The legendary “Beetle” is perhaps one of the most ancient representatives of the global auto industry. The first copies were released back in 1938 and, having undergone three generational changes to this day, the model has secured the title of the most mass car in history, produced without changes to the basic design. By the way, to date the VW Beetle has sold over 20 million copies. Interestingly, despite the increased demand abroad, the “baby” appeared in Russia only two years ago - a couple of years after the start of sales of the current version in Europe and the USA. Although this can be partly considered justified, because for us such a machine is nothing more than an image product. What practical Germans have already realized, who, according to rumors, want to abandon the production of the legendary car. In addition, for this money - and its price varies from 977 thousand to 1.526 million rubles - you can buy a completely adequate crossover. And SUV, no matter how you look at it, still remains one of the most popular segments.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

History of the first German cars executive class dates back to the distant 1950s, but truly the first limousine for VIPs is considered to be a sedan with the factory designation W116 Stuttgart Mercedes-Benz. It was this model that first received the letter “S” in the name of the class (Sonderklasse translated from German means “ special class"), becoming the founder of all subsequent "esoks". To date, the car has survived six generations. The premiere of the latter with the index W222, we recall, took place in Germany in the spring of 2013. Its starting price in Russia is 5.25 million rubles (for the S400 modification with rear-wheel drive). The third generation of the S600 in the W140 body enjoyed particular love among our compatriots, which in the early 1990s was perhaps one of the main indicators of importance among “brothers” and cooperators.

Chevrolet Corvette

The oldest living sports car. This model name was given to the Chevrolet Corvette in honor of the American naval cutter in 1953. Throughout its history, the rear-wheel drive three-door has gone through seven generations. As part of the year before last Detroit Motor Show, the Americans presented a version of the Corvette Stingray, which experts recognized as one of the most powerful and economical cars in the class. By the way, it costs more than the most affordable one. Mercedes-Benz S-Class almost 200 thousand rubles. However, fans who want to experience the full speed of the 466 “horses” hidden under the hood are unlikely to be deterred.

Nissan Patrol

This SUV can rightfully be called the best example rapid development post-war Japanese auto industry. In the early 1950s, Nissan released the pioneer Patrol with the index 4W60, which visually resembled the American warrior Willys. Only it was sold under the Datsun brand and went down in the history of the global automobile industry as the first large-sized SUV from the Land of the Rising Sun. Up until the fifth generation, the car could boast of continuous axles and a frame structure. But the sixth generation Patrol acquired an independent spring suspension and a slightly modified frame. More precisely, the power frame in the rear opening was integrated into the supporting structure of the body. However, this does not at all detract from its merits, and the big guy continues to be in stable demand, in particular in Russia. By the way, our initial price tag for the model starts at 3.55 million rubles.

Ford Mustang

Another overseas legend, “registered” on the assembly line in the early 1960s, evokes admiration and a storm of positive emotions among any car enthusiast. Many people still think that the name of the model is somehow connected with a horse, but in fact we are talking about the P-51 Mustang air fighter from World War II, which Ford's lead designer John Nayar used when naming the car. And the logo in the form of a horse is due to the long hood and doors and at the same time short luggage compartment, outwardly resembling a running horse. It is worth noting that in some countries of the Old World German mopeds Kreider and cargo vans Krupp, so the car was available to Europeans for a couple of decades under the code designation T-5. As for our country, the model is not officially sold in Russia. At least for now. Ford nevertheless promised to bring the latest, sixth generation of the car to the domestic market by the end of this year.

Toyota Corolla

Having undergone as many as eleven generations since 1966, the model was able to get into the Guinness Book of Records as the best-selling car in the world. Currently, over 40 million copies have been sold. Toyota Corolla. We can't help but agree, it's quite an impressive figure. Which, in general, is not surprising, because these cars are in strong demand in more than 150 countries. Russia was no exception. Dealers of the Japanese brand offer our compatriots cars in six different trim levels in the price range from 898 thousand to 1.150 million rubles.

Volkswagen Golf

Despite the super popularity of the legendary “Beetle”, consumer interest in it began to gradually fade away. Anticipating this, the automaker began to think about creating a new bestseller, which became the Volkswagen Golf in the 1970s. The hatchback, which has been around for seven generations, was repeatedly awarded the title of “Best Car of the Year” in various countries around the world, became the absolute leader in European sales and even gave its name to an entire segment of cars (the Golf class became synonymous with the C-class). Fans of German classics gather annually in the Austrian Wörthersee, where you can see each and every generation of Golf. It is also celebrated in our country, however, given the soaring price tags and the rapid attack of South Korean brands with their more affordable products, Russians increasingly began to give preference to the latter. The same situation, by the way, happened with Volkswagen Passat, once " people's car", who had finally lost touch with the people.

Honda Civic

In the 1970s, it was this model that helped the Japanese automaker stand on its feet during the severe oil crisis. Moreover, having become a mass product, it brought the company to the international level. Today Honda Civic is already successfully produced in the ninth generation, and the tenth is about to come. Meanwhile, although our car is in demand, it enjoys much more stable popularity among car thieves. Russian fans of the brand preferred a business sedan to it Honda Accord and the CR-V SUV. The starting price of the car is simple version execution starts from RUB 1.099 million.

Toyota Land Cruiser

Few people know that this Japanese SUV has its roots in the distant 1950s, when its prototype called the BJ was born. Officially the same year of birth Land Cruiser It is considered to be only 1987, and what is curious is that in almost 30 years the car has gone through as many as eight generations, rightfully gaining the status of a premium and reliable SUV with enviable off-road potential. In Russia, this model is generally perceived as something more than just a full-size off-road conqueror. It has become a kind of icon, a must-have car. She was loved not only by reincarnated individuals with a dubious past, but also by completely honest hunters and fishermen, all kinds of fans of extreme rides, and even representatives of the UN. Which, however, is quite justified - “Kruzak” has increased comfort, excellent maneuverability and endurance. And a decent price tag. Now the “200th” can be purchased from dealers by paying a minimum of 3 million rubles.

FIAT 500

The unique rear-engined small car, which first rolled off the assembly line almost 80 years ago, for a long time retained the title of the smallest production car in the world. Currently, we have access to an updated version of the second generation model (there was a time gap between their releases) with a wide range of possibilities for personalization. And these are four different modifications, including the “sporty” 500 S, twelve body color options, fifteen different interior finishing solutions and a wide range of different options. Starting price of the car official dealers brand is 740 thousand rubles. New specifications of the legendary model As for the price, the model has survived seven generations, acquired convertible and coupe bodies, and also underwent restyling, becoming even more luxurious and technologically advanced. True, the price tag looks no less exclusive. By the way, in our country, becoming the owner of a luxurious Rolls-Royce Phantom you can fork out more than 20 million rubles.

It is better to purchase a brand new car from a domestic manufacturer. Today the Vaz family has several interesting models which we present to your attention. To find out which VAZ is better, let’s make a list and consider each model individually. All models that will be described today are produced by one single manufacturer - AvtoVAZ OJSC.

The most popular models Lada:

1. Priora;
2. Kalina;
3. Samara;
4. Grant;
5. Largus.

LADA Priora

LADA Priora sedan went on sale in April 2007, almost a year later car enthusiasts had the opportunity to purchase this model with a hatchback body. In the same 2008, the station wagon version of the Lada Priora was shown at the Krasnodar Motor Show, and already in 2009. AvtoVAZ produced a very small number of such cars in the coupe version (three-door hatchback). The Lada Priora became so fast that by 2012 it had pushed the Lada 110 into the background. Manufacturers understood that this car brand was a success, so in order to remain competitive they worked on improving the Priora. In 2011, models with slight restyling began to go on sale:

• Bumpers were replaced;
• Replaced rear view mirrors;
• The steering wheel was different.

The car received further changes in September 2013, making it safer and more beautiful in appearance. I was very pleased with the improved sound insulation, the car seats became more comfortable, head optics received daily allowance running lights, a stability control system has been added to the options.

LADA Kalina

According to the majority of motorists, the best VAZ is the LADA Kalina, because it is not for nothing that this particular model was recognized as the “Best car for use in the regions” and received the “Golden Pegasus” from the publication “Behind the Wheel”. The nomination included 38 brand new models from domestic manufacturers that were already on sale. Voting lasted 3 months, cars were judged according to the following criteria:

• Technique;
• Design;
• Practicality.

The winner, according to car enthusiasts, was this model because it is:

1. Practical;
2. Attractive in appearance;
3. Acceptable price category;
4. Has excellent maneuverability;
5. Roomy.

Since the summer of 2013, the new LADA Kalina has been sold on automotive market. Today, this is the most popular car in domestic car dealerships, which has about two dozen different configurations.

Lada Samara

Video review of the Lada Samara car:

Lada Samara is the most famous Soviet car belonging to the small class. It began its existence back in 1984, and latest model 2114 left the AvtoVAZ assembly line in December 2013. Cars of this series sold on domestic market, originally had the name "Sputnik", and "Lada Samara" was applied only to export cars. These were the most modern cars developed technically, therefore they were extremely popular abroad.

Time does not stand still and the manufacturer of famous cars boldly keeps pace with it, so from 1991-1993 there have been significant changes in this “family”. To remain in a good position, this was not enough, so more and more restyled models entered the market, beautiful and, as was considered at that time, very comfortable.

LADA Granta

To find out which VAZ car is better, you should get acquainted with another representative of the domestic manufacturer - Lada Granta. This one is budget

Produced at the Volzhsky Automobile Plant since 2011. The donor of the model was the well-known one - Lada Kalina. In terms of dimensions, the new product is a representative of the C-class, so it was able to oust the Samara family from the market and replace the Lada Kalina sedan modification.

The designers had to complete a difficult task, to develop a budget version of the car with an attractive appearance and having advantages over its ancestor, the Kalina. As a result, the rear and front parts of the “Kalina” were modified, which made the new “Grant” a little taller and longer. Lighting equipment appeared in an original form and was given a luxury package fog lights. The style of "Grants" is quite ordinary without any innovations, some believe that rear end very similar to the Romanian-French Logan.

Lada Largus

A passenger car with good cross-country ability, perfect for travel and entertainment.

Today there are three versions on sale:

• passenger R90 station wagon (in 5- and 7-seater versions);
• high-capacity station wagon;
• F90 cargo van.

I am very pleased with the capacity of the car, since it can transport not only small, but also medium-sized cargo. This Lada representative appeared as a result of a joint project between AvtoVAZ and Renault-Nissan. Serial production of this modification was suspended in April 2012, although the first Largus car was released in 2011 for factory testing.

Let's sum it up

A good car should first of all have:

1. Prestigious appearance;
2. Have good cross-country ability;
3. Be not only roomy, but also comfortable;
4. Meet the criteria quality + price.

In our opinion best car VAZ is Kalina FL (2192, 2194) and Lada Granta (2190), because, unlike previous models like: Kalina, Samara, Priora, they have the following advantages:

• Due to the fact that more heat was removed from the heater radiator, heating in the cabin has improved;
• The engine temperature is more precisely controlled;
• Improved vehicle dynamics;

The choice, of course, is for you, dear car enthusiasts, if you have anything to add to our text, we will be glad to see your comments.

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On September 28, Russia celebrates Mechanical Engineering Day. The machine builders closest and most understandable to us work at AvtoVAZ. On the occasion of the holiday, “Another City” will tell about their wildest fantasies.

Text: Andrey Kochetkov

Over almost half a century of its existence, AvtoVAZ has developed many prototypes, concept cars, and cars that simply did not reach mass production. Some of them can now be seen in the AvtoVAZ Technical Museum in Tolyatti. Some now exist only in photographs. When you admire some of them, it becomes a pity that they did not go into series. And you won’t be able to take a closer look at them somewhere in a traffic jam on the Moscow Highway. Some models are amazing. After contemplating some of them, you want to lose yourself in the chaos of revelry on the Day. Some ideas were quite straightforwardly borrowed from foreign colleagues. Some were the fruits of their own Tolyatti imagination. In a word, this not the most famous part of AvtoVAZ’s developments looks as contradictory and ambiguous as the model range that went into series.

Representatives of which can be found on the roads of almost the entire planet. In honor of Mechanical Engineer's Day, we have selected 10 of the most interesting developments of AvtoVAZ, which you will never accidentally catch your eye.

VAZ-E1101

This cute dwarf Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones from the auto industry was born at the end of 1972. In the era when the Troika was the last innovative development"VAZ", put into production. And the production of the Soviet tetralogy of cartoons about Cheburashka has not yet crossed the equator.

In fact, the alternative experimental version of the “penny” at the plant was named after the then-new cartoon character. Compact front wheel drive car They started inventing it back in 1968. As our own development, which is an alternative to the Fiat twins, whose mass production lasted at VAZ for another four decades. “Another Kopek”, made from scratch using semi-handicraft methods, remained forever a prototype. It could not compete with Fiat’s developments and did not go onto the production line. For example, a cute dwarf was passing gas into the cabin.

Nevertheless, it was with “Cheburashka” that the long thorny path"AvtoVAZ" to develop its own models of cars, not borrowed from abroad.

VAZ-2122 “River”

The most famous Soviet jeep "Niva" on this moment is considered almost the main achievement in the world domestic auto industry. No wonder it has been produced and sold by the plant for almost three decades. It’s time to consider the word “Niva” as a synonym for “stability.” And it seems that the domestic jeep will still dance a jig on our graves.

Not surprisingly, there are several variations on the theme Soviet SUV. Some of them are quite exotic. VAZ-2122, nicknamed “River”, is the first and last amphibian created in Tolyatti. A car that moves by rotating its own wheels both on land and on water has never been mass-produced.

It’s a pity... The shoals of “Rivers” plowing the Volga distances with a background of the Zhiguli Mountains excite the imagination.

VAZ-1801 “Pony”

Like many Soviet technical developments, VAZ-1801 is a fantasy on the theme of products of the capitalist world. In 1969, the British Mini Moke arrived at VAZ, in which the chief designer drove the breeze around the plant.

After about 10 years, the plant developed its own version of the Briton. It was an electric car with two batteries, the charge of which was enough for 110-120 kilometers. The design of the appearance of the model, codenamed “Pony,” was carried out by the creator of the Oka exterior.

The Soviet electric car was supposed to be launched for the Moscow Olympics. But they didn’t have time to finish it on time. And then he was forgotten, having previously appeared on several car exhibitions. Which is no wonder... Why did the USSR need a golf cart? At that moment, the country was more interested in cars that would be convenient for transporting pumpkins from the countryside.

VAZ-21073

One of the modifications of the “seven”, created in the year of Kuibyshev’s 400th anniversary. Crazy fantasy on the theme of Volvo design. In fact, this is an attempt to combine the “seven” and the details of the upcoming “eight”. Now the words “seven” and “eight” are more associated with Californian Windows and iOS. And then it was more about ours, the Volga...

VAZ-21073, by and large, was a design pampering. Because best forces The plant at that moment had already been assigned to the serial launch of the Lada Sputnik.

LADA RAPAN

This miracle came to earth as if from a dream of Luc Besson who had had too much. The car is named after a predatory mollusk brought from the Far East to the Black Sea and which has currently devoured almost all the small fauna there. Rapan is an electric car, shown in 1998 after 12 long years of development. The car, whose controls are hidden in the steering wheel, was met with great curiosity at the Paris Motor Show. But this was just a case of “about seeing Paris and dying.”

AvtoVAZ wanted to attract RAO UES of Russia so that the holding would equip existing conventional gas stations with Rapanov charging devices. But in the diocese of Anatolia Chubais the idea did not cause delight. And the only “Rapan” in the world now stands in the hall of the AvtoVAZ management, and Tesla electric cars from Silicon Valley drive on the roads of the world.

LADA OKA-2

A small car of a new generation of domestic production, which is so lacking on our congested roads, was even produced at AvtoVAZ. But they made Oka-2 in the mid-2000s, only 10 of them. And something went wrong...

KamAZ and SeAZ were interested in the new Oka. Yuri Luzhkov wanted to launch its production at the idle facilities of ZIL. But all these plans turned into decay. And now Oka-2, like the Yo-mobile, has become a beautiful but sad page in the history of our automotive industry.

VAZ-2120 “Nadezhda”

The first domestically produced minivan was made at the experimental production of Avtovaz from 1998 to 2006. “Hope” managed to make as many as 8,000. But there is special faith and love for them domestic consumers haven't experienced it. They were called obsolete and unreasonably expensive.

The quote “gives the impression of a car assembled from spare parts from different models” says almost everything about Nadezhda.

However, the “twenties” also have their fans. Like everything made on the basis of Niva.

LADA CARAT

Another concept car is a fantasy on the Oka theme. Displayed in 2002 and turned into an exhibit at the AvtoVAZ Technical Museum.

LADA-2151

A concept also shown at the Moscow Motor Show in 2002. Such cars, according to the ideas of their creators, were supposed to replace the VAZ “classics”.

At first we plan to call the car “Strezhen”. But this name was cut down because the Russian letter “Zh” was inconvenient for promotion on the world market. As a result, the 51st Lada was called “Neoclassic”. But the “ecological niche” of “Neoclassic” in the plant’s model line was occupied by “Kalina”. And the 51st remained just a rather successful fantasy of factory designers and constructors.

LADA C

A joint project of Volzhan residents with the Canadian Magna International. What you see in the photo is “Kalina 4x4”. No matter how crazy it may sound.

In 2006, Tolyatti residents and a company from Ontario decided to launch production of 10 new models at once. In 2009, Canadians were driven out of Tolyatti Alliance Renault Nissan. And everything that was invented during the development of the Lada C series, it seems, is planned to be invested in Lada Vesta. But we won’t see such a “Kalina 4x4” on city streets. You can stop being afraid.

Electric cars will appear in the Stavropol region by the end of the year. Previously, only science fiction writers in the Science and Life magazine could promise this, but today AvtoVAZ is seriously talking about releasing an electric version of its Kalina - for starters, in the amount of 100 units. Over half a century, the cars of the Tolyatti giant have changed a lot, as has the country that gave birth to them. I suggest we remember how it all began, because without our beloved Zhiguli, as Parfenov would say, it is impossible to imagine us, and even more difficult to understand. So how did the ape become a man?

Our automobile industry began, like the reign in Rus', after the “calling of the Varangians,” only it was not the Vikings who taught us to build cars, but the Italians. The first Zhiguli was a copy of their Fiat-124 model. For Soviet people, this car was the embodiment of the dream of a little happiness and a personal means of transportation. In the late 80s, he earned the offensive nickname “penny”. But before, the first VAZ was affectionately called “unit”.

In 1972, a new model, the VAZ-2102, rolled off the assembly line. It differed from the “kopeck” in the presence of a body. As they would say now, the factory workers created a five-door station wagon. This version of the Zhiguli became best friend Soviet summer residents, because a lot of potatoes fit in the trunk.

Together with the “two”, production of the more powerful VAZ-2103 began in 1972. New car could accelerate to 100 km/h in just 17 seconds - the fastest car of those years. In addition to speed, the third model could boast comfortable interior: There is more space above your head. And plastic linings appeared inside, putting an end to the “bare” metal in the cabin.

In 1980, the “kopek” found a new life. The plant produced the VAZ-2105 to replace it. “Five” was called more nobly - LADA-2105. Long-lived model range was produced until 2010 and was considered the cheapest VAZ car.

The “Four” appeared later than the “Five” - the Soviet workers had their own incomprehensible logic. VAZ-2104 was released in 1984. It was created on the basis of the VAZ-2105. The inexpensive and spacious car was loved by citizens for its exceptional carrying capacity - after all, it easily carried almost half a ton of cargo in the direction of the dacha. By the way, the export version of the “four” can be found not just anywhere, but in England!

The most popular in the history of AvtoVAZ was the “six”, which rolled off the assembly line in 1976. It was produced for thirty years, and all this time changes were constantly made to the design, time after time extending the car’s life on the market.

In 1982, the car plant closed the theme of “old classics”. VAZ-2107 became its last representative. The VAZ-2105 was taken as the basis for the “seven”. The cheap seventh model remained one of the best-selling for a long time even after the collapse of the Union.

The classic series was replaced in 1984 by the Samara (VAZ-2108). It would seem nothing special, but this three-door hatchback marked the beginning of the era of front-wheel drive VAZs. True, the model was dubbed the “chisel” for its characteristic wedge-shaped silhouette.

In 1987, AvtoVAZ gave the world a masterpiece - a five-door version of the VAZ-2109 Sputnik G8. In the early 90s, the Nine became the dream car for all the cool kids in Mike caps and Abibas pants. It's funny, of course, but it's better not to joke with them.

The first post-Soviet creation of the plant was the “ten” - VAZ-2110 (LADA-110). Our main complaint about the foreign car. Serial release The VAZ-2110 was planned to start in 1992, but due to the total crisis, the plans gradually shifted by 4 years.

In the 90s in Tolyatti they were mainly engaged in modifying early models. So, in 1997, AvtoVAZ gave birth to the four-door sedan VAZ-2115. The girls flirtatiously joked that the “nine” finally had an ass, but for the cool guys this was not an option.

The second wind of AvtoVAZ began in the arms of a sultry woman “Lada Kalina”. The general public saw its prototype back in 1999 in the form of a hatchback, but it rolled off the assembly line only seven years later. Production of the sedan began in 2004. A year later a station wagon appeared. Prime Minister Putin introduced everyone to the sports version. I wonder if he'll take a ride in an electric car?

The real revolution was the Lada Priora sedan. In 2008, the plant, having come under the jurisdiction of the Russian Technologies state corporation, took a deep breath after 20 years of gang wars and celebrated this event by releasing the Priora hatchback, and in 2009, a station wagon. Everything new is well forgotten old. Nowadays it’s difficult to recognize the “top ten” in the Priora, but it couldn’t have happened without it.

A year ago, at the congress of the Union of Mechanical Engineers in Tolyatti, AvtoVAZ presented the Lada Granta car. The new model, according to experts, will successfully replace the already familiar Kalina and Samara. There is already a clear evolution from the simplest organism to a thinking being.

Once upon a time, VAZ began building cars with Italians, but in the 21st century the French and Japanese turned out to be nicer to it. In April 2012, Russia saw the Lada Largus high-capacity station wagon - the first joint project of AvtoVAZ and Renault-Nissan Alliance. “Kopeyka” would probably be surprised to learn that she has such a great-granddaughter. Now the company plans to produce modern, comfortable and inexpensive cars, which are adapted to our far from ideal roads.

Limousine "Zhigulimo" (7 photos)

Lada sedan - suitcase (12 photos)

Interesting things on the web

Among the numerous cars produced around the world, there are special, one might say legendary or “classic” cars that have gained incredible popularity and recognition among car enthusiasts in different parts of the world. It is these cars that have remained relevant and in demand for a long time, and some remain so to this day. It was these cars that lasted on the assembly line for decades. It is them, the retro heroes, the real legends of the global automobile industry, that will be discussed in our review.

Let’s start our excursion into a “special” part of the history of the global automobile industry with a trip to Brazil, where a truck, also known as a “hippie van,” gathers dust and travels along the roads. The production of this unpretentious, quite simple, but still nice car started back in 1967, while T2 is only a modernization of its predecessor VW T1, whose production began in 1950.

Volkswagen T2 was equipped with several options gasoline engine with a displacement of 1.6 - 2.0 liters and output from 50 to 70 hp. The main transmission for the van was a 4-speed manual, but the version with a top-end engine could be equipped with a 3-speed automatic. Production of the Volkswagen T2 in Germany ceased in 1979, when it was replaced by a new generation of the car, but continued production in Brazil (under the Kombi Standart (passenger) and Kombi Furgao (van) brand), as well as other countries, ensured that the hippie van entered the "Hall of Fame" of the global automotive industry. The last Brazilian-assembled Volkswagen T2 rolled off the assembly line in 2013, and the reason for the closure of production was very banal - the body, developed back in 1967, could not withstand a modern crash test.

There, in Brazil, the life cycle of another fairly popular car ended. We are talking about a miniature passenger car, launched into production in 1983. This compact car The B-class was produced in both three- and five-door versions, equipped with petrol and diesel engines. power units, dominated the roads of the Apennine Peninsula for more than 10 years, and then in 1995 moved to Poland, Morocco, the Philippines and Brazil.

Fiat Uno lasted the longest, until 2013, in Brazil, where, having rolled off the assembly line, it passed on its name to the third generation of another Italian compact, known in the rest of the world as Fiat Panda. In total, during the release of the classic Fiat Uno, about 8,800,000 miniature cars hit the roads of the world.

You can't ignore the legendary hatchback Volkswagen Golf first generation, which has long written its name in the history of the global automotive industry. The debut of this hatchback took place in 1974. The car was offered with wide range power plants, including gasoline, diesel and turbodiesel engines power from 50 to 112 hp For gearboxes, the Germans offered 4- or 5-speed manual transmissions, as well as an optional 3-speed automatic transmission.

Production of the Volkswagen Golf I on German soil ended in 1983, but hatchback production continued actively in Australia, Mexico (under the name Caribe) and South Africa (City Golf and Caddy (pickup)). The last Volkswagen Golf in the back of the original first generation left the South African assembly line of the Uitenhahe plant in 2009. Volkswagen Golf I not only earned the title of one of the most successful centenarians, but also at one time received the nickname “Der kleine Retter” (little rescuer), because if not for the Golf, then Volkswagen brand might no longer exist.

However, the German auto giant has another interesting long-liver - . This mid-size car, produced in sedan and station wagon body styles, entered the production line in 1981, quickly gaining popularity around the world.

Later in Europe the Santana was sold as Passat modification, and the original name was retained in South America and China, where production of the sedan and station wagon continued even after production stopped in Germany itself in 1988.
The most long life The Santana is noted in Brazil, where the car was discontinued in 2006, and in China, where production ceased only in 2013. It is worth noting that the Volkswagen Santana gained the greatest popularity in the Middle Kingdom, where it was used not only as a personal vehicle, but also as a company car for the police, officials, taxi services, etc. In total, over the years of production in China, over 3,200,000 cars were sold, which makes the Volkswagen Santana one of the most popular Chinese cars.

The French concern Peugeot has also become a notable long-liver. For exactly 10 years, starting in 1987, it traveled along the roads of Europe, and in 1988 it managed to receive the title “Car of the Year in Europe.” The Frenchman was produced in sedan and station wagon body styles, but only the first was destined to become a long-liver, because the Egyptians and Iranians did not like the station wagon.

Despite the long-outdated technical stuffing and faded in appearance compared to modern cars, the Peugeot 405 is still produced in automobile factories Egypt and Iran. There is no time in the latter successful car known by the name Samand, under which at one time he even tried to gain a foothold on Russian market, but, naturally, without success. However, Samand found its buyer in Venezuela, Syria and Senegal, where the Iranians launched their own assembly lines, so the Peugeot 405 will still have a long life.

Let's move from North Africa and the Middle East to places that are more stable, but also more secretive - namely, North Korea (DPRK), where the auto industry also exists. Yes, yes, they produce not only rockets and machine guns, but sometimes also cars. Unfortunately, accurate information about successes North Korean auto industry there is not so much in the public domain, since absolutely everything is classified in this country, but some information still leaks through Chinese comrades. It turns out that in the DPRK, starting from the mid-50s of the last century, a 5-seater passenger car (아침의 꽃 - “morning flower”), which is a simplified copy of the legendary Soviet car, has been produced in small batches GAZ M-20 "Pobeda".

Well, since 1968, the same small batches have been replenishing the roads of the DPRK with an SUV, created as a symbiosis of the legendary Soviet GAZ 69 and no less legendary Jeep of that period.

Since we mentioned Soviet retro cars, then it’s worth saying a few words about the domestic long-lived automobile industry. First of all, this is the classic “five”, which stayed afloat for 31 years from 1979 to 2010.

It is noteworthy that the production of the “five” lasted 1 year longer than the production of the “six” ( VAZ-2106), but it was released almost twice fewer cars(2,091,000 versus 4,390,000 copies). It is also worth remembering VAZ-2107, also produced for 31 years (since 1982), however, in Russia the “seven” became a thing of the past in 2012, but in Egypt the production of the sedan continued for another year.

From the "acting" Russian cars It's probably worth noting UAZ-452, later during modernization received the index , but is popularly better known as “Loaf”, “Tablet” or “Tadpole” in the version with a body.

This well-known car entered the assembly line in 1965 and is in no hurry to leave it, regularly receiving minor updates that practically do not affect the original technical architecture, which makes it possible to classify the 452 as a long-lived car.

Follows the same path VAZ-2121 "Niva", which appeared on Soviet roads in 1977. Having survived several restylings, the Niva retains its original platform virtually unchanged, still remaining one of the most “indestructible” SUVs in the world, which ensures its popularity not only in our country, but throughout the world.

However, soon the legendary Niva will retire, finally acquiring the status of a legend in the global automobile industry.

Let's move to Europe, or rather to the UK, where their last days Another iconic SUV for the global automotive industry is still on the assembly line, namely. This brutal Englishman was released in 1983 and has remained almost unchanged since then, preserving the traditions of “cultured” militarism in design and the simplicity of a truly masculine interior.

Yes, the engines changed, but the essence of Land The Rover Defender remained the same, which is why it’s sad that this year classic SUV will become a thing of the past, giving way to a completely new car, the start of sales of which is scheduled for 2016.

Yugoslavia also had its own long-lived car, and after its collapse, Serbia. It was called , but is also known under the names Zastava Skala and Yugo Skala.

Based on the Fiat 128 in 1971, compact family car It was produced in the bodies of a 3- or 5-door hatchback, as well as a 2-door pickup. The Balkan “classic” did not please with a wide variety of engines, and at the end of its existence it was even offered with an uncontested 55-horsepower gasoline engine, but as compensation it pleased the not-so-rich population of Serbia with an affordable price that did not exceed 4,000 euros. At one time, at the very beginning of the 1980s, Zastava 101 conquered the UK market, but the success was short-lived due to Low quality cars and poor equipment. The production of the Balkan "classics" was discontinued in November 2008 due to a sharp drop in demand.

Fast forward to India, where, due to overpopulation and low living standards, “retro cars” are also very popular. One of the symbols of the Indian “middle class”, if such a thing can be identified in India at all, is the pickup truck Tata TL I or Tata 207.

This car appeared in 1988 as a more or less affordable vehicle for transportation oversized cargo and has become quite popular among Indian farmers and small shop owners. It is noteworthy that the 4th generation of the Tata TL pickup truck is currently being produced, while the first generation vehicle is still being assembled in small batches.

A much more iconic car for the Indian automobile industry is the “king of the road” sedan (“Amby”), which is based on the English Morris Oxford III. The start of production of the Hindustan Ambassador was given in 1957, when the first prototype, equipped with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine with an output of about 50 hp, rolled off the assembly line.

A couple of years later the engine was replaced with a 55-horsepower one, and in 1979 a 37-horsepower one was added to it. diesel engine making the Hindustan Ambassador the first Indian car with diesel power plant. In 1992, a limited series of luxury Ambassador sedans with a 75-horsepower engine and improved interior trim was released, and a year later the car entered the UK market, where, however, it did not last long, failing to awaken a love of retro in the British.
The decline in sales of the legendary Ambassador sedan began in 2011, when the new environmental standard BS IV, after which several major cities They banned car sales even for taxi needs and the manufacturer managed to sell only about 2,500 cars in the 2011 reporting year. Subsequently, sales volumes only decreased, and the price of the sedan, on the contrary, reached $10,000, which forced the management of Hindustan Motors to remove the Ambassador from the assembly line in 2014 due to a drop in demand. Thus, the Hindustan Ambassador sedan lasted on the assembly line for almost 57 years, receiving virtually no significant changes in its design.

However, in the history of the global automobile industry there is a more impressive long-lived record holder, with whom we will complete our historical review. If you haven’t guessed yet, we are talking about the legendary little car (Volkswagen Beetle), better known to Russians as the “Beetle”.

True, to be completely precise, it is worth noting that the legendary car was never officially called the “Beetle”, but was initially (before the war) called KdF-38 or Volkswagen-38, then (after the war) Volkswagen-11, Volkswagen 1200, and then the Volkswagen 1600. Over its long history, the little “Beetle” managed to steal some of the design solutions from the Czechoslovak Tatra, become the basis for the Volkswagen T1 (which we mentioned at the very beginning), conquer America, star in dozens of films, and appear on the cover of a Beatles album , become the progenitor of Porsche sports cars and buggies, enter the top ten cars that changed the world, and sell 21,594,464 cars around the planet. Production of the Volkswagen Käfer was discontinued only in 2003, 65 years after the appearance of the first production prototype.

That's all, list legendary cars, which remained on the assembly line for decades almost to this day, has come to an end. We can only wish that today’s automakers remember to please the public not only with mass-produced products for a year or two, but also with truly catchy new products that, in 20–30–40 years, can also join the cohort of long-lived legends of the global automobile industry.