But the desire of engineers and designers to do something different from a “penny” was too often broken into a reinforced concrete need to “give the country coal” - read, fulfill the plan for the production of what is already on the conveyor. We look at successful examples of domestic engineering work which failed in implementation, and we think about the meaning of the original Russian expressions “the initiative is punishable” and “if only, if only”.

In general, the expression "if" could be limited to the text part of this publication, because in many cases the photos speak for themselves. We will supplement them with only a brief description, so that it is clear what project and what time it is.

Deep modernization of the "penny"

It seems almost unbelievable, but the first attempts to jump out of the framework proposed by the Italians from Fiat and set by the production of the VAZ-2101 were made in the first half of the 70s. In 1975, designer Vladislav Pashko creates a design project for the VAZ-2101-80 car, where 80 is the year when the model is supposed to go into production. Then in the USSR it was with the number "1980" that they contacted big hopes common people - this year communism was supposed to come in the country.

Two- and four-door modifications were conceived. The existing VAZ-2101 platform could well serve as the elemental base of such a car. For 1980, the car looked very nice, a good silhouette made further restyling possible. But this car never went, it didn’t go beyond full-size plasticine mock-ups. Pashko created many more projects at AvtoVAZ, but not all of them, and far from the brightest ones, were launched into the series. And in 1980, instead of the onset of communism, the Olympics were held in the USSR

First front wheel drive

Work on a compact front wheel drive car began at VAZ long before the general director of the plant, V.N. Polyakov, signed the corresponding order - in 1968, immediately after the “penny” got on the conveyor, the first sketches had already been made! Of course, the VAZ designers (V. Pashko, Yu. Danilov) looked back at the experience of foreign colleagues: the initial source of inspiration was the Mini, but another car produced under the Fiat subsidiary brand - Autobianchi A112 - became a real "starting point"

From a design point of view, the project was completed, as they say, on a turnkey basis: our own power unit with a transverse arrangement was developed, the layout of the cabin was completed and engine compartment, a stylish look and interior was invented ... For Soviet designers who were used to working in the dimensions of Moskvich and Volga, this was a serious challenge. The car was nicknamed "Cheburashka" - for the 13-inch wheels that seemed large for such dimensions. The project "1101" had several incarnations in real running prototypes, after which in 1977, on instructions from above, it was transferred to ZAZ under the name "Ladoga". And only after almost a decade it turned into a stock car"Tavria".

Floating "Niva"

After the appearance of the serial Niva, the military highly appreciated its off-road capabilities and in 1976 ordered a VAZ army SUV-amphibian based on it. The authors of the project began by studying all possible options for amphibians, abandoned propeller and a streamlined "boat" body and decided to create a car that outwardly would not give the impression of a floating. And so it happened: the VAZ-2122 car was seemingly ordinary army jeep, but at the same time had a sealed body and could move through the water due to the rotation of the wheels at a speed of about 5 km / h. The project was called "River", was secret, and to divert eyes was referred to as "a car for fishermen and hunters."

In 1986, after ten years of improving the design, working out all the details (including specific ones, such as landing a car from an airplane), several series of experimental samples, testing in all climatic zones and obtaining excellent results in the form of a product ready for production, it turned out that the customer , Ministry of Defense of the USSR, there is no money to launch this car into production. According to some reports, the Ministry of Defense is still indebted to the plant, and for a rather large amount. The project has been closed. It is known about two surviving copies: one of them is in the VAZ Museum, and the second was used until the middle of the 2000s as personal car Valery Domansky, lead designer of that project. After it became clear that there would be no communism, the next milestone in the future was the year 2000. Many automakers in the 1980s thought about the "car of the year 2000", and a group of VAZ designers (A. Patrushev, S. Chagin, V. Yartsev) did not stand aside. A single-volume body was supposed to have two versions: a five-door (X-1) and a shortened three-door (X-2). Visually, the car looks large, but in fact, the five-door version is close in size to the VAZ “eight” (by the way, all known photos show only 1:5 scale models, deftly “tied” to the terrain). From the VAZ-2108, the car was supposed to inherit the power unit, and the cabin provided for very wide possibilities for transformation.

VAZ had the opportunity to gain a foothold in the nascent minivan segment, but this project left behind only the everyday nickname "VAZ bananas", a life-size plasticine mock-up and a pair of glazed mock-ups on a 1:5 scale. But “bananas” still served the VAZ people well: they say that one of the decisive factors in deciding to create a Scientific and Technical Center at VAZ during Mikhail Gorbachev’s visit to Tolyatti in 1986 was the exclamation of his wife Raisa Maksimovna, who looked at the album with layouts “bananas”, where they looked like real cars: “Misha, we don’t have such a car!”

City-cars "Gnome" and "Elf"

When looking at the "Gnome" and its beach version "Elf", one gets the impression that one fine day the bosses did not follow the young VAZ designers and they misbehaved a little. In part, it was. The lead designer of the project was Nikolai Tazdinov, and the author of the exterior was Yevgeny Lobanov, who later held the post of chief designer of AVTOVAZ. These two, with the participation of other young specialists (V. Kovtun, A. Krylov, Yu. Larionov), in 1988 issued a series of first sketches and a model of a city car.

It took quite a long time to create the first prototypes - 1992 and 1993 are called in different sources, although the production of the first one is absolutely original body it only took three months. Even today, the "Gnome" corresponds to the concept of a modern city car: the length is only 2.5 meters (!), the turning radius is less than 3.5 meters, the landing pattern is "2 + 2". serial version with an engine from the Oka, it was supposed to weigh only 500 kg and be able to accelerate to 140 km / h. In addition, an environmentally friendly modification, an electric car, was also conceived. The project made its way with difficulty and, unfortunately, did not break through - no one understood why this country needed such cars.

The second generation of "Oka"

Much closer to reality was the continuation of the development of the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bOka as a city car, but nothing came of it. The first attempt was made in the late 1990s, but then the case was limited to a life-size plastic model (the so-called VAZ-1901), which was, so to speak, “too designer”. But the later version of the Oka-2, the VAZ-1121, which originated already in the new millennium, had excellent chances for implementation. As conceived by the authors (all with the same Tazdinov at the head), "Oka" was supposed to, as they say, grow - due to an increase in size and the use of the VAZ-21083 element base (power unit, suspension, steering, brakes), and subsequently the base " Kalina. At the same time, the price of the car was supposed to be an unprecedentedly low 60,000 rubles.

The appearance of a series of several samples of the VAZ-1121, which looked like they were ready for production, dates back to 2003-2004, after which the project was frozen. Coincidentally, in 2004, Viktor Polyakov, the first CEO VAZ, which was the initiator of the launch of the first Oka and the ideological inspirer of the second ... In 2009, Kalina became the "echo" of the Oka-2, which was simply shortened, depriving rear doors, but no one seems to have taken this project seriously.

sports roadster

Another case of untimely stifled enthusiasm of the young designer shoots. Probably one of the brightest. The author of this project is the VAZ designer Nikolai Nuzhny, who in the late 1990s completed an internship at the famous Italian bodywork studio Sbarro and fully realized his skills and potential on development of Lada roadster. A car that slightly resembled an Audi TT (pay attention to the photo below, both cars are in the frame) and looked simply unrealistically cool for a VAZ was shown at the Moscow Motor Show in 2000

The highlight of the project was the principle of folding the roof. It was original, rational and easy to learn: the top made of transparent plastic, having an L-shaped profile, completely fit with the help of servos on the trunk lid, while maintaining its volume. It was planned to use the Kalina as a roadster platform, before the appearance of which in mass production at that time there were still 4 years. The silver copy is most widely known from publications, but there are also photographs of another Lada Roadster, blue (presumably this is the same car, but repainted). Alas, this bright machine has become another "promising novelty of AVTOVAZ", devoid of all sorts of prospects - after several car dealerships and exhibitions, they forgot about it.

New "classic"

The idea to build something new on the platform donated by cooperation with Fiat arose at VAZ more than once or twice. They returned to it again and again: from the modernization of the 2103 model together with Porsche in 1975 and to their own VAZ 2107M in 2002. Why, the first versions of the "dozens", created in the mid-80s, were also rear-wheel drive - and this was already after the VAZ-2108 was put into production! For all its obsession, which sometimes interfered with the normal development of the engineering center, this idea could have quite worthy embodiments.

The most successful example of using a rear-wheel drive VAZ platform is the project "2151", aka " New Classic". The running layout of the station wagon with this name was presented at the Moscow Motor Show in 2002. The author of the design is Mikhail Zubkov, who cleverly played with the proportions and style of the "old classics", station wagons VAZ-2102 and -2104. The prototype used the old rear-wheel drive platform, but with a number of new elements - rack and pinion steering, McPherson front suspension, 1.7-liter engine under Euro 3 standards. The body, which has grown in all dimensions, was designed on a computer and calculated for safety. It was supposed to be a completely new interior, airbags, ABS and air conditioning. Things did not move beyond that running layout. Interestingly, in the same 2002, the market entered Ford Fusion with very similar headlights.

VAZ S-class

Project "C", aka "Silhouette", aka "2116" - this is probably the strongest heartache of engineers and designers of AvtoVAZ. The idea of ​​jumping out of the "pants" and finally building a class-above car has been revived and died countless times, beginning with the Class D car project, the 3116. The active phase of the project began in 2005, when a new Moscow management from Russian Technologies came to the plant. It was planned, no less, to create a new platform (for the first time since the VAZ-2108!), on the basis of which to make a sedan, hatchback, station wagon, crossover, sports version ...

Engines with a volume of 1.8 liters and a power of 116 and 122 hp were developed, new box gears, front suspension with L-shaped levers, double-lever rear ... The body of the 2116 sedan turned out to be one of the most torsionally rigid among its analogues in the world! stand apart sports coupe and a crossover based on the “Project C” (it was they, due to the brightness of their appearance, that caused, perhaps, the greatest resonance), and the sedan promised to become a real breakthrough for AVTOVAZ into the C-class ... But such a car under the Lada brand was absolutely not for partners from Renault-Nissan needed. Now on the main conveyor in Togliatti is produced Nissan Almera on stretched Logan platform, and the only surviving copy of the Lada-2116 sedan is used as company car Evgeny Shmelev, Vice President for technical development AVTOVAZ...

Everything listed in the article (as well as many other things) could get into production and become a mass product. There are several reasons why this did not happen: this is the initial absence of a normal design center at VAZ, and the disunity of production workers with engineers, and the change of power in the country that arrived in time, and then at AvtoVAZ itself ... Be that as it may, there are too many good ideas are still good ideas.

The material was prepared on the basis of information and images from the book "High Thought Flame", the magazine "Autoreview", free Internet sources, as well as the author's own information.

Lada Roadster (Lada Roadster) is a concern of the VAZ automobile plant, not allowed for production. For the first time, the Roadster was noticed at the MIMS 2000 car show in the year 2000. The fundamental idea of ​​the Roadster was the ability to remove the roof of the car in the trunk.
Unfortunately, the demand for cars like the Lada Roadster is not great. But car manufacturers have always strived to have (Total 9 photos) in the concern stylish car with elevated dynamic characteristics. AvtoVAZ wanted to implement a similar model on the basis of the 2108 car, which could be called Lada Studio. The car had a separate trunk and a removable roof. As a result, the car was completely redone, and approximately 500 cars were produced, which were supplied only to Europe and were sold only there. Because of this unsuccessful model, a new one appeared - to release quality car the same class as the Roadster should have been.

Lada Siluet, Lada-Silhouet, VAZ-2116 is a front-wheel drive sedan concept car on the Project C platform, first demonstrated at the Moscow Automobile Show in 2005. Especially for the project, a completely new front-wheel drive platform and a two-liter engine are being developed. In the future, diesel and automatic transmission options are planned for production. It is alleged that this oversized family car will feature an interesting exterior and interior design, high comfort, high-quality materials, accurate assembly, enhanced safety, and that it is planned to launch the VAZ-2116 in a series in 2015. At present, the crash tests of the prototype have been carried out, showing 13 points out of 16 possible according to the EuroNCAP system. In the Silhouette family, in addition to the VAZ-2116 sedan, the VAZ-2117 station wagon and the VAZ-2118 hatchback are created.

A new modification of the base model VAZ-2110 is a 4-seater limousine with a characteristic of this type enough high level comfort.
Various options for completing and trimming the interior of the VAZ 2110 "Consul" car allow you to use it for making long tourist and business trips, such as executive car, as a taxi, it is possible to create a car modification for celebrations, as well as a variant of a car with increased security.
The design of the car interior provides a lot for comfortable accommodation of the driver and passengers.
A soundproof partition allows you to create a self-contained compartment in the back with wide range additional equipment and service. By increasing the length of the rear doors, free entry and exit of passengers is provided.
The aeroclimatic unit maintains a comfortable temperature regime cabin with significant fluctuations in ambient temperature.
Fatigue from a long stay in a static position is reduced by adjusting the position of the rear seats.

The LADA C project is a joint project of AVTOVAZ and the Canadian company Magna International, which provides for the creation of a series of C class cars. Existed in Russia from 2006 to 2009.
The "Lada C project" provided for the joint creation of ten series of car models under the existing capacities of AVTOVAZ brand Lada. Launch of new models in mass production was scheduled for 2009. It was supposed to create a joint venture, which will be headed by one of the Vice-Presidents of Russian Technologies, Maxim Nagaytsev.
On December 22, 2006, the Russian Technologies State Corporation and the Canadian company Magna International signed a framework agreement on cooperation in the production of automotive components for the new project C.
In 2009, cooperation with the Canadian company Magna International was frozen in favor of the Franco-Japanese Alliance Renault Nissan, the French Renault acquired a 25% stake in AvtoVAZ. The Alliance provided its B platforms, which, for 2012, were mounted on the first line of the main AVTOVAZ conveyor. The head of the Rostekhnologii company, Sergey Chemezov, said that the developments with Magna International remain valid and will be used to create new cars.
Since 2009, due to the difficult economic situation of JSC AvtoVAZ, Project C has been suspended.

Lada Karat is a Russian concept from AvtoVAZ. Introduced in 2002. The first development of Lada Karat began in 2001. The dimensions of the Karat are not much different from the Oka. Its length is 300 mm longer, it is slightly higher than the Oka.

The prototype VAZ-2151 (aka Lada-Classic) was presented at the Moscow 2002. It was an attempt to modernize the classic Zhiguli: a completely new body was installed on the old rear-wheel drive chassis, the front suspension layout was changed, and a 1.7-liter engine with fuel injection was placed under the hood. Another was the steering with the "pinion-rack" scheme.
Initially, the appearance of the car was supposed to echo the old VAZ-2101 and 2102 models, but in the end it was decided to abandon the round headlights and recognizable silhouette.
It was assumed that the VAZ-2151 would not be a replacement, but an addition to the "classic" and would help AvtoVAZ increase production volumes. The start of production of sedans and station wagons was scheduled for 2006 ... As a result, the project did not receive further development, since it was recognized as unprofitable.

In the “Andersson era”, which was headed by AvtoVAZ on January 13, 2014, the Togliatti auto giant managed to launch a bunch of new models and modifications into the series, and some of them went to concepts until recently. We immediately counted seven models: Lada Granta Liftback, 4x4 Urban, Kalina Sport, Kalina Cross, Largus Cross and, of course, fundamentally new for factory Vesta and xray. Plus the first serial "robot" in the history of the enterprise. And the previously promised Lada is also on the way Vesta Cross And Xray Cross. And all this - in less than 2.5 years and against the backdrop of a flaring crisis!

It must be said that not all of AvtoVAZ's undertakings are so fortunate. To paraphrase an old KVN joke about football, there were many moments, but the implementation was chronically lame. After all, the plant was "creative" before Andersson's arrival. But over the years of his predecessors' reign at the plant, out of many interesting projects, only a few survived to small-scale production, and most remained in several experimental samples. We have selected the brightest of them.

Project Lada C

"Project C" can be safely called one of the most famous, large-scale and ambitious plans of AvtoVAZ. It started in 2006, was made jointly with the Canadian company Magna International and assumed the creation of a whole series of cars in the C segment. And everything was not created from scratch, the VAZ workers already had a backlog.

Introduced in 2007, the prototype VAZ "Project C" (pictured) was a serious evolution and continuation of the concept of the early "Silhouette". According to the project, it was supposed to release both a sedan and models in hatchback and station wagon bodies.

So, at the Moscow Motor Show in 2004, they presented a model of the VAZ-2116 "Silhouette" sedan (top photo) - the first brick of the future project. Moreover, a new platform with an independent rear suspension was designed for Lada C, and the range of units should have included gasoline engines 1.6, 1.8 and 2 liters, diesels, automatic and four-wheel drive!

After the "Silhouette", a sports three-door hatchback- its prototype under the name C Concept was presented at Geneva Motor Show 2007. It was reported that the concept of "charged" Lada C is equipped with a 2-liter engine, and maximum speed is equal to 210 km/h. There was even talk about the estimated price - about 450,000 rubles of that time!

Well, in 2008 at the Moscow Motor Show debuted a conceptual urban crossover Lada C-Cross (index 2119). For him, they planned to install engines with a volume of 1.6 to 2 liters, which, with a curb weight of about 1.4 tons, provided a "maximum speed" of up to 190 km / h.

Alas, none of these developments was destined to become serial! In 2008, the crisis was already raging in the world and there was no time for ambition. And then a future VAZ partner appeared on the horizon in the face of the Renault-Nissan alliance. In short, in 2009, cooperation with Magna and the Lada C project itself were frozen, and the presented prototypes ended up in the plant's museum.

Lada 111 GTI 2.0 4x4

Several prototypes released

As long as Niva exists, so many signals from the people have been sent to AvtoVAZ that it would be nice to attach all-wheel drive to passenger models factory. And in Tolyatti they honestly tried to do it, more than once! Probably the brightest attempt is the experimental Lada 111 GTI 2.0 4x4 (21116-04) of the 2001 model. A sort of our answer if not Audi Allroad, then at least Subaru with its "cars" Legasy and Impreza! Created on the basis of the serial station wagon VAZ-21113, the car outwardly differed in ground clearance increased to 185 mm, larger wheels and overlays on the body. Inside - a 150-horsepower 2-liter Opel engine paired with a 5-speed manual transmission of the same company, plus a drive rear axle through a GKN viscous coupling.

Lada 111 GTI 2.0 4x4

IN all-wheel drive transmission enough original parts(like an angular power take-off gearbox and aluminum universal joints), and the rear independent (!) suspension on double levers was drawn by the VAZ team from scratch and rested on its own subframe! Alas, the approximate price of $14,000-16,000 made this development too expensive for a poor Russian client. The replacement of the Opel engine with a VAZ would not help much either. As a result, the project was closed.

Another attempt was the prototype of the all-wheel drive "Kalina" named Lada 1117 4WD (top photo), presented in 2007. The rear drive axle was also connected with a viscous coupling, and stock engine replaced by a more powerful 100-horsepower 1.8-liter VAZ unit paired with a reinforced manual transmission. Moreover, instead of the rear twisted beam, the prototype was made independent suspension McPherson! But this time too serial production already almost finished car, it never came. Maybe, at least with a raised station wagon, everything will finally work out?

VAZ-2106 "Tourist"

Several prototypes released

At AvtoVAZ, they experimented not only with concepts, but also with those closer to real life models. For example, with pickups. One of the little-known and unexpected options is the prototype VAZ-2106 "Tourist" (top photo). This pickup truck with a tent built into the body was created by order of the technical directorate of the plant, but the head office rejected the idea. The car that existed in a single copy will then be repainted in red and will be used as a factory technical for a long time.

Did you know that everyone knows Chevrolet Niva once existed in the back of a pickup truck and a van? After all, Shniva was originally created at AvtoVAZ, where it bore the name VAZ-2123 and was produced in small series from 1998 to 2002. It was later that the license for it was sold joint venture GM-AvtoVAZ, which turned it into Chevrolet Niva.

But up to this point, AvtoVAZ managed to create several samples of the VAZ-2323 pickup truck, which was presented at the Moscow Motor Show in 1999. The car has been lengthened rear overhang under cargo platform 1.6 meters long, and reinforced rear suspension provided a load capacity of up to 475 kg. Moreover, the motor of the experimental pickup truck was diesel, Russian production. In the same year, a test van VAZ-2723 was made on the basis of a pickup truck. How did it all end? Guess three times! That's right, both promising car and remained at the stage of prototypes.

Created in a single copy

Yes, yes, this is Lada! An incredible electric concept car named "Rapan" was presented by AvtoVAZ in Paris in 1998, where this device made a lot of noise. Still, everyone is used to the fact that such curiosities are drawn by the French or crazy Swiss from some Sbarro - and here the Russians decided to show off with Colani-style biodesign.

The concept had sliding doors, a transparent bubble roof, swivel front seats and sliding rear seats, a flat floor ... When the driver exited, the steering wheel stood up vertically, while AvtoVAZ designers placed not only on-board function control buttons on the steering wheel itself, but also the devices themselves!

The drive and transmission of the Rapan were taken from the experimental electric Oka, and the batteries were hidden under the floor, which gave a low center of gravity and ideal weight distribution along the axes. True, weighing one and a half tons, the electric car accelerated to a maximum of 90 km / h. And he didn’t go far: it was expected that he would attract energy giants like RAO UES of Russia to the development of electric vehicles, but they didn’t seem interested at all. Well, at least the only copy of "Rapan" was not put under pressure, but kept for history.

Lada Peter Turbo

Created two layouts

As history has shown, the bold experiments of VAZ designers were not limited to Rapan. And already in 2000, at the Moscow Motor Show, a new Peter Turbo concept car gathered crowds around itself - in it, the designers of the AvtoVAZ scientific and technical center showed their view of the minivan of the near future. And although it was just a model without a salon and even without doors, he managed to attract attention to himself.

Lada Peter Turbo

TO Paris Motor Show Peter Turbo had both windows and an interior with a steering column, which, together with the instruments, moved out from under the body cross member. The concept was then appreciated not only by the visitors of the salon, but also by many world designers. The project had enough worthy ideas in design and aerodynamics (the drag coefficient was only 0.2), but none of these developments were implemented in mass production - and Peter Turbo remained a mockup.

"Tarzan 1" and "Tarzan 2"

Made to order in small batches

Tarzan is not only a half-naked man from the jungle and the husband of Natasha Koroleva. There was also such a small-scale attempt by AvtoVAZ to cross the all-wheel drive Niva with a more comfortable passenger body from front wheel drive models!

"Tarzan" was created by the joint efforts of the pilot production of the plant, the company "Lada-Consul" and the design studio Decon. For the car of the first generation, serial Samara bodies were used (3- and 5-door hatches and a 4-door sedan), which were placed on the frame. And on it, in turn, screwed serial units from Niva - engine, gearbox, transfer case, suspension, steering ... The frame itself, elongated universal joints, springs and shock absorbers were original. By the way, rear brakes were disc, and the rear suspension was independent, assembled from parts of the front suspension of the same "Niva"! The opening between the frame and the body was masked by overlays, and the expanders wheel arches and developed bumpers made Tarzan-1 look like a Dakar prototype. Moreover, for public utilities, the no less original-looking Tarzan-UTS model was also produced. Lada Revolution

Lada Revolution 3

Released several dozen racing Revolution

The Lada Revolution project is definitely one of AvtoVAZ's most famous undertakings of the first 10th anniversary of this century. Vigorously red single-seater sports prototype Revolution made a loud debut in 2003 at motor shows in Moscow and Frankfurt. Essentially, it was racing car, who competed in the monocup of the same name, which was held by the AvtoVAZ National Racing Series from 2004 to 2008. A road version was also planned.

Completely designed and built by the well-known Togliatti company Torgmash, the Lada Revolution sports prototype weighed only 670 kg and was equipped with a VAZ 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine, first boosted to 165, and later to 215 hp. The motor was aggregated with a 5-speed cam box"Torgmash", and the most powerful Lada Revolution spent only about 6.5 seconds to accelerate to 100 km / h. But in 2008, a crisis broke out, cheaper ring cars became more relevant, and after several dozen cars released, the Lada Revolution racing project quietly came to naught.

Lada Revolution 3

But at parting, Lada still shied away with another small revolution! So, in 2008, at the Paris Motor Show, the concept of a “civilian” mid-engined sports car Lada Revolution 3 was shown, made by the VAZ branch of Lada Sport based on a ring prototype. Revolution 3 was based on steel space frame, on which light and inexpensive plastic panels were placed. The car weighed just over 1 ton. For the rear-wheel drive version, a Renault 2-liter turbo engine with a return of (245 hp, 310 Nm) was planned, with which acceleration to 100 km / h was supposed to take only 5.9 seconds. An all-wheel drive version with a 3.7-liter Nissan engine 350 hp For the price it could turn out, if not budget, then clearly cheaper than analogues. But, alas, the VAZ sports car also remained only at the project stage.

Today you will not surprise anyone with the release of a limited version of a particular model. Automakers delight consumers with limited releases of their products, not even to stimulate sales, but rather to maintain their own image. Whether it was about 20 years ago, when automakers in the struggle for a client as soon as they did not excel over stock handicrafts. Domestic factories were no exception.

This year, the Volga auto giant is celebrating its 48th anniversary. Yes, yes, the locomotive of our automobile industry is already almost fifty dollars. By the way, on July 20, 1966, a government decree "On the construction of an automobile plant in Togliatti" was signed. It is from this moment that the history of AvtoVAZ originates, which today a foreigner invited to a leading position is trying to radically change.

However, Bo Andersson, who at one time raised the dying GAZ from his knees, will not make it worse, rather the opposite. Progress is evident and a direct proof of this is the improvement in the quality of assembly of cars, the modernization of components and assemblies and a radical update of the model line as a whole. But the upcoming new products have already been written and rewritten, it remains only to wait for their official premieres, which will be held as part of the upcoming Moscow Motor Show. We, in turn, decided to recall the brightest and extravagant "VAZ" models released by Togliatti at the end last century. Let's see how the then marketers paid tribute to fashion, trying to stir up the interest of post-Soviet buyers in their products.

VAZ 210934 "Tarzan"

The Tarzan SUV, built on the basis of the Niva and "dressed" in a body from the "nine", was born in 1997. However, despite the abundance of those wishing to purchase a novelty, only a few hundred of them were released. According to rumors, something was not shared at AvtoVAZ with the design firm Decon, which, in collaboration with Lada-Consul specialists, designed the SUV. True, the idea of ​​​​the developers cannot be called outstanding - the car inherited the entire “stuffing” from the Niva, starting from the suspension and handouts to the steering mechanism and power unit. And in order to charm the Russians who were then practically unfamiliar with tuning, the creators “wrapped” the car in an aggressive aero body kit with swollen bumpers, moldings, arch extensions and sills. These "bells and whistles" also helped to hide frank gaps at the joints of the body and frame from the eyes. In general, purely in Russian - simply and technologically!

VAZ 21109 "Consul"

Other, no less interesting development"Lada-Consul" became the model of the same name with the factory index VAZ 21109, which was presented to the public in the same 1997. The novelty is a stretched version of the notorious "tens", whose body was lengthened by as much as 700 millimeters, making at that time, albeit a little funny, but overall a spectacular limousine. Automobile executive class, as the Volzhans themselves called it, could boast of outlandish airbags for us, anti-lock braking system, leather interior, air conditioner and light alloy wheels.

The car for VIPs was driven by an engine from the VAZ 2112. Curiously, despite its length, the car could take on board no more than four people - two in front, two in the back. Tables filled the rest of the cabin, along with a built-in bar, a portable refrigerator, and a VCR with a small TV.

VAZ 212183 "Landole"

An open modification of the off-road "Niva", which, by the way, not so long ago could be ordered by issuing a preliminary application at the PSA BRONTO enterprise, where they were engaged in the manufacture of the "Russian Wrangler" in small batches. "Rogue" has neither a roof nor doors, but instead of the usual trunk - a board, like a pickup truck. In order not to get wet from the rain and keep the luggage intact, the whole thing is covered with a tarpaulin, which is fixed on an additionally installed roll cage. For operation in extreme conditions, Landole was equipped with protective pipes around the entire perimeter of the car, and the floor mats were replaced with linoleum. On the chairs - easy to clean leatherette.

VAZ 212180 "Fora"

Another interpretation of the "Niva", presented by the masters of "PSA BRONTO", was published in 1996 and was called "Fora". It is worth noting that the "freshly baked" novelty immediately won overwhelming popularity among buyers. Luxurious, as it was popularly called, the SUV received doors extended by 300 millimeters and slightly raised back roofs. The hard rear row seats were replaced by a wide and soft sofa, borrowed from the G8. And as additional options it was possible to order a protective plastic body kit, steering wheel hydraulics and even air conditioning.

VAZ 212182 "Force"

Remember the grey-green cash-in-transit armored cars with the Niva nameplate? About her, in fact, and speech. If desired, by the way, such a car could be ordered personally for yourself. In fact, the model is an armored version of the same "stuffed" "Fora", heavier by 430 kilograms and equipped with reinforced springs and suspension. Of course, you won’t envy the dynamics of a car, but you don’t have to worry about safety. IN engine compartment"battleship" installed an autonomous fire extinguishing system, a more powerful battery and an air conditioner compressor. Otherwise, there were no significant changes.

VAZ-2120 "Hope"

Having adopted the experience of Western colleagues, Togliatti seriously thought about building a full-fledged family car, which became in 1998 the first domestic minivan with the name "Nadezhda" that did not justify itself later. The basis for the car was a modified platform from the Niva, which the VAZ engineers lengthened by almost half a meter. As a result, consumers received an all-wheel drive seven-seater van with enough spacious interior and voluminous luggage compartment. True, the model did not win success, and in eight years of assembly production, no more than 8 thousand such cars rolled off the assembly line of AvtoVAZ. Sunk into oblivion and plans for the release on the same basis of a pickup truck and light commercial van.

September 28 is the day of the machine builder in Russia. The closest and most understandable machine builders for us work at AvtoVAZ. On the occasion of the holiday, “Another City” will tell about their wildest fantasies.

Text: Andrey Kochetkov

For almost half a century of its existence, AvtoVAZ has developed a lot of prototypes, concept cars and cars that simply did not reach mass production. Some of them can now be seen at the AvtoVAZ Technical Museum in Togliatti. Some now exist only in photographs. When you admire some of them, it becomes a pity that they did not go into the series. And they will not be able to be examined in more detail somewhere in a traffic jam on the Moscow Highway. Some of the models are inspiring. After contemplating some of them, one wants to forget oneself in the fumes of revelry at the Bottom. Some ideas were rather straightforwardly borrowed from foreign colleagues. Some were the fruits of their own Togliatti fantasy. In a word, this not the most famous part of AvtoVAZ's developments looks as contradictory and ambiguous as the lineup, gone into the series.

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

VAZ-E1101

This cute dwarf, Tyrion Lannister from the "Game of Thrones" from the car industry, was born in late 1972. In an era when the "troika" was the latest innovative development of "VAZ", put into production. And the production of the Soviet tetralogy of cartoons about Cheburashka has not yet crossed the equator.

Actually, the name of the new at that time cartoon hero was called the alternative experimental version of the "penny" at the factory. compact front wheel drive car started thinking back in 1968. How own development, which is an alternative to the Fiat twins, the serial production of which lasted at VAZ for another four decades. "Another penny", made from scratch by semi-handicraft methods, has forever remained a prototype. She could not compete with Fiat's developments and did not go to the assembly line. For example, a cute dwarf let gases into the cabin.

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

VAZ-2122 "River"

The most famous Soviet jeep "Niva" is currently considered in the world almost the main achievement domestic auto industry. It is not for nothing that for almost three decades it has been produced and sold by the plant. It is 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 the "River", is the first and last amphibian at the moment, created in Togliatti. A car that moves due to the rotation of its own wheels both on land and on water has never been mass-produced.

It's a pity... Shoals of "Rivers", plowing the Volga gave with a background of the Zhiguli mountains, excite the imagination.

VAZ-1801 "Pony"

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

After about 10 years, the factory developed its own likeness of the British. It was an electric car with two batteries, the charge of which was enough for 110-120 kilometers. Design appearance the model, code-named "Pony", was handled by the creator of the exterior, "Okie".

The Soviet electric car was supposed to be launched for the Moscow Olympics. But they did not manage to bring it to mind by the deadline. And then he was forgotten, previously lit up on several car exhibitions. Which is no wonder... Why did the USSR need a golf cart? The country at that moment wanted more cars, which were convenient to carry a pumpkin from the dacha.

VAZ-21073

One of the modifications of the "seven", created in the year of the 400th anniversary of Kuibyshev. Crazy fantasy on the theme of "Volvo" design. In fact, this is an attempt to cross 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 thrown into the serial launch of the Lada Sputnik.

LADA RAPAN

This miracle came to earth as if from a dream of Luc Besson, who had gone overboard. The car is named after a predatory mollusk, brought from the Far East to the Black Sea and at the moment gobbled up almost all the small fauna there. "Rapan" is an electric car shown in 1998 after a long 12 years of development. The car, whose controls are hidden in the steering wheel, was greeted with great curiosity at the Paris Motor Show. But it was just a case of "seeing Paris and dying."

AvtoVAZ wanted to involve RAO UES of Russia in order for the holding to equip the existing conventional filling stations with Rapanov recharging devices. But in the diocese of Anatolia Chubais, the idea did not arouse enthusiasm. And the world's only Rapan now stands in the AvtoVAZ control room, and Tesla electric cars from Silicon Valley drive on the world's roads.

LADA OKA-2

Small new generation car domestic production, which is so lacking on our congested roads, was even produced at AvtoVAZ. But they made "Oku-2" in the middle of the 2000s in total in the amount of 10 pieces. And something went wrong...

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

VAZ-2120 "Hope"

The first minivan of domestic production was made at the pilot production of AvtoVAZ from 1998 to 2006. "Hopes" managed to make as many as 8,000. But special faith and love for them domestic consumers did not experience. They were called obsolete and unreasonably expensive.

The quote "makes the impression of a car assembled from spare parts from different models Says almost everything about Nadezhda.

However, the “twenties” also have their fans. As with everything that is made on the basis of the Niva.

LADA CARAT

Another concept car is an Oki-themed fantasy. Shown in 2002 and turned into an exhibit of 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".

First, plan to call the car "Strezhen". But this name was hacked to death because of the Russian letter “Zh”, which is inconvenient for promotion on the world market. As a result, the 51st "Lada" was called "Neoclassic". But the "ecological niche" of "Neoclassics" in model line the plant was occupied by Kalina. And the 51st remained just a rather successful fantasy of factory designers and constructors.

LADA C

Volzhan joint project with the Canadian "Magna International". What you see in the photo is "Kalina 4x4". No matter how wild it sounds.

In 2006, Togliatti with a company from Ontario decided to launch the production of 10 new models at once. In 2009, Canadians were smoked out of Togliatti by 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 will not see such a "Kalina 4x4" on the streets of cities. You can stop being afraid.