls were removed.

ZAZ-966/968 / 968A

After the release of the first generation was fully debugged, the development of the next modification began. It happened in 1961. The prototype from which the new model was created appeared in the fall of the same period. However, the fabulous plans of the plant were prevented by the economic situation of the enterprise (there was not enough finance), and the fact that the working team had little experience had a strong impact. In this case, all the elements that were added to the model became borrowed from other copies, in particular from foreign ones.

Serial production of the ZAZ-966 lasted from 1966 to 1972. At the same time, at first, only the so-called transitional model, which was called 966B, left the assembly line. Its disadvantage was that the engine was designed for 1.2 liters, and its power was 30 liters. from.

The car "Zaporozhets" 968 practically did not differ from the 966 model. Its main feature among all available is an improved engine version and a slightly modified control panel. The manufacturer constantly released an upgraded version of the machine. The changes were minimal, but in a few years (already by 1978) the car acquired a completely new look. The ZAZ-968A car was a representative of these copies. It has improved the security system, brakes, instrument panel. The latter was also used in such a vehicle as the ZAZ-968M car.

"Zaporozhets" 968M

The model with the "M" index went into production in 1979. It was she who closed the leading era of the Cossacks. Engines with 28, 41, 45 and 50 horsepower were installed on this car. The second option was the most common.

It differed from the main model “M” by its exterior and interior. The design was completely different. The number of chrome-plated parts has decreased, while plastic, on the contrary, has become more. Due to the fact that the cooling system of the power unit was changed, the "ears" were no longer installed on the body. This model became the one that the domestic manufacturer had been waiting for so long - it did not overheat. However, with the elimination of such a minus, another one was added. The air duct box began to clog, and its tightness was broken too quickly.

This particular car "Zaporozhets" became the most popular. It was he who could be found at one time most often on the roads. This model was also available for disabled people.

"Zaporozhets" for export

Together with models for the domestic market, the Zaporozhye plant produced copies for export. Depending on which market this or that car was sent to, the name changed. There was "Yalta" (Jalta, Yalta) and "Eliette" (Eliette). Such names were invented because for European people the word "Zaporozhets" is difficult for both perception and pronunciation. Export options differed from authentic copies in an improved level of noise insulation. There were also installed rear-view mirrors, radio, lining.

Sales were carried out through Finnish and Belgian companies. No more than 5 thousand copies were sold per year.

Jokes about "Zaporozhets"

The engine of the car "Zaporozhets" often deteriorated. However, this was not due to a factory defect, as the owners of the car so vehemently argued. All problems arose from improper care of the vehicle. Also, jokes appeared because of the engine under the rear hood and its small size.

However, it should be noted that at that time "Zaporozhets" was a car that was no different from imported models of its category in terms of technical characteristics. And therefore, the constant bullying of him, in fact, was inappropriate. It should be noted that the same cars of the brand "Fiat", "Renault", "Volkswagen" became for their people the property and symbol of the corresponding era.

The most common joke was that the Zaporozhets was a humpbacked car. We are talking about the ZAZ-965 model, which had a specific body. She was also nicknamed the "armored car". Other models with indexes 966 and 968 are popularly nicknamed "eared" and "cheburashka", respectively. Their names came from the cooling system. The soap dish is the 968M model. People noted its similarity to this item due to the lack of air intakes. After the collapse, a lot of anecdotes appeared that told about accidents with the participation of "Zaporozhets" and "Mercedes".

Engine

In various modifications, the engine had a capacity of 41 to 50 hp. from. At the same time, he made a fairly loud rumble during work. The unit is capable of operating for about 40-50 km, but this is more to blame for consumers who do not follow what kind of fuel "absorbs" their car. However, this is the main plus of the engine. If imported options are able to die in such conditions after a short period of time, then "Zaporozhets" will serve faithfully for a very long time. The installed "air vents" were designed for a volume of 1.2 liters.

Transmission

The new transmission works well at first, but over time the traction looses and the 4-speed gearbox starts to malfunction. A frequent problem is difficult switching between speeds, which already leads to an emergency on the road. When buying, each buyer had to discuss this nuance with the seller.

Zaporozhets (export designations for Western European countries - Yalta, Eliette and ZAZ) is a brand of Soviet and Ukrainian rear-engined passenger cars of an extra small class produced by the Kommunar plant in the city of Zaporozhye.

(later - Zaporozhye Automobile Plant, in 1960-1994, part of the AvtoZAZ production association).
Under the Zaporozhets brand, they actually produced two different generations of car models, connected by technical continuity and rolled off the assembly line in parallel for some time:
- in 1960-1969 - the first generation, ZAZ-965 and since 1962 - ZAZ-
965A;
- in 1966-1994 - the second generation, ZAZ-966, ZAZ-966V, ZAZ-968,
ZAZ-968A and ZAZ-968M.
All Zaporozhets cars had a number of characteristic design features: rear-engine layout with a longitudinal arrangement of a cantilevered engine behind the rear axle and a gearbox within the wheelbase; body type "two-door sedan"; V-shaped four-cylinder air-cooled carburetor engine; independent suspension of all wheels; autonomous petrol interior heater.
All variants of "Zaporozhtsev" differed in the maximum degree of unification in units and assemblies with the army all-terrain vehicle TPK (a sanitary wheeled conveyor of the front edge, LuAZ-967). The same family included "civilian" all-terrain vehicles of the "LuAZ" brand - various modifications of the LuAZ-969.

ZAZ-965 / 965A.

The ZAZ-965 model was produced from 1960 to 1969. The main prototype of the ZAZ-965 in terms of the overall design of the body, partly - the independent spring rear suspension, steering mechanism, transmission was the Fiat 600; nevertheless, already at the level of the first prototype - the Moskvich-444, - the design of the car was significantly redesigned relative to Fiat, and the power unit was developed completely from scratch. The body is a four-seater, with interchangeable front and rear windows, welded front fenders. The doors (there are two of them) open back, not forward. The engine is a rare type in the global automotive industry, a four-cylinder V-shaped, air-cooled, located at the rear. Magnesium alloy crankcase and transmission. The driving wheels are rear. The car was also manufactured in export and disabled versions.
The ZAZ-965A model is distinguished by an engine with an increased working volume (887 cm3) and power (27 hp), one muffler (instead of two) and the absence of decorative molding on the sidewalls.

ZAZ-966/968 / 968A / 968M.

Development of the next generation "Zaporozhtsev" began almost immediately after the development of the first in production - in 1961, and prototypes appeared by the fall of the same year. However, due to the lack of experience among the plant staff (the "965th" model was developed at MZMA in cooperation with NAMI) and also due to lack of funding - the production was put into production for many years, and the design of the final version was a collection of elements borrowed from various models of those years old.
The ZAZ-966 model was in serial production from 1966 to 1972, and for the first year only a transitional modification of the 966V with an outdated 30-horsepower engine was produced - the production of a 1.2-liter 40-horsepower MeMZ-968 engine was ready only the next year.
ZAZ-968 has been produced since 1972. Initially, it had no external differences from the "966", and its main feature was a slightly modernized MeMZ-968 engine (another carburetor) and a modified front panel (instead of stamped as a whole - the new instrument panel was assembled from separate elements). The model was constantly upgraded, and by the end of production, in 1978, it was practically indistinguishable from the ZAZ-968A, which was produced in parallel and went into series in 1973 (according to other sources, in fact, production began only at the end of 1974) ZAZ-968A, which had an updated appearance and a number of design changes that improved safety: dual-circuit brakes, seat belts and a soft dashboard, which was subsequently installed on the ZAZ-968M.
The next modification was the ZAZ-968M, which was produced from 1979 to 1994 - this car completed the Zaporozhtsev model line. It was also equipped with various power units with a working volume of 890 cm³ with a capacity of 28 liters. from. and 1.2 liters. with a capacity of 41 (the bulk of the machines), 45 or 50 liters. s ... From the ZAZ-968 model, it primarily differed in appearance and interior, there were fewer chrome parts and, in turn, there was more plastic. "Ears" on the sidewalls of the body disappeared, as the cooling system was radically changed - this almost completely saved the car from overheating problems during normal operation, but added new ones - with the tightness of the air duct and clogging of its box. This version of "Zaporozhets" is the most widespread. Prior to ZAZ-968M, the air was sucked from the heads and cylinders by a fan, and then the hot air "cooled" the car generator.

Export options: Yalta / Jalta, Eliette.

Along with the basic modifications of Zaporozhtsev cars, their export versions (including those with a steering wheel on the right) were also produced - ZAZ-965E, ZAZ-965AE, ZAZ-966E, ZAZ-968E and ZAZ-968AE. Depending on the target market, they had the trade designation Yalta / Jalta (“Yalta”) or Eliette (“Eliett”), since the phonetics and transliteration of the word “Zaporozhets” is very difficult for European languages. They had improved consumer qualities in comparison with the basic models. For example, models "965E" and "965AE" differed from "965" and "965A" by improved noise insulation, the presence of an outside rear-view mirror on the left, an ashtray, a radio, linings on the sides of the car and the lower edge of the trunk.
ZAZ-968E and ZAZ-968AE in quantities of up to 5,000 units per year were sold in
Europe through the Finnish company Konela and the Belgian Scaldia-Volga.

Jokes about "Zaporozhets".

Due to the poor technical condition of most of the Zaporozhtsev,
caused, mainly, by the owners' non-observance of maintenance rules, unusual rear-engine layout and small dimensions - ZAZ cars were often the subject of jokes and anecdotes. It is also worth recognizing that in fact, the Zaporozhian Cossacks were not inferior to foreign counterparts of their time in most of their performance characteristics, and in this case the rumor was unfair to them. Moreover, in Europe, cars of the same class “Volkswagen Beetle”, “Renault 4CV”, “Fiat 500” and others are considered a national treasure and symbols of their era, and numerous replicas of them are produced.
So, ZAZ-965 was nicknamed "hunchback" for its characteristic body shape, as well as "Jewish armored car", ZAZ-966 and ZAZ-968 - "eared" or "Cheburashka" for the shape of the side air intakes of the cooling system, and ZAZ-968M "soap dish "For the similarity of the shape of the body that has lost its side air intakes (" ears ") with this object and the presence of cooling slots on the hood.
In post-Soviet times, there were many anecdotes about various accidents involving the driver of a "Zaporozhets" and a "new Russian" in a "600 Mercedes", as well as this car was sung by the famous Russian performer - Bogdan Titomir, with the song "A" Zaporozhets "- a car class "))

ZAZ-965 Zaporozhets, 1962–69

ZAZ-965A Zaporozhets, 1962–65 c.

Torpedo ZAZ-965A Zaporozhets, 1965-69

ZAZ-965AE Jalta, 1965-69

ZAZ-966 Zaporozhets, 1967-71

ZAZ-966 Zaporozhets, 1971–72

ZAZ-966V Zaporozhets, 1966–72.

ZAZ-966E Eliette, 1967–71.

ZAZ-968 Zaporozhets, 1971–79

Salon ZAZ-968A Zaporozhets, 1974–79.

ZAZ-968AE Zaporozhets, 1974–79

ZAZ-968M Zaporozhets, 1979–94

Well, and by right in this post - you need to show this good car, its modifications:

-1994, which was part of the AvtoZAZ production association).

Under the Zaporozhets brand, they actually produced two different generations of car models, connected by technical continuity and rolled off the assembly line in parallel for some time:

• In -1969 - the first generation, ZAZ-965 and since 1962 - ZAZ-965 A;

• In -1994 - the second generation, ZAZ-966, ZAZ-966 V, ZAZ-968, ZAZ-968 A and ZAZ-968 M.

All Zaporozhets cars had a number of characteristic design features: rear-engined layout with a longitudinal arrangement of a cantilevered engine behind the rear axle and a gearbox within the wheelbase; body type "two-door sedan"; V-shaped four-cylinder air-cooled carburetor engine; independent suspension of all wheels; autonomous petrol interior heater.

All variants of "Zaporozhtsev" differed in the maximum degree of unification in units and assemblies with the army all-terrain vehicle TPK (a sanitary wheeled conveyor of the front edge, LuAZ-967). The "civilian" all-terrain vehicles of the LuAZ brand - various modifications of the LuAZ-969 belonged to the same family.

ZAZ-965 / 965A

The ZAZ-965 model was produced from year to year.

The main prototype of the ZAZ-965 with regard to the overall design of the body, partly - an independent spring rear suspension, steering mechanism, transmission was Fiat 600, however, already at the level of the first prototype - Moskvich-444 - the design of the car was significantly redesigned relative to Fiat and the powertrain has been designed entirely from the ground up.

The body is four-seater, with interchangeable windshield and rear windows, welded front fenders. The doors (there are two of them) open back, not forward. The engine is a rare type in the global automotive industry, a four-cylinder V-shaped, air-cooled, located at the rear. Magnesium alloy crankcase and transmission. The driving wheels are rear. Tire size - 5.20-13. ZAZ-965 was manufactured in export and disabled version.

The ZAZ-965A model is distinguished by an engine with an increased working volume (887 cm 3) and power (27 hp), one muffler (instead of two), and the absence of decorative molding on the sidewalls.

ZAZ-966/968 / 968A / 968M

Development of the next generation "Zaporozhtsev" began almost immediately after mastering the production of the first, in 1961. Prototypes appeared by the fall of the same year.

However, due to the lack of experience among the plant staff (the “965th” model was developed at the MZMA in cooperation with NAMI), as well as a lack of funding, the launch of production lasted for many years, and the design of the final version was a compilation of elements borrowed from various models of those years , mainly [ ] - West German NSU Prinz IV.

Model ZAZ-966 was in serial production from 1972 to 1972, and for the first year only a "transitional" modification of the 966B with an outdated 30-horsepower engine was produced - the production of the 1.2-liter 40-horsepower MeMZ-968 engine was ready only the next year.

Cars for people with disabilities continued to be produced. The "968th" model was replaced by a completely new car - ZAZ-1102 "Tavria", which structurally had nothing to do with the "Zaporozhets". ZAZ-1102 is a front-wheel drive three-door hatchback with a new liquid-cooled MeMZ engine.

Export options: Yalta / Jalta, Eliette

Along with the basic modifications of cars ZAZ-965, ZAZ-965A, ZAZ-966, ZAZ-968 and ZAZ-968A, their export versions were also produced (including with a steering wheel on the right, for countries with left-hand traffic) - ZAZ-965E, ZAZ-965AE, ZAZ-966E, ZAZ-968E and ZAZ-968AE. Depending on the target market, they had a trade designation Yalta/Jalta ("Yalta") or Eliette ("Eliett"), as the phonetics and transliteration of the word "Zaporozhets" is very difficult for European languages. They had improved consumer qualities in comparison with the basic models. For example, models "965E" and "965AE" differed from "965" and "965A" by improved noise insulation, the presence of an outside rear-view mirror on the left, an ashtray, a radio, linings on the sides of the car and the lower edge of the trunk.

ZAZ-968E and ZAZ-968AE in quantities of up to 5,000 units per year were sold in Europe through the Finnish company Konela and the Belgian Scaldia-Volga.

Consumer qualities and popularity

In the USSR, the Zaporozhets car was popular largely due to its relative cheapness (in the mid-1970s - about 3-3.5 thousand Soviet rubles; at the same time, Muscovites and various Zhiguli models cost from 5 to 7 , 5 thousand rubles), free (as a rule) sale without queues and the presence of a number of modifications with modified control mechanisms for disabled people with missing limbs. Such versions in colloquial speech were often called "disabled women" and were distributed (sometimes with partial or full payment) through social security agencies among disabled people of various categories. In addition, the Zaporozhets were distinguished by good maneuverability due to high ground clearance, smooth, flat bottom, increased load on the drive axle, low weight, as well as ease of maintenance and repair, which made them largely suitable for operation in rural areas and remote areas of the country.

The design of the car, unusual by Soviet standards, often caused disapproval of motorists and was the reason for the emergence of numerous jokes and anecdotes. However, in fairness, it should be noted that at the end of the fifties and the first half of the sixties - the period during which both generations of Zaporozhtsev were developed - the rear-engined layout was at the peak of its popularity all over the world, cars with a rear engine were tried to be produced even in the USA (Chevrolet Corvair), not to mention Europe, which was dominated at the time by such mass models as the Volkswagen Beetle, Fiat 500 and Fiat 600, Renault Dauphine and Renault 8, Škoda 1000 MB and the like. The prevalence of two-door bodies in those years was also much greater than today - in fact, the situation typical for the USSR, when, with the exception of Zaporozhets, in fact, all cars had 4-5 doors, was almost unique for that time.

In North America, before the end of the seventies, in general, more than half of the cars produced had two-door bodies; in Europe, their popularity was less, but still in the classes of "Zaporozhets", and even "Moskvich", the bulk of sales fell on two-doors, until the mass distribution in the early to mid-seventies of three-door hatchbacks like Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Polo, Fiat 127 and similar ones, which later successfully took the place of two-door sedans similar to Zaporozhets in the production range of Western European automobile manufacturers.

The conveyor fate of Zaporozhets does not differ from the fate of most of the Eastern European car models of the sixties: if the first generation (model ZAZ-965) was quite modern at the time of development in production, and was even removed from the assembly line before its Italian prototype, then the second (ZAZ- 966/968) was already secondary to the first in technical terms, and, in the context of the growth of crisis phenomena and the subsequent gradual stagnation of the USSR economy during the 1970s and 1980s, it was produced for decades without significant modernizations, so that by the beginning of the seventies it was clearly below the average level of European "classmates" of the new development in terms of basic indicators, which was aggravated by the massive transition of foreign manufacturers in this class to front-wheel drive, which gave an abrupt growth of the entire range of consumer qualities in comparison with the old rear-engined and built according to the "classical" scheme models.

There are several versions about the year of foundation of the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant. The factory workers themselves are accustomed to consider the date of creation of the plant in 1863, when the Dutchman Abraham Coop created a plant for the production of agricultural machinery. Another option is 1908, when the Melitopol Motor Plant (MeMZ) was founded, which in 1960 began to supply its engines to ZAZ. Another date is 1923, when the former plant of Abraham Koop was renamed into Kommunar. However, the direction of the enterprise's activity remained until 1960 - the production of agricultural machinery.

And so, probably, until now the Kommunar plant would have been producing hay-mowers and harrows, if one day Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev hadn’t got the idea to overtake the United States in terms of the number of cars per capita. True, unlike America, our car (like an apartment) should be small. Well, Khrushchev didn't like big things!

And the choice fell on the "Fiat" novelty FIAT-600. Initially, the car was planned to be assembled at the MOSKVICH plant and that is why the MZMA Design Bureau took over the development of the car, which together with the NAMI Automobile Institute developed the so-called Moskvich-444, later renamed Moskvich-560. But by the decision of the board of the State Planning Committee in connection with the congestion of the MOSKVICH plant, it was decided to start production at the Kommunar plant in Zaporozhye.

And on November 22, 1960, the enterprise released the first batch of "ZAZ-965" popularly called "Humpbacked" for its original body shape.

Almost immediately after the release of the "hunchback" design bureau of ZAZ began to develop a new car "ZAZ-966", which has a completely new body.

However, its production was delayed by the allied leadership, perhaps for economic reasons: it was considered wasteful to put a new model on the assembly line just a year after the release of the previous one. Therefore, "ZAZ-966" was published only six years later.

It was a typical 'rectangular' sedan of the 1960s, featuring side air intakes. The people immediately called them "ears", and the car itself "eared". So the era of ZAZ "hunchback" was replaced by a long era of his even more anecdotal "eared" heir.

Its engine was also located at the rear. In the beginning it was the 30-horsepower MeMZ-966A, which was installed on the latest modifications of its humped predecessor. Then the 40-strong MeMZ-966V appeared, which made it possible to accelerate the car to a speed of 120 km / h on a straight track. True, in practice, not everyone achieved it, and fines for speeding by the Zaporozhets were really so rare that they were regarded as an anecdote.

The model underwent a more serious alteration in 1979-1980. "ZAZ-968M" became the last domestic car with an engine located in the rear compartment - but also the longest-lived one, since it was produced until 1994. Having lost its "ears", replaced by simple grilles, the car received the nickname "soap dish" - for its already outdated and too simple design. But more powerful engines were subsequently manufactured for it: MeMZ-968GE (45 hp) and MeMZ-968BE (50 hp).

Perhaps further modernization of the model would have allowed to create something interesting, but in the 1990s the opinion prevailed that the Zaporozhians were a disgrace to the Ukrainian car industry. And the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant concentrated on the production of "TAVRIA".

In November 1963, the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating a front-wheel drive minicar at ZAZ was brought by 29-year-old engineer Vladimir Steshenko. The new chief designer "infected" her first design bureau, and then the leadership of the entire association. Steshenko himself was imbued with the idea of \u200b\u200bfront-wheel drive after meeting the famous Mini. The Ukrainian designer was especially impressed by the fact that this modest "box" Mini, thanks to the front-wheel drive, as well as the engine deployed across and shifted forward, utterly defeated all competitors in the 1962 rally. And including the Porsche 911, Fiat Abarth 600 and Volkswagen 1200L.

By 1976, two more prototypes were created - a sedan with front-wheel drive and an all-wheel drive hatchback. These two options formed the basis for "Perspektiva" (this is how the TAVRIA car was called then in the design bureau). In 1980, the creation of the car was completed and it took 7 long years to bring the design idea to life. And only in 1988 the full production of this car was started. On the basis of the developed "TAVRIA" a car in the body of a sedan was created, which received the name "SLAVUTA".

Experimental developments of ZAZ that were not put into mass production deserve a separate word.

In 1961, under the leadership of Yu.N. Sorochkin, in parallel with the development of the 966th machine, an experimental ZAZ-970 truck with a carrying capacity of 350 kg was designed.

In fact, the car was a kind of search layout work. The car was nicknamed "Sharpener" by the factory workers and, unlike the subsequent cars of the 970th family, had a small hood.

In 1962, along with the ZAZ-970B van, a six-seater minibus (according to the current classification - minivan) ZAZ-970V was created. The seats of the second and third rows were designed to be foldable, so the car was, in fact, a cargo-passenger - with the two rear seats folded, it could carry 175 kg of cargo, and with two rows of seats folded - 350 kg of cargo.

Like the ZAZ-970B van, the engine protruded into the cabin with a noticeable "hump", which is why the two third-row seats were separate and placed at a noticeable distance from each other - between them there was a service hatch for access to the engine. Unlike the van, a ventilation hatch in the roof was provided in the minibus, and there was only one door for the entry and exit of passengers - on the starboard side.

At the end of the 70s of the twentieth century, ZAZ was considered as one of the options for expanding the model range produced at that time - the "Taxi" project. An in-house competition was announced for the best car of this type.

One of the options-winners of the competition was a car on the units of a promising "Tavria" and its length did not exceed 3.5 meters. The driver's location is noteworthy - above the left front wheel, while the engine was supposed to be placed to the right of it.

During 1990-1992, an unusual modification of the base ZAZ-968M was produced - the ZAZ-968MP pickup.

It should be noted right away that pickups of a similar design were produced by ZAZ, like any car plant, always for its own internal plant needs (a typical example is ZAZ-965P). However, the ZAZ-968MP that got into the series is nothing more than an attempt by the plant to offer the market its own in-plant pickup in the early 90s of the twentieth century as a delivery vehicle.

In fact, the ZAZ-968MP was made according to the slipway-bypass technology - at the rejected or even conditioned (depending on the demand for pickups in a particular period) ZAZ-968M body, the rear of the cab was cut off and the rear wall with a window was welded behind the front seats. The rear seat was not placed, the resulting niche was the cargo compartment.

But the experience was unsuccessful, and after the reduction in production of this car, the ZAZ-968M was also discontinued.

Another global change in Zaporozhye took place in 1998, when a Ukrainian-Korean joint venture with foreign investment was registered in the form of CJSC AvtoZAZ-DEU. and large-scale assembly of Daewoo Lanos, Daewoo Nubira and Daewoo Leganza cars began - the first models of the Korean company created by its own specialists.

The history of the LANOS car (supplied to Russia under the CHANCE brand) is very interesting. This front-wheel drive car, designed by ItalDesign, was first shown back in 1997. In 2002 Daewoo showed a new model called Kalos (in Russia it changed its name, which was not sound to the Russian ear, to AVEO), but Lanos continued to exist! In 1998, the production of this car was launched in Poland and Ukraine.

And now, for almost 10 years now, this car has been among the best-selling foreign cars in Russia, having proven itself as a workhorse for taxi fleets, courier services, traffic police, and enterprises that use it as a "traveling" car.

In 2003, the plant in Zaporozhye again changed its form of ownership and became a closed joint-stock company with foreign investment “Zaporozhye Automobile Building Plant”. Now 50% of the enterprise belongs to UkrAvto and another 50% - to the Swiss company Hirsch & Cie.

Since 2004, in addition to the ZAZ and Daewoo models, the full-scale production of VAZ-2107, 21093 and 21099 vehicles has been mastered directly at the Zaporozhye plant, which are still being produced.

An interesting project in the development of the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant was the Opel project.

On March 25, 2003, a cooperation agreement was signed in Kiev between Ukravto, ZAZ CJSC and Adam Opel AG. According to the contract, the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant in the spring of 2003 began assembling Opel cars of the Vectra, Astra, and Korsa models from vehicle kits imported to Ukraine.

According to the admissions of the auto plants themselves, cooperation with the German auto concern taught the plant workers in German a clear approach to the quality of assembled cars. And, despite the fact that at the moment this cooperation has already been terminated for reasons of economic efficiency, the car manufacturers are still using the quality system that they have mastered together with German partners.

In 2009, the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant started producing cars of the KIA concern at its facilities. Together with Korean partners, 2 models of the Korean concern are being produced at the facilities of ZAZ CJSC, these are KIA Cee "d and KIA Sportage.

But 2010 may become another major milestone in the history of the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant. In December 2010, a new model was delivered to the main conveyor of ZAZ, which will replace the most popular LANOS (in the Russian Federation since 2009 it has been presented as CHANCE).

On the basis of the Chinese Chery A-13, the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant began to produce cars under its own brand ZAZ-FORZA.

Automobile plants already had experience in assembling cars from China; in 2006, at the plant in Ilyichevsk, which is part of ZAZ CJSC, “pilot” lots of Chinese cars were assembled.

And in December 2010, a full-fledged assembly of a new car started on the ZAZ conveyor. It will be supplied not only to the domestic market of Ukraine, but also to the Russian Federation. Base, Comfort, Luxury versions will be presented in sedan and hatchback bodies. At the moment, the cars are undergoing certification tests at the test site in Dmitrov, near Moscow, and in mid-2011 they will already appear at dealerships.

The text of the article and photographs were provided by A.O. - the head of the marketing department of the car dealership "", the official dealer of CJSC.

This car had many names. From offensive "Constipation" and "Humpbacked" to affectionate "Round" and "Cheburashka". It was unusual for literally everyone: unusually small, unusually cheap, with an unusual "hump" in the stern, the bowels of which contained a rattling air-cooled engine. The price was also pleasantly surprising: 1800 rubles against 2511 for Moskvich and fabulous 5100 for the Volga! Having saved 22 of their salaries and having stood in line for a car for several years, the newly minted motorist received his OWN vehicle. For many families in the USSR, it was the unsightly Zaporozhets that became the first car in the family. He was the subject of pride and ridicule at the same time. "Half an hour of shame and you are at work" - this is exactly about him. The most affordable car of the Soviet Union: Zaporozhets.

The history of this little car began at the end of the fifties, when it became clear that the country desperately needed a car of an especially small class, a kind of "people's car" in the manner of the Citroen "Chi-Vi" or the Beetle. The initial development of the car was entrusted to the Moscow Minicar Plant (MZMA). The work began at the end of 1956, the Italian FIAT 600 was taken as a basis, and the development was entrusted to the Moscow Minicar Plant.
Already in 1957, a prototype of the future "Zaporozhets" was created - then still Moskvich - 444, and only 5 experimental machines were made. By 1958, it became clear that at the fully loaded Moscow plant there was simply no capacity for the production of a new minicar. And on November 28, 1958, the USSR Council of Ministers made a "historic" decision to organize the production of a new car at the Kommunar Zaporozhye agricultural machinery plant without stopping the production of the main product. Melitopol Motor Plant (MeMZ) was appointed as the engine supplier
The production had to be opened practically from a "clean face", the plant did not have its own "automotive" engineers, therefore, part of the team was called up from GAZ and all the same MZMA, and part of them underwent training at these factories.

Serial FIAT-600

Moskvich-444. Prototype 1958. Highlighted by distinctive design elements and two-tone paintwork


ZAZ-965, 1960 prototype. Typical teardrop-shaped repeaters on the wings are visible

Here is what one of the creators of the car, then only demobilized from the army airfield technician Ivan Koshkin, recalls (Autoreview No. 4, 2011):

Experimental Muscovites turned out to be running models. We could somehow move independently, but we couldn't drive on the road with a load. Judge for yourself: the front suspension with a transverse spring provided a dynamic travel of only 30-40 mm, although our roads needed at least 70. And this Irbit motorcycle motor? After all, it was immediately clear that he was not suitable! We did not even seriously test this sample.

Failures associated with the engine have always pursued the Cossacks. At first, for a long time, they could not find the required power unit, they even equipped experimental samples with BMW motors, then, in the shortest possible time, they "adjusted" the motor, created by US and hastily sent to Zaporozhye ... Air cooling of the engine automatically meant the presence of an autonomous stove, in the end, both the other did not work as expected and lacked sufficient resources.



In 1961 the first batch of Humpbacks was released. However, it did not get into auto shops, but went to subcontractors. It was impossible to disrupt the plan for the production of passenger cars in the USSR! Therefore, they got out as best they could, modernizing the frankly "raw" car "on the go" ...

Several basic modifications were produced on the basis of the Gorbaty:
965AE - export version, featured improved interior trim and sound insulation, as well as an ashtray and a radio receiver as standard equipment. In Western markets, it was sold under the names Yalta or Jalta. According to various sources, about 5,000 copies were exported.

965B / 965AB / 965AR - a disabled modification designed for people with damaged legs and healthy hands.

965P - pickup truck for in-plant use. In general, the feasibility of creating a pickup truck based on a rear-engined car is highly questionable. Created with a workaround technology, it did not have a side or rear door.

965C- car for collecting letters with the right-hand drive and plugs instead of rear windows.

In 1963, the car was seriously modernized for the first time and began to install a 27-horsepower (against 22 in the previous model) MeMZ-965 engine, and also carry out a facelift of the front end.

In 1963, the first Soviet "beach" comedy "Three plus two" was released on the screens of the country. The lyrical and light-hearted film with tanned characters, shiny cars and restaurants on the seashore at first did not like the powers that be from the cinema. Like, how so: in the frame, Soviet people do nothing for an hour and a half! They embark on car chases, read Western "duduktivs" and make love affairs. Such skepticism, however, did not prevent the film from being screened in cinemas of the country to collect 35 million people ... However, for us the picture is valuable first of all for the 966th Zaporozhets in the supporting role, as well as the catch phrase of Andrey Mironov: "Tin can of the Zaporozhets system."

By the way, the dialogue that follows the phrase seems meaningless:

- Tin can of the Zaporozhets system!
- New brand?
- Old stuff!

What new brand diplomat Vadim asked veterinarian Roman about remains a mystery, since by 1963, the ZAZ-966 model had not yet been produced. We can only assume that two friends visited VDNKh, where new concepts of the "maturing" 966 were exhibited every year ...

Meanwhile, objectively speaking, the ZAZ-965 was originally an outdated model: the body and rear suspension were borrowed from the popular FIAT-600, the front suspension was borrowed from the Volkswagen-Zhuk, the engine resembled the Tatra "air", only greatly reduced. By the way, FIAT - 600 also once "starred in a movie", and not with anyone else, but with Maestro Frederico Fellini himself. It was the white Fiat that became the first car of one of the minor heroes in the 1957 Nights of Cabiria film.

By the way, such a controversial element of the design as the doors hung on the middle pillars was caused by the need to improve the usability of the car for the disabled, whose "target audience" was partly. In general, the car was originally designed to be as maintainable as possible, simple in design and passable. For example, the engine could be removed from the engine compartment by two people, and the front and rear windows were interchangeable.

In Kiev, near the building of the road technical school on the Lybidska metro station, there is a monument to the 965th.

Historical background: Zaporozhye Kommunar plant has a long history. It was founded in 1863 (interestingly, two years after the abolition of serfdom) by the Dutchman Abraham (Abraham) Koop and specialized in the production of agricultural machinery. In 1923 the former Koopa factory was nationalized and renamed Kommunar. Having retained the main line of business, the plant was redesigned to produce more modern products - combines and tractors. In 1961, the plant was renamed into Zaporozhye Automobile Plant and the production of automobile products was launched there.

In 1966, the plant launched a new model of the Zaporozhets - ZAZ-966 There are still controversies surrounding the design of this car. Many point to an obvious resemblance to the West German NSU Prinz 4. However, the underlying idea of \u200b\u200bthe Prince's design - namely the wrap-around horizontal waist line - is in turn styling elements of the 1960 American Chevrolet Corvair. By the way, the "Constipation" so familiar to us could have looked much bolder, as evidenced by the search prototypes of those years. However, pretentious front fenders, a sloping roof and an abundance of chrome would very quickly make the car obsolete, and a private change or renewal of the main model was impossible for a number of reasons. Perhaps that is why a more “calm” outwardly version was put into production. Structurally, it was not much different from its predecessor and was equipped with only a slightly "upgraded" engine from the previous model (ZAZ-966 with a MeMZ-966V engine - 887 cc, 27 hp).

One of the first prototypes of the 966th. 1961 year. Feels strongly influenced by the American School of Design



Another of the search prototypes. The front end is not so pretentious


And this option strongly resembles the VAZ "kopeck" design of the front end


Original Source: 1960 Chevrolet Corvair


NSU Prinz 4


Serial ZAZ-966


ZAZ -968 has been produced since 1972. Notable for including the introduction of reversing lights. Before us, however, there is again an export modification

Full-scale production of the ZAZ-966 with its own power unit (1198 cc, 41 hp) began later, in 1967. However, there was not enough 1.2-liter engines for all cars, and some of the cars, even the next, "968", models were supplied with a 30-horsepower engine, leading its pedigree directly from the ZAZ-965 engine and even at that time did not provide the necessary speakers.

Below is a video recording of the news of those years, dedicated to the new ZAZ-966 going on sale

However, it seems to me more interesting to talk not about the "966" itself, but about the modifications that were supposed to be produced on its basis and which have remained concepts forever.

In 1962, taking into account the experience accumulated on the ZAZ-970 model, Kommunar presented a whole family of light vehicles of the 970th family (all 4x2), among which was the all-metal van ZAZ-970B. The appearance of the entire family was developed at the factory bureau for the architectural design of the car (the concept of a "design center" did not exist then) under the leadership of Yuri Viktorovich Danilov, and Lev Petrovich Murashov was the leading designer of the monocoque body (while still working at ZMA, he participated in the creation of Moskvich -444 "). The cars were equipped with up to 27 hp. engine from ZAZ-965A (located behind) and a standard gearbox. In addition, the cars inherited from ZAZ-966 independent suspension of all wheels: front torsion bar on trailing arms and rear spring suspension.


ZAZ-970. 1961 year


ZAZ-970B. 1962 year


ZAZ-970B vans had a partition between the passenger compartment and the cargo compartment. The useful volume of the cargo compartment was 2.5 cubic meters. Carrying capacity of the car was 350 kg with driver and passenger. The rear-engine layout of the 970th family determined the originality of access to cargo in the van body - cargo doors were located on both sides of the body. In addition, in some sources there is a mention of another auxiliary door at the back, above the motor. It is also worth noting that due to the V-shaped design of the engine, it "humped" into the body, which is why the cargo area was not even across the entire floor area.


Pickup truck ZAZ-970G "Celina". 1962-1964 years


All-wheel drive ZAZ-971. 1962 year
Soon after the creation of the prototype ZAZ-970 truck, in 1962 at the Kommunar plant, an all-wheel drive vehicle ZAZ-971 with a curtain top was built, also made on the ZAZ-965A and ZAZ-966 units. The car had a rear-mounted power unit. Only one car with such a body was built. Subsequently, the plant carried out work on the creation of all-wheel drive modifications of cars of the 970th family based on the design solutions developed at the ZAZ-971.

In 1969, the country's screens released the cartoon "Gena Crocodile" about a crocodile working, oddly enough, as an African crocodile in a zoo. Children are very happy with the new, unusually staged puppet cartoon, and adults rename "Constipation" to "Cheburashka" for the characteristic shape of "ears-air intakes"

In 1972 ZAZ-968 appears
In 1973 it was upgraded to the ZAZ-968A version.
In 1974, its original "luxury" modification ZAZ-968A was released. Active (brakes) and passive (seat belts and energy-absorbing steering column) safety improved. The cabin has less chrome and more plastic. A new plastic front panel covered archaic bare metal. Instead of the old seats, they installed new, more comfortable ones from the "Kopeyka" VAZ-2101. Both models were produced in parallel until mid-1979.
In 1979, it was replaced by the ZAZ-968M, which, with minor changes, was produced until the end of the production of this model.

Modifications of the ZAZ-968M generally repeated the models of previous years of production, and on the basis of defective bodies, pickups for internal plant services were still produced. However, there was information that until 1994 such cars were also produced on orders.

Small car of a big country: Zaporozhets


Experimental ZAZ-968M. Attention is drawn to the "refined" wheels. Such did not go into the series.
In terms of design changes, the designers followed the classic restyling scheme for those years: gradually the car lost its original chrome decorative elements, and plastic or rubber ones took their place. In the course of modernization, Zaporozhets lost both the famous ears and the characteristic chrome bar on the front end, called "Wings of the Soviets", and the rounded repeaters and lights were replaced by square and rectangular, respectively. The car has not acquired a powerful and modern engine for its entire long conveyor life. And even on the 968 M version, weak 30-strong motors were sometimes installed, although 41 and even 50-horsepower motors were already produced.

Since the beginning of the seventies, the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant has been making attempts to create a new front-wheel drive car Perspektiva (the name Tavria will be fixed much later), but all these attempts will be unsuccessful until 1988. However, the creation of Tavria is already another era and the topic of one of our next reviews.

In total, during the production of the Zaporozhets, about three million copies were produced, which is certainly not a lot for a country with almost three hundred million population (as of 1991). The same FIAT-600, produced from 1955 to 1969 - i.e. 14 years, has sold 2,600,000 copies, while by 1970 the population of Italy was about fifty-three million people. The Zaporozhets did not become truly popular. Neither the efforts of Nikita Khrushchev, nor the unconditional enthusiasm of the staff of the enterprise could perform a miracle where this miracle was not expected. Tester Ivan Koshkin speaks most eloquently about the failures of his native enterprise:

... In our country, the whole country worked for geniuses, but only in one area - defense.

And yet, in front of a huge part of Soviet motorists, Zaporozhets fulfilled its task - it became the first car, introduced it to a different culture of movement and way of life. They say that in 1972, a student at Leningrad State University, Volodya Putin, won his first car in the lottery - it was precisely the ZAZ-966. “Throwing in” is this or the truth, of course, we hardly know - however, in many respects, “Ushastik” really was the first, and if he was a little lucky, he would certainly become the most popular car ...

The whole history of "Zaporozhets"

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