VAZ: ORIGIN, DEVELOPMENT, THE CHARACTERISTIC OF MODELS

AvtoVAZ is a Russian automobile manufacturer, also known as VAZ, Volzhsky Automobilny Zavod, and better known to the world as Lada was set up in the late 1960s in collaboration with Fiat.It is 25% owned by French giant Renault.The VAZ factory is one of the biggest in the world, has over 90 miles (144 km) of production lines and is unique in that most of the components for the cars are made in-house.The original Lada was a basic car, lacking in most luxuries expected in cars of its time and was patterned after the Fiat 124.Ladas were available in several Western countries during the 1970s and 1980s, including Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, though trade sanctions banned their export to the United States.The plant was set up as a collaboration between Italy and the Soviet Union and built on the banks of the Volga river in 1966.A new part of town Togliatti, named after the Italian Communist Party leader Palmiro Togliatti, was built around the factory.The Lada was envisaged as a "people's car" like the Citron 2CV or the VW Beetle.The lightweight Italian Fiat 124 was adapted into something intended to survive treacherous Russian driving conditions.Among many changes, aluminium brake drums were added to the rear, and the original Fiat engine was dropped in favour of a newer design.This new engine had a modern overhead camshaft design but was never used in Fiat cars.The suspension was raised (to clear rough Russian roads) and the bodyshell was made from thicker, heavier steel.The first Lada models were equipped with a starting handle in case the battery went flat in Siberian conditions, though this was later dropped.Another feature specifically intended to help out in cold conditions was a manual auxiliary fuel pump.Engines fitted to the original Ladas start with the 1.2L carburetor in the original and go up to the 1.7L export model set up with a General Motors single point fuel injection system.Diesel engines were later fitted for the Russian market only.The Fiat-based Ladas feature various headlight, trim and body styles.The original, Fiat style models included VAZ-2101 sedan and VAZ-2102 station wagon.1972 saw introduction of deluxe version of the sedan, VAZ-2103, which was based on Fiat 124 Speciale and featured new 1.5 L engine and twin headlights.The VAZ-2106 introduced in 1976 was an updated version of VAZ-2103, featuring different interiors and new 1.6 L engine.2106 is the oldest and the most popular rear-drive model of AvtoVAZ.VAZ-2105, still based on the 2101 but updated to 80s styling, was introduced in 1980.Square headlights and new body panels distinguish this style from the old models.A deluxe version, VAZ-2107, was out in 1982; it featured a better engine, refined interiors and Mercedes-like radiator grille.In 1984, the VAZ-2104 station wagon completed the line-up.In the domestic market, these classic models were called Zhiguli, the Lada name was used for exports only.AvtoVAZ designers proved that they had some original ideas when the VAZ-2121 Niva was introduced in 1978.This highly popular car was made with off-road use in mind, featuring full time all-wheel drive, an original body style and the most powerful 1.7 L engine in the VAZ range.The Niva has also been available with 1.9 L Peugeot sourced diesel engine.The Niva is still in production.

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