Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Vaz shopping experience:
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2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Vaz? Wrong! If the Vaz is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Vaz then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Vaz? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Vaz and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Vaz wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Vaz then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Vaz site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Vaz, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Vaz, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
1
AvtoVAZ ()() is a Russian automobile manufacturer, also known as
VAZ, Volzhsky Automobilny Zavod (ВАЗ, Во́лжский автомоби́льный заво́д ), and better known to the world as
Lada was set up in the late 1960s in collaboration with Fiat.
It produces nearly one million cars a year, including the
Lada Samara, Lada 110 and the Lada Niva
off-roader. The variations of their first car, the model
VAZ-2101, based on the 1966
Fiat 124 and introduced in 1970, are still the cars most associated with its Lada brand.
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 is often thought of as a 'rugged' car, lacking in most modern luxuries expected in modern cars. While sanctions banned their export to the United States, Ladas were available in several Western countries during the 1970s and 1980s, including
Canada and the
United Kingdom.
Origins
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 an Italian communist, was built around the factory. The Lada was envisaged as a "people's car" like the
Citroën 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 also purchased from Fiat. 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 1.2 L carburetor in the original and go up to the 1.7 L export model set up with a General Motors Corporation single point
fuel injection system. Diesel engines were later fitted for the Russian market only. The drivetrain is a simple rear-wheel drive setup with a live rear axle. The engine is an Straight-4 with two valves per cylinder and a
SOHC.
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 1.5L engine and twin headlights. In 1974, the original VAZ-2101 was updated with new engines and interiors; VAZ-2102 underwent the same improvements in 1976. The body style with two round headlights was manufactured until 1988, all others remain in production in slightly updated form.
The VAZ-2106 introduced in 1976 was an updated verion of VAZ-2103, featuring different interiors and new 1.6L engine. 2106 is the oldest and the most popular
rear-wheel drive model of AvtoVAZ, its production continued until 2001 and still carried on by licensees.
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, but a large share of Ladas was reexported from
Eastern bloc countries, so the brand was well-known in the domestic market as well.
Non-Fiat models
AvtoVAZ designers proved that they had some original ideas when the VAZ-2121
Lada 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 1.7L engine in the VAZ range. The Niva has also been available with 1.9L Peugeot sourced diesel engine. The Niva is still in production.
Based on the success of the Niva, the design department prepared the new family of front-wheel drive models by 1984, a completely domestic design; the body is not unsimilar to
Fiat Regata though. Production started with VAZ-21083
Sputnik 3-door hatchback; the series were later renamed Lada Samara. The Samara engine was mostly designed and produced in-house, had a new single overhead cam design and was driven by a more modern rubber belt. The combustion chambers were developed in collaboration with Porsche. The line-up features completely new body and interiors, front independent suspension and rear
Torsion beam suspension, rack and pinion
steering and updated 5-speed gearbox. 5-door VAZ-21093 hatchback followed in 1987, and 4-door 1.5L sedan, VAZ-21099, was introduced in 1990. The same year, the front sides and radiator grille were restyled on the whole Samara range.
The 2108-2109 models were in production until 2001, when they were restyled with new side panels, interiors and 1.5L fuel injection engines (though fuel injection was available as early as 1995). The Lada 2109 hatchback was rebadged as Lada 2114, and Lada 21099 sedan was rebadged as the Lada 2115. The 2104-21099 model range was transferred to
IZH and ZAZ and is still being manufactured. In 2004 VAZ also introduced Lada 2113, a restyled version of Lada 2108, but this car has never used much popularity, as the Lada 2108 was only popular for a short time.
VAZ-1111 Oka (car) micro-car, which resembles the
Fiat Panda (though has no relation to it), was introduced in 1988, and in 1991 the production was transferred to KamAZ and SeAZ factories.
The VAZ-2120 Lada Nadezhda minivan is based on original Niva and is in low-volume production since 1998. A five-door version of the Niva, the VAZ-2131, has been in production since 1995.
The break-up of the
USSR delayed the production of new Lada 110 by a couple of years. The VAZ-2110 sedan was introduced in 1996, the 2111 station wagon followed in 1998 and the Lada 112 completed the range in 2001. These models are basically based on
Lada Samara technology with a new body and fuel injection engines as standard, though carburated versions have also been available up until 2001. The 110-series remains in production and has been continually updated over the years- for example, engines used to be 1.5 L units with either 8 or 16 valves, but these have now been upgraded to 1.6 L units that meet stricter emissions rules.
Market share
Changes to emissions- and safety-legislation meant that AutoVAZ withdrew from most Western markets by the late 1990s; often, there were also problems with spare parts. In the USA they were never sold due to the cold war, but they were available in Canada (where the Niva was quite popular) however Canadians travelling in the USA in a Lada found out that some gas stations refused to sell fuel to them due to anti-Soviet sentiment. The rise in popularity of Far Eastern imports from newly established manufacturers such as Daewoo,
Proton (car), Kia Motors and
Hyundai contributed to Lada's demise in the West. These Korean and Malaysian-manufactured vehicles offered modern Japanese-developed technology and high equipment levels which Lada could not hope to compete with.
Though the original Lada, and as of the early part of the new millennium the Lada Samara, have now been withdrawn from Europe, the Lada 110 and the Lada Niva are still sold on the European market, as are the more modern models. The Lada is widely available in many Central- and South American countries as well as Africa, the Middle East and in all of the former Soviet Union.
Due to the heavy taxing by the Russian government on imported used vehicles, which they were doing to prop up the locally built new car market, Russian car dealers and individuals began reimporting Lada's because they were exempt from the tax laws governing foreign made imports. As used cars in the west, the Ladas were considered unfashionable to the point of ridicule and therefore worthless. Most of export Lada Samara cars were reexported back in 1994-1996 and they sold very well, due to popular belief that export Ladas are produced with better care than domestic versions. For this reason, Ladas are a relatively rare sight nowadays in Western European countries, although AvtoVAZ has since developed a new generation of Lada cars and is bidding to return to these markets.
Although current Lada cars miss many features standard on a modern car, such as
power steering,
Anti-lock braking system,
air conditioning and automatic transmission, they have been popular in Russia because of their low price; that is beginning to change in light of persistent build quality problems and the sales of domestic models are showing a steady decline over the last few years.
There are lot of garage firms that offer customization in the form of different head and tail lamps, front fascia, spoilers, seats and steering wheels. Some authorized services can even retrofit many kinds of modern equipment using imported parts, with no loss of producer warranty.
Recent developments
As AvtoVAZ was allowed to sell cars to private dealers in late
1980s, mathematician
Boris Berezovsky arranged to resell the cars to the public through his
LogoVAZ dealerships. In 1993 he started a campaign to collect funds for the
people's automobile and created the
AVVA venture, which stands for
All-Russian Automobile Alliance; the AvtoVAZ held a major share in the venture. The plans were to build a completely new plant for production of the VAZ-1116
supermini car. However, the Russian financial crisis put these plans to an end. The development concepts of 1116 made a foundation of the
Lada Kalina range.
GM-AvtoVAZ, a joint-venture with
General Motors Corporation, adopted updated version of Lada Niva, VAZ-2123, that was considered for production since the 1990s. Named
Chevrolet Niva, it's being built on the venture's plant since 2001 and is exported to
Europe and Latin America. In 2004, the
Chevrolet Viva, a four-door version of the
Opel Astra G, was introduced.
VAZ has also tried to get into the sportier markets: several Ladas were factory-tuned and given a Momo steering wheel. A convertible was also produced. In 2003, VAZ presented the
concept car Lada Revolution, an open single seater
sports car powered by a 1.6 L engine producing 215 hp. There are other experimental cars like VAZ-210834 Tarzan SUV concept, VAZ-1922 monster truck and VAZ-2359 pick-up both based on Niva etc. The VAZ-211223
Lada 110 coupe, with the sister models Lada 111 and Lada 112 has been developed with a modern and luxurious look and feel, has been mass produced and are popular in Russia today.
2005 saw the introduction of the new Lada Kalina supermini car lineup to the market. AvtoVAZ has built a new modern plant for this model and hoping to sell some 200,000 cars annually. Test production of Lada 1118 sedan started in November 2004 and full-scale assembly was launched in May 2005. The Lada 1119 hatchback and Lada 1117 station wagon with updated DOHC 1.6L engines are to follow in 2005–
2006.
The restyled 110-series model, Lada 2170 Priora, is set for production in Q3 2006.
AvtoVAZ was considering the local production of
Ecotec Family 1 (FAM-1) engines using the equipment transferred from
Szentgotthard,
Hungary plant. A transmissions plant was to be bought from GM Daewoo, a former Daewoo Motors subsidiary that was not sold to GM. The engines and transmissions were to be used in both
GM-AvtoVAZ and Lada cars. As of Summer 2005, these plans are cancelled and VAZ is seeking another way to acquire some modern powerplant technology.
After some shakeups in the management caused by a recent acquisition from Rosoboronexport, AvtoVAZ is currently in talks with
Renault to negotiate a Complete knock down assembly of the
Renault Logan. They have also contracted
Magna International to design a new car platform and equip a new plant for its production
Models
Each model has internal index that reflects modifications level, based on the engine and other options installed — for example, the VAZ-21103 variant has the 1.5 L 16V engine, while the VAZ-21104 uses the latest 1.6 L 16V fuel injection engine. See also Automobile model numbering system in USSR and Russia. Since 2001, trim levels are also indicated by including a number after the main index: '-00' means base trim level, '-01' means standard trim and '-02' designates deluxe version; for example, VAZ-21121-02 means Lada 112 hatchback with 1.6L
SOHC engine in deluxe trim level.
The car's name was formed from 'VAZ-
index model name. The
classic Fiat-derived models were known on the domestic market as Zhiguli (Жигули) until late-
1990s, when the name was dropped; thus, the 2104-2107 range, as well as 110-series, actually lack a model name. The restyled Sputnik range was renamed Samara but the Niva and the Oka retained their names. By
2000s, the
VAZ designation was dropped from market names in favour of
Lada and simplified export naming conventions were adopted, so VAZ-2104 effectively became Lada 2104, VAZ-2110 became Lada 110, VAZ-2114 became Lada Samara hatchback or Lada 114 and so on.
The model names varied from market to market and as such should not be used except to indicate a certain export market. Instead, it is advisable to refer solely to the model number as these are the same for all markets.
Classic Zhiguli
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2101||1.2L||Lada 1200||
1970-
1982-[1981-[1983||Right-hand drive|-|21016||1.5L||-||-||Police version|-|21018||1.3L||-||-||Wankel engine|-|21019||2.3L||-||-||Wankel engine|-|}
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2102||1.2L||Lada 1200 Combi||1972-1983-[1986-[1986|||-|21026||1.5L||-||-|||}
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2103||1.5L||Lada 1500||1972-1984-[1984-[1984||Export only|}
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2106||1.6L||Lada 1600||1976-
2001-[1988-[2001-[1988-[2001||Deluxe version, export only, 5-speed gearshift|-|}
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2104||1.3L||Lada Nova 1300 Break
Lada Nova 1300 Estate
Lada Nova 1300 Family||
1984-1994-[2004-[2004 from [General Motors Corporation|-|21045||1.5L Diesel||-||-||Export only; licensed
diesel engine|-|21047||1.5L||-||-||Luxury version of 21043|}
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2105||1.3L||Lada Nova
Lada 1300 L||
1979-1995-[1995-[2004|-|2015 VFTS||1.9L||-||[1982||High performance version with 180hp engine (240hp turbocharged)|-|}
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2107||1.5L||Lada 1500 SL
Lada Riva Lada Laika ]-
2004-[1995
Lada Laika||[1991-
2001 from [General Motors Corporation|-|21074||1.6L||-||-||Police version; additional fuel tank and battery|-|21079||2.6L||-||-||Police version; comes with VAZ-4132
Wankel engine|-|}
Original
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index||Engine||Export name||Production||Notes|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2121 Lada Niva
XUV|-||2121||1.6L||Lada Niva|| 1977-
1993|-||21213||1.7L||Lada Niva|| 1993|| [four-wheel drive; restyled rear door]; restyled rear door; fuel injection#Central port injection from General Motors Corporation|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2131
Lada Niva XUV|-||2131||1.7L||Lada Niva|| 1995|| extended 5-door version of 2121|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2108 Sputnik 3-door hatchback|-|-||2108||1.3L||Lada Samara 1300|| 1984-
2001|| Export only|-||21083||1.5L||Lada Samara 1500|| 1984-[2001|| [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21086||1.3L||Lada Samara 1300|| 1990-1996 for [United Kingdom|| Export only; [Right Hand Drive for United Kingdom|| Export only; [Right Hand Drive for United Kingdom|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2109 Sputnik 5-door hatchback|-||2109||1.3L||Lada Samara L 1300|| 1987-[1997|| Export only|-||21093||1.5L||Lada Samara L 1500|| 1990-[2001|| [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21096||1.3L||Lada Samara L 1300|| 1990-
1996 for [United Kingdom|| Export only; [Right Hand Drive for the United Kingdom|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |21099 Sputnik sedan|-||21099||1.5L||Lada Samara Forma 1500|| 1990-[2001|| [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||210993||1.3L||Lada Samara Forma 1300|| 1990-2001 micro-car|-||1111||0.7L|| || 1988-[1990 and [KamAZ|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2123 Niva|-||2123||1.7L||[Chevrolet Niva|| Never appeared under Lada/VAZ brand; produced by [GM-AvtoVAZ; Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2120 Nadezhda minivan|-||2120||1.8L|||| 1998|| Based on 2131; carburetor from [General Motors Corporation|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2110 sedan|-||2110||1.5L|||| 1996-
2001|-||21102||1.5L||Lada 110|| 1998-[2004 [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21103||1.5L||Lada 110|| 1998-
2004 [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21101||1.6L||Lada 110|| 2004|| SOHC
Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21104||1.6L||Lada 110|| 2004|| DOHC Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21105||1.7L|| || 1996-??|| carburetor (by external car tuner)|-||21108 ||1.8L ||Lada Premier|| || A "limousine" with increased [wheelbase and up-stroked engine (by external car tuner)]||SOHC
Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21111||1.5L|||| 1998-2001|-||21113||1.5L||Lada 111|| 2000-[2004 [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21114||1.6L||Lada 111|| 2004|| DOHC,
Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2112 hatchback|-||21120||1.5L||
Lada 112|| [DOHC, Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21122||1.5L||Lada 112||[SOHC Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21121||1.6L||Lada 112 [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21124||1.6L||Lada 112 [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2113 Samara 3-door hatchback|-||21130||1.5L||Lada Samara|| 2004|| Restyled 21083; SOHC Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2114 Samara 5-door hatchback|-||21140||1.5L||Lada Samara|| 2001|| Restyled 21093;
SOHC Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2115 Samara sedan|-||21150||1.5L||Lada Samara|| 2001|| Restyled 210993; SOHC
Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |1118
Lada Kalina sedan|-||11170||1.6L||Lada Kalina|| 2004|| SOHC
Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |1119 Kalina hatchback|-||11190||1.6L||Lada Kalina|| 2005|| DOHC
Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |1117 Kalina sation wagon|-||11170||1.6L||Lada Kalina|| 2006||
DOHC Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2170 Priora sedan|-||2170?|| ||Lada Priora|| due 2007-2007 ] |||}
Oka
The
Lada Oka is a Russian city car designed by AvtoVAZ and sometimes branded as a Lada. This model is built in Russia by
SeverstalAvto and
SeAZ (the Serpuhov Car Factory), as well as in Azerbaijan by the Gyandzha Auto Plant.
See also
- Lada
- Automobile model numbering system in USSR and Russia
- List of automobile manufacturers
External links
- AvtoVAZ (in Russian)]
- Lada official site (in Russian)
- Lada category at ODP
- Official history of Lada line-up (in Russian)
- Technical specs of various Lada cars (in Russian)
- Lada spare parts (in Slovak)
- Lada in South America (in Spanish)
- Lada Cars reviews ,images , infos (in English)
1
AvtoVAZ ()() is a
Russian automobile manufacturer, also known as
VAZ, Volzhsky Automobilny Zavod (ВАЗ, Во́лжский автомоби́льный заво́д ), and better known to the world as
Lada was set up in the late 1960s in collaboration with
Fiat.
It produces nearly one million cars a year, including the Lada Samara,
Lada 110 and the Lada Niva
off-roader. The variations of their first car, the model VAZ-2101, based on the 1966 Fiat 124 and introduced in 1970, are still the cars most associated with its
Lada brand.
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 is often thought of as a 'rugged' car, lacking in most modern luxuries expected in modern cars. While sanctions banned their export to the
United States, Ladas were available in several Western countries during the 1970s and 1980s, including
Canada and the
United Kingdom.
Origins
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 an Italian communist, was built around the factory. The Lada was envisaged as a "people's car" like the Citroën 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 also purchased from Fiat. 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 1.2 L
carburetor in the original and go up to the 1.7 L export model set up with a General Motors Corporation single point fuel injection system. Diesel engines were later fitted for the Russian market only. The drivetrain is a simple rear-wheel drive setup with a live rear axle. The engine is an Straight-4 with two valves per cylinder and a
SOHC.
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 1.5L engine and twin headlights. In 1974, the original VAZ-2101 was updated with new engines and interiors; VAZ-2102 underwent the same improvements in 1976. The body style with two round headlights was manufactured until 1988, all others remain in production in slightly updated form.
The VAZ-2106 introduced in 1976 was an updated verion of VAZ-2103, featuring different interiors and new 1.6L engine. 2106 is the oldest and the most popular
rear-wheel drive model of AvtoVAZ, its production continued until 2001 and still carried on by licensees.
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, but a large share of Ladas was reexported from Eastern bloc countries, so the brand was well-known in the domestic market as well.
Non-Fiat models
AvtoVAZ designers proved that they had some original ideas when the VAZ-2121 Lada 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 1.7L engine in the VAZ range. The Niva has also been available with 1.9L Peugeot sourced diesel engine. The Niva is still in production.
Based on the success of the Niva, the design department prepared the new family of front-wheel drive models by 1984, a completely domestic design; the body is not unsimilar to
Fiat Regata though. Production started with VAZ-21083
Sputnik 3-door hatchback; the series were later renamed
Lada Samara. The Samara engine was mostly designed and produced in-house, had a new single overhead cam design and was driven by a more modern rubber belt. The combustion chambers were developed in collaboration with Porsche. The line-up features completely new body and interiors, front
independent suspension and rear
Torsion beam suspension, rack and pinion
steering and updated 5-speed
gearbox. 5-door VAZ-21093 hatchback followed in 1987, and 4-door 1.5L sedan, VAZ-21099, was introduced in 1990. The same year, the front sides and radiator grille were restyled on the whole Samara range.
The 2108-2109 models were in production until 2001, when they were restyled with new side panels, interiors and 1.5L
fuel injection engines (though fuel injection was available as early as 1995). The Lada 2109 hatchback was rebadged as Lada 2114, and Lada 21099 sedan was rebadged as the Lada 2115. The 2104-21099 model range was transferred to
IZH and
ZAZ and is still being manufactured. In 2004 VAZ also introduced Lada 2113, a restyled version of Lada 2108, but this car has never used much popularity, as the Lada 2108 was only popular for a short time.
VAZ-1111
Oka (car) micro-car, which resembles the Fiat Panda (though has no relation to it), was introduced in 1988, and in 1991 the production was transferred to
KamAZ and
SeAZ factories.
The VAZ-2120 Lada Nadezhda minivan is based on original Niva and is in low-volume production since 1998. A five-door version of the Niva, the VAZ-2131, has been in production since 1995.
The break-up of the
USSR delayed the production of new Lada 110 by a couple of years. The VAZ-2110 sedan was introduced in 1996, the 2111 station wagon followed in 1998 and the
Lada 112 completed the range in 2001. These models are basically based on
Lada Samara technology with a new body and fuel injection engines as standard, though carburated versions have also been available up until 2001. The 110-series remains in production and has been continually updated over the years- for example, engines used to be 1.5 L units with either 8 or 16 valves, but these have now been upgraded to 1.6 L units that meet stricter emissions rules.
Market share
Changes to emissions- and safety-legislation meant that AutoVAZ withdrew from most Western markets by the late 1990s; often, there were also problems with spare parts. In the USA they were never sold due to the cold war, but they were available in Canada (where the Niva was quite popular) however Canadians travelling in the USA in a Lada found out that some gas stations refused to sell fuel to them due to anti-Soviet sentiment. The rise in popularity of Far Eastern imports from newly established manufacturers such as Daewoo, Proton (car),
Kia Motors and
Hyundai contributed to Lada's demise in the West. These Korean and Malaysian-manufactured vehicles offered modern Japanese-developed technology and high equipment levels which Lada could not hope to compete with.
Though the original Lada, and as of the early part of the new millennium the
Lada Samara, have now been withdrawn from Europe, the Lada 110 and the Lada Niva are still sold on the European market, as are the more modern models. The Lada is widely available in many Central- and South American countries as well as Africa, the Middle East and in all of the former Soviet Union.
Due to the heavy taxing by the Russian government on imported used vehicles, which they were doing to prop up the locally built new car market, Russian car dealers and individuals began reimporting Lada's because they were exempt from the tax laws governing foreign made imports. As used cars in the west, the Ladas were considered unfashionable to the point of ridicule and therefore worthless. Most of export Lada Samara cars were reexported back in 1994-
1996 and they sold very well, due to popular belief that export Ladas are produced with better care than domestic versions. For this reason, Ladas are a relatively rare sight nowadays in Western European countries, although AvtoVAZ has since developed a new generation of Lada cars and is bidding to return to these markets.
Although current Lada cars miss many features standard on a modern car, such as
power steering, Anti-lock braking system, air conditioning and automatic transmission, they have been popular in Russia because of their low price; that is beginning to change in light of persistent build quality problems and the sales of domestic models are showing a steady decline over the last few years.
There are lot of garage firms that offer customization in the form of different head and tail lamps, front fascia, spoilers, seats and steering wheels. Some authorized services can even retrofit many kinds of modern equipment using imported parts, with no loss of producer warranty.
Recent developments
As AvtoVAZ was allowed to sell cars to private dealers in late
1980s, mathematician Boris Berezovsky arranged to resell the cars to the public through his
LogoVAZ dealerships. In 1993 he started a campaign to collect funds for the
people's automobile and created the
AVVA venture, which stands for
All-Russian Automobile Alliance; the AvtoVAZ held a major share in the venture. The plans were to build a completely new plant for production of the VAZ-1116 supermini car. However, the
Russian financial crisis put these plans to an end. The development concepts of 1116 made a foundation of the Lada Kalina range.
GM-AvtoVAZ, a joint-venture with General Motors Corporation, adopted updated version of Lada Niva, VAZ-2123, that was considered for production since the 1990s. Named Chevrolet Niva, it's being built on the venture's plant since 2001 and is exported to
Europe and Latin America. In 2004, the Chevrolet Viva, a four-door version of the Opel Astra G, was introduced.
VAZ has also tried to get into the sportier markets: several Ladas were factory-tuned and given a Momo steering wheel. A convertible was also produced. In 2003, VAZ presented the concept car
Lada Revolution, an open single seater sports car powered by a 1.6 L engine producing 215 hp. There are other experimental cars like VAZ-210834 Tarzan SUV concept, VAZ-1922 monster truck and VAZ-2359 pick-up both based on Niva etc. The VAZ-211223 Lada 110 coupe, with the sister models
Lada 111 and Lada 112 has been developed with a modern and luxurious look and feel, has been mass produced and are popular in Russia today.
2005 saw the introduction of the new
Lada Kalina supermini car lineup to the market. AvtoVAZ has built a new modern plant for this model and hoping to sell some 200,000 cars annually. Test production of Lada 1118 sedan started in November 2004 and full-scale assembly was launched in May 2005. The Lada 1119 hatchback and Lada 1117 station wagon with updated DOHC 1.6L engines are to follow in 2005–
2006.
The restyled 110-series model, Lada 2170 Priora, is set for production in Q3 2006.
AvtoVAZ was considering the local production of Ecotec Family 1 (FAM-1) engines using the equipment transferred from
Szentgotthard, Hungary plant. A transmissions plant was to be bought from
GM Daewoo, a former Daewoo Motors subsidiary that was not sold to GM. The engines and transmissions were to be used in both
GM-AvtoVAZ and Lada cars. As of Summer 2005, these plans are cancelled and VAZ is seeking another way to acquire some modern powerplant technology.
After some shakeups in the management caused by a recent acquisition from
Rosoboronexport, AvtoVAZ is currently in talks with
Renault to negotiate a Complete knock down assembly of the Renault Logan. They have also contracted Magna International to design a new car platform and equip a new plant for its production
Models
Each model has internal index that reflects modifications level, based on the engine and other options installed — for example, the VAZ-21103 variant has the 1.5 L 16V engine, while the VAZ-21104 uses the latest 1.6 L 16V fuel injection engine. See also Automobile model numbering system in USSR and Russia. Since 2001, trim levels are also indicated by including a number after the main index: '-00' means base trim level, '-01' means standard trim and '-02' designates deluxe version; for example, VAZ-21121-02 means Lada 112 hatchback with 1.6L SOHC engine in deluxe trim level.
The car's name was formed from 'VAZ-
index model name. The
classic Fiat-derived models were known on the domestic market as Zhiguli (Жигули) until late-
1990s, when the name was dropped; thus, the 2104-2107 range, as well as 110-series, actually lack a model name. The restyled Sputnik range was renamed Samara but the Niva and the Oka retained their names. By
2000s, the
VAZ designation was dropped from market names in favour of
Lada and simplified export naming conventions were adopted, so VAZ-2104 effectively became Lada 2104, VAZ-2110 became Lada 110, VAZ-2114 became Lada Samara hatchback or Lada 114 and so on.
The model names varied from market to market and as such should not be used except to indicate a certain export market. Instead, it is advisable to refer solely to the model number as these are the same for all markets.
Classic Zhiguli
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2101||1.2L||Lada 1200||
1970-
1982-[1981-[1983||Right-hand drive|-|21016||1.5L||-||-||Police version|-|21018||1.3L||-||-||Wankel engine|-|21019||2.3L||-||-||Wankel engine|-|}
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2102||1.2L||Lada 1200 Combi||1972-
1983-[1986-[1986|||-|21026||1.5L||-||-|||}
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2103||1.5L||Lada 1500||
1972-1984-[1984-[1984||Export only|}
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2106||1.6L||Lada 1600||1976-2001-[1988-[2001-[1988-[2001||Deluxe version, export only, 5-speed gearshift|-|}
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2104||1.3L||Lada Nova 1300 Break
Lada Nova 1300 Estate
Lada Nova 1300 Family||1984-1994-[2004-[2004 from [General Motors Corporation|-|21045||1.5L Diesel||-||-||Export only; licensed diesel engine|-|21047||1.5L||-||-||Luxury version of 21043|}
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2105||1.3L||Lada Nova
Lada 1300 L||1979-
1995-[1995-[2004|-|2015 VFTS||1.9L||-||[1982||High performance version with 180hp engine (240hp turbocharged)|-|}
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index Name!!Engine!!Export Name!!Production Years!!Notes|-|2107||1.5L||Lada 1500 SL
Lada Riva
Lada Laika ]-2004-[1995
Lada Laika||[1991-
2001 from [General Motors Corporation|-|21074||1.6L||-||-||Police version; additional fuel tank and battery|-|21079||2.6L||-||-||Police version; comes with VAZ-4132 Wankel engine|-|}
Original
{| border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse;"|- bgcolor="#cccccc"!Index||Engine||Export name||Production||Notes|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2121 Lada Niva XUV|-||2121||1.6L||Lada Niva|| 1977-1993|-||21213||1.7L||Lada Niva|| 1993|| [four-wheel drive; restyled rear door]; restyled rear door; fuel injection#Central port injection from General Motors Corporation|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2131
Lada Niva XUV|-||2131||1.7L||Lada Niva|| 1995|| extended 5-door version of 2121|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2108 Sputnik 3-door hatchback|-|-||2108||1.3L||Lada Samara 1300|| 1984-2001|| Export only|-||21083||1.5L||Lada Samara 1500|| 1984-[2001|| [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21086||1.3L||Lada Samara 1300|| 1990-1996 for [United Kingdom|| Export only; [Right Hand Drive for United Kingdom|| Export only; [Right Hand Drive for
United Kingdom|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2109 Sputnik 5-door hatchback|-||2109||1.3L||Lada Samara L 1300|| 1987-[1997|| Export only|-||21093||1.5L||Lada Samara L 1500|| 1990-[2001|| [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21096||1.3L||Lada Samara L 1300|| 1990-
1996 for [United Kingdom|| Export only; [Right Hand Drive for the United Kingdom|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |21099 Sputnik sedan|-||21099||1.5L||Lada Samara Forma 1500|| 1990-[2001|| [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||210993||1.3L||Lada Samara Forma 1300|| 1990-
2001 micro-car|-||1111||0.7L|| || 1988-[1990 and [KamAZ|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2123 Niva|-||2123||1.7L||[Chevrolet Niva|| Never appeared under Lada/VAZ brand; produced by [GM-AvtoVAZ;
Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2120 Nadezhda minivan|-||2120||1.8L|||| 1998|| Based on 2131;
carburetor from [General Motors Corporation|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2110 sedan|-||2110||1.5L|||| 1996-
2001|-||21102||1.5L||Lada 110|| 1998-[2004 [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21103||1.5L||Lada 110|| 1998-2004 [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21101||1.6L||Lada 110|| 2004||
SOHC Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21104||1.6L||Lada 110|| 2004|| DOHC
Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21105||1.7L|| || 1996-??||
carburetor (by external car tuner)|-||21108 ||1.8L ||Lada Premier|| || A "limousine" with increased [wheelbase and up-stroked engine (by external car tuner)]||
SOHC Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21111||1.5L|||| 1998-
2001|-||21113||1.5L||Lada 111|| 2000-[2004 [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21114||1.6L||Lada 111|| 2004||
DOHC, Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2112 hatchback|-||21120||1.5L||Lada 112|| [DOHC,
Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21122||1.5L||
Lada 112||[SOHC Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21121||1.6L||
Lada 112 [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-||21124||1.6L||
Lada 112 [Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2113 Samara 3-door hatchback|-||21130||1.5L||Lada Samara|| 2004|| Restyled 21083; SOHC
Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2114 Samara 5-door hatchback|-||21140||1.5L||Lada Samara|| 2001|| Restyled 21093; SOHC Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2115 Samara sedan|-||21150||1.5L||Lada Samara|| 2001|| Restyled 210993; SOHC Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |1118
Lada Kalina sedan|-||11170||1.6L||Lada Kalina|| 2004||
SOHC Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |1119 Kalina hatchback|-||11190||1.6L||Lada Kalina|| 2005||
DOHC Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |1117 Kalina sation wagon|-||11170||1.6L||Lada Kalina|| 2006|| DOHC
Fuel injection#Multi-port fuel injection|-! || ||colspan="3" align=left |2170 Priora sedan|-||2170?|| ||Lada Priora|| due 2007-2007 ] |||}
Oka
The
Lada Oka is a Russian city car designed by AvtoVAZ and sometimes branded as a Lada. This model is built in Russia by
SeverstalAvto and SeAZ (the Serpuhov Car Factory), as well as in
Azerbaijan by the Gyandzha Auto Plant.
See also
- Lada
- Automobile model numbering system in USSR and Russia
- List of automobile manufacturers
External links
- AvtoVAZ (in Russian)]
- Lada official site (in Russian)
- Lada category at ODP
- Official history of Lada line-up (in Russian)
- Technical specs of various Lada cars (in Russian)
- Lada spare parts (in Slovak)
- Lada in South America (in Spanish)
- Lada Cars reviews ,images , infos (in English)
