Export modifications of Zaporozhets. Car "Zaporozhets": characteristics, models, history and reviews

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

The history of this small car began in the late fifties, when it became clear that the country was in dire need of a particularly small class car, a kind of “people's car” in the manner of a Citroen Shee-Vee or a Beetle. The initial development of the car was entrusted to the Moscow Minicar Plant (MZMA). Work began at the end of 1956, the Italian FIAT 600 was taken as the basis, and the development was entrusted to the Moscow Minicar Plant.
Already in 1957, a prototype of the future “Zaporozhets” was created - then still Moskvich - 444, and a total of 5 experimental vehicles were made. By 1958, it became clear that the fully loaded Moscow plant simply did not have the capacity to produce a new minicar. And on November 28, 1958, the USSR Council of Ministers made a “historic” decision to organize the production of a new car at the Zaporozhye agricultural machinery plant “Kommunar” without stopping the production of the main type of product. Melitopol Motor Plant (MeMZ) was appointed as the engine supplier
Production had to be opened practically from scratch; the plant did not have its own “automotive” engineers, therefore part of the team was called up from GAZ and the same MZMA, and some did internships at these factories.

Serial FIAT-600.

Moskvich-444. Prototype 1958. Features distinctive design elements and two-tone body paint

ZAZ-965. Prototype 1960. The characteristic teardrop-shaped turn signals on the wings are visible

ZAZ-965. Serial version. Photo taken Pavel Kuneev Judging by the mirror and molding on the sidewall, the export modification of the ZAZ-965AE Yalta

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

« Experimental Muscovites turned out to be popular models. They could somehow move on their own, but they couldn’t drive on the road with a load. Judge for yourself: the front suspension with a transverse spring provided a dynamic stroke of only 30-40 mm, although for our roads we needed at least 70. And this Irbit motorcycle engine? After all, it was immediately clear that he was unfit! We didn’t even seriously test this sample.»

Failures related to the engine always plagued the Cossacks. At first, for a long time they could not find the required power unit, they even equipped experimental samples with BMW engines, then in the shortest possible time they “customized” a motor created by US and hastily sent to Zaporozhye... Air cooling of the engine automatically meant the presence of an autonomous stove, in the end both the other did not work properly and did not have sufficient resources.

In 1961, the first batch of “Humpbacks” was released. However, it did not end up in auto stores, but was distributed to related stores. It was impossible to disrupt the plan for the production of passenger cars in the USSR! Therefore, we got out as best we could, modernizing the frankly “crude” car “on the fly”...

Several main modifications were produced based on the Gorbaty:
 965AE - export modification, featured improved interior trim and sound insulation, as well as an ashtray and radio as standard equipment. In Western markets it was sold under the names Yalta or Jalta. By the way, the dealer of Yalta was also the company Scaldia-Volga, which we discussed in one of the previous posts. According to various sources, about 5,000 copies were exported.

 965B/965AB/965AR - a disabled modification intended for people with damaged legs and healthy arms.
 965P - pickup truck for in-plant use. In general, the feasibility of creating a pickup truck based on a rear-engine car is very doubtful. Created using bypass technology, it had neither a side nor a rear door.
 965C - a letter collection car with right-hand drive and caps instead of rear windows.

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

In 1963, the first Soviet “beach” comedy “Three Plus Two” was released on the screens of the country. A lyrical and carefree film with tanned heroes, shiny cars and restaurants on the seashore, at first the powers that be strongly disliked the movie. Like, how come: Soviet people do nothing on camera for an hour and a half! They go on car chases, read Western novels and have love affairs. Such skepticism, however, did not prevent the film from attracting 35 million people when viewed in cinema halls across the country... However, for us the picture is valuable primarily for the 966th Zaporozhets in the supporting role, as well as for Andrei Mironov’s catchphrase: “The tin can of the Zaporozhets system.”

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

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

What new brand did diplomat Vadim ask veterinarian Roman about remains a mystery, because... by 1963, the ZAZ-966 model was not yet produced. One can only assume that two friends visited VDNKh, where new concepts of the “maturing” 966 were exhibited annually...

Meanwhile, objectively speaking, the ZAZ-965 was initially an already outdated model: the body and rear suspension were borrowed from the popular FIAT-600, the front suspension from the Volkswagen Beetle, the engine was similar to the Tatra “air”, only greatly reduced. By the way, the FIAT 600 also “appeared in a movie” at one time, and not just from anyone, but from maestro Frederico Fellini himself. It was the white Fiat that became the first car of one of the minor characters in the 1957 film “Nights of Cabiria”.

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

In Kyiv, near the building of the road technical school on the Lybidska metro station, a monument to the “965th” was erected.

Historical information: Zaporozhye plant Kommunar has a long history. It was founded in 1863 (interestingly, two years after the abolition of serfdom) by the Dutchman Abraham (Abraham) Koop and specialized in the production of agricultural machinery. In 1923, the former Koop plant was nationalized and renamed Kommunar. While maintaining the main line of activity, the plant repurposed itself to produce more modern products - combines and tractors. In 1961, the plant was renamed Zaporozhye Automobile Plant and the production of automobile products began there.

In 1966, the plant began producing a new model of the Zaporozhets - ZAZ-966. There is still controversy surrounding the design of this car. Many point out the obvious similarities with the West German NSU Prinz 4. However, the fundamental idea in the Prince's design - namely the encircling horizontal belt line - in turn is an element of the styling of the 1960 American Chevrolet Corvair. By the way, the “Constipation” so familiar to us could have looked much bolder, as evidenced by the search prototypes of those years. However, the elaborate front fenders, sloping roof and abundance of chrome would very quickly make the car obsolete, and a private change or update of the main model was impossible for a number of reasons. Perhaps that is why a more “calm” externally version was put into production. Structurally, it was not much different from its predecessor and was equipped with only a slightly “updated” engine from the previous model (ZAZ-966 with MeMZ-966V engine - 887 cc, 27 hp).

One of the first prototypes of the "966th". 1961 There is a strong influence of the American school of design.

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

And this option strongly resembles the VAZ “kopek” in the design of the front end.

"Original Source": 1960 Chevrolet Corvair

Serial ZAZ-966

ZAZ -968 has been produced since 1972. It was also distinguished by the introduction of reversing lights. Before us, however, is again an export modification.

Full-scale production of the ZAZ-966 with its own power unit (1198 cc, 41 hp) began later, in 1967. However, there were not enough 1.2-liter engines for all the cars, and some of the cars, even the next, “968th” model, were equipped with a 30-horsepower engine, which traced its lineage directly to the ZAZ-965 engine and even at that time did not provide the necessary speakers.

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

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

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

ZAZ-970. 1961

ZAZ-970B. 1962

ZAZ-970B vans had a partition between the passenger compartment and the cargo compartment. The useful volume of the cargo compartment was 2.5 cubic meters. The vehicle's carrying capacity was 350 kg with driver and passenger. The rear-engine layout of the 970 family led to unique access to cargo in the van body - cargo doors were located on both sides of the body. In addition, some sources mention another auxiliary door at the rear, above the engine. It is also worth noting that due to the V-shaped design of the engine, it protruded into the body with a “hump”, which is why the cargo area was not level over the entire floor area

Pickup ZAZ-970G "Virgin Land". 1962-1964

All-wheel drive ZAZ-971. 1962

Soon after the creation of the experimental ZAZ-970 truck, in 1962, the Kommunar plant built the all-wheel drive ZAZ-971 with a tilt top, also made on the ZAZ-965A and ZAZ-966 units. The car had a rear-mounted power unit. Only one car with this body was built. Subsequently, the plant carried out work to create all-wheel drive modifications of cars of the 970 family based on design solutions developed on the ZAZ-971.

In 1969, the cartoon "Crocodile Gena" was released on the country's screens about a crocodile who, oddly enough, works as an African crocodile in a zoo. Children are very happy with the new, unusually staged puppet cartoon, and adults are renaming “Constipation” to “Cheburashka” for the characteristic shape of the “air intake ears.”

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

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

Experimental ZAZ-968M. The “ennobled” wheels attract attention. These didn't make it into the series

In terms of changes in design, the designers followed the classic restyling scheme for those years: gradually the car lost its original chrome decorative elements, and their place was taken by plastic or rubber ones. During the modernization, Zaporozhets lost both its famous ears and the characteristic chrome strip on the front end, called “Soviet Wings,” and the rounded turn signals and lights were replaced by square and rectangular ones, respectively. During its entire long assembly line life, the car never acquired a powerful and modern engine. And even the 968 M version was sometimes equipped with weak 30-horsepower engines, although 41 and even 50-horsepower engines were already produced.

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

In total, during the production of Zaporozhets, about three million copies were produced, which is certainly not a lot for a country with a population of almost three hundred million (as of 1991). The same FIAT-600, produced from 1955 to 1969 - i.e. 14 years old, sold 2,600,000 copies, while by 1970 the population of Italy was about fifty-three million people. “Zaporozhets” did not become truly popular. Neither the efforts of Nikita Khrushchev, nor the unconditional enthusiasm of the enterprise team could perform a miracle where this miracle was not expected. Tester Ivan Koshkin speaks most eloquently about the failures of his native enterprise: “...The whole country worked for geniuses, but only in one area - defense.” And yet, for a huge part of Soviet car enthusiasts, Zaporozhets fulfilled its task - it became the first car, introduced it to a different culture of movement and way of life. They say that in 1972, Leningrad State University student Volodya Putin won his first car in the lottery - it was a ZAZ-966. Of course, we will hardly know whether this is a “stuffing” or true - however, in many ways, “Ushastik” was really the first and if he had been a little lucky, he would definitely have become the most popular car...

P.S. On January 28, 2011, the last Ukrainian Slavuta car rolled off the ZAZ assembly line. From that moment on, the plant switched exclusively to assembling foreign cars.

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

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

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

ZAZ-965/965A

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

The car has 4 seats, including the driver's seat. The front and rear windows can be used interchangeably. The doors have an excellent mechanism that allows you to open the doors backwards. The power unit that this Zaporozhets car received was new to the global automobile industry, as it was used quite rarely. It is a 4-cylinder engine with special air cooling. It should be noted that it is located at the back, not at the front. The rear wheels became the driving wheels. The described model ZAZ-365 was produced for export and for disabled people.

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

ZAZ-966/968/968A

After the production of the first generation was fully debugged, development of the next modification began. This happened in 1961. The prototype from which the new model was created appeared in the fall of the same period. However, the plant’s fabulous plans were hampered by the economic situation of the enterprise (there was not enough finance), and the fact that the working team had little experience had a strong influence. At the same time, all the elements that were added to the model were borrowed from other copies, in particular from foreign ones.

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

The Zaporozhets 968 car was practically no different from the 966 model. Its main feature among all available ones is an improved engine option and a slightly modified control panel. The manufacturer constantly released a modernized version of the machine. The changes were minimal, but within a few years (by 1978) the car acquired a completely new look. The ZAZ-968A car was a representative of these copies. The security system, brakes, and instrument panel were improved. The latter was also used in such a vehicle as the ZAZ-968M car.

"Zaporozhets" 968M

The model with the “M” index went into production in 1979. It was she who closed the leading era of the “Cossacks”. This car was equipped with engines of 28, 41, 45 and 50 horsepower. The second option was the most common.

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

It was this Zaporozhets car that became the most popular. It was he who could be found most often on the roads in his time. This model was also available in a version for the disabled.

"Zaporozhets" for export

Along with models for the domestic market, the Zaporozhye plant produced copies for export. Depending on which market a particular car was sent to, the name changed. There was “Yalta” (Jalta, Yalta) and “Eliette”. Such names were invented because for European people the word “Zaporozhets” is difficult both to perceive and to pronounce. Export versions differed from authentic copies in their improved level of sound insulation. Rear view mirrors, radio, and trim were also installed.

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

Jokes about "Zaporozhets"

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

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

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

Engine

In various modifications, the engine had power from 41 to 50 hp. With. At the same time, it made a fairly loud roar during operation. The unit is capable of operating for about 40-50 km, but consumers who do not monitor what fuel their car “absorbs” are more to blame for this. However, this is the main advantage of the engine. If imported versions are capable of dying in such conditions after a short period of time, then “Zaporozhets” will serve faithfully for a very long time. The installed “air vents” were designed for a volume of 1.2 liters.

Transmission

At first, the new transmission works well, but over time the rods become loose and the 4-speed gearbox begins to malfunction. A common problem is difficulty switching between speeds, which already leads to the creation of an emergency situation on the road. When purchasing, each buyer had to discuss this nuance with the seller.

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

And so, probably, the Kommunar plant would have been producing haymowers and harrows until now, if one day Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev had not come up with the idea of overtaking the States in terms of the number of cars per capita. True, unlike America, our car (like our apartment) should be small. Well, Khrushchev didn’t like big things!

And the choice fell on the “Fiat” new FIAT-600. Initially, the car was planned to be assembled at the Moskvich plant, and that is why the development of the car was undertaken by the MZMA design bureau, which, together with the NAMI Automotive Institute, developed the so-called Moskvich-444, later renamed Moskvich-560. But by decision of the Gosplan board, due to the overload of the MOSKVICH plant, it was decided to start production at the Kommunar plant in Zaporozhye.

And on November 22, 1960, the company produced the first batch of ZAZ-965, popularly called “Humpbacked” for its original body shape.

Almost immediately after the release of the “humpback”, the ZAZ design bureau began developing a new car, the ZAZ-966, which has a completely new body.

However, its production was delayed by the Union leadership, possibly for economic reasons: putting a new model on the assembly line just a year after the release of the previous one was considered wasteful. Therefore, ZAZ-966 was released only six years later.

It was a typical 1960s rectangular sedan with side air intakes as a design feature. People immediately called them “ears”, and the car itself was “eared”. So the era of the “humpbacked” ZAZ gave way to the long era of its even more anecdotal “eared” heir.

Its engine was also located at the rear. At first it was the 30-horsepower MeMZ-966A, which was installed on the latest modifications of its “hunchbacked” predecessor. Then the 40-horsepower MeMZ-966V appeared, which allowed the car to accelerate to a speed of 120 km/h on a straight road. True, in practice, not everyone achieved it, and fines for speeding by “Cossacks” were indeed so rare that they were regarded as a joke.

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

Perhaps further modernization of the model would have made it possible to create something interesting, but in the 1990s the prevailing opinion was that the Zaporozhets were a disgrace to the Ukrainian automobile industry. And the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant concentrated on the production of TAVRIA.

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

By 1976, two more prototypes were created - a sedan with front-wheel drive and an all-wheel drive hatchback. These two options formed the basis of the “Perspective” (that’s what the KB then called the “TAVRIA” car). In 1980, the creation of the car was completed and it took 7 long years to bring the design idea to life. It was only in 1988 that full-fledged production of this car began. On the basis of the developed "TAVRIA" a sedan car was created, which received the name "SLAVUTA".

The experimental developments of ZAZ, which were not put into mass production, deserve a special mention.

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

In essence, the car was a kind of exploratory layout work. The car was nicknamed “Sharpened” by the factory workers and, unlike subsequent cars of the 970 family, it had a small hood.

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

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

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

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

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

It should be noted right away that pickups of a similar design were produced by ZAZ, like any automobile plant, always for its own in-plant needs (a typical example is the ZAZ-965P). However, the ZAZ-968MP included in the series is nothing more than an attempt by the plant to offer the market its in-plant pickup truck as a delivery vehicle in the early 90s of the 20th century.

In fact, the ZAZ-968MP was made using a slipway-bypass technology - the rear part of the cab was cut off from a rejected or even standard (depending on the level of demand for pickup trucks in a particular period) ZAZ-968M body and the rear wall with a window was welded behind the front seats. The rear seat was not installed, the resulting niche was the cargo compartment.

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

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

The history of the LANOS car (supplied to Russia under the CHANCE brand) is very interesting. This front-wheel drive car, designed by ItalDesign, was first shown back in 1997. In 2002, Daewoo showed a new model called Kalos (in Russia, which changed the name, which was dissonant to the Russian ear, to AVEO), but Lanos continued to exist! In 1998, production of this car was launched in Poland and Ukraine.

And for almost 10 years now, this car has been one of the best-selling foreign cars in Russia, having proven itself to be a workhorse for taxi companies, courier services, traffic police, and enterprises that use it as a “traveling” car.

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

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

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

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

According to the automakers themselves, cooperation with the German automaker taught the factory workers a clear German approach to the quality of assembled cars. And, despite the fact that this cooperation has now been terminated for reasons of economic efficiency, car manufacturers still use the quality system that they mastered together with German partners.

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

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

Based on the Chinese Chery A-13, the Zaporozhye automobile plant began producing cars under its own ZAZ-FORZA brand.

Car manufacturers already had experience in assembling cars from China; in 2006, “pilot” batches of Chinese cars were assembled at the plant in Ilyichevsk, part of ZAZ CJSC.

And in December 2010, full assembly of the new car began on the ZAZ assembly line. It will be supplied not only to the domestic market of Ukraine, but also to the Russian Federation. Base, Comfort, Luxury versions will be presented in sedan and hatchback bodies. The cars are currently undergoing certification tests at a testing ground in Dmitrov near Moscow and will appear at dealers in mid-2011.

The text of the article and photographic materials were provided by A.O. Kremlev. - head of the marketing department of the car dealership "", the official dealer of the joint-stock company.

ZAZ cars have never been a luxury item. They were intended for low-income buyers. In the first years of the “thaw”, the Council of Ministers decided to master the production of a minicar in the USSR, cheaper than the Moskvich-401. Of several projects, we chose the most competent and mature one, developed at MZMA (current JSC Moskvich).

The designers of the plant did not reinvent the wheel, but skillfully used solutions tested by FIAT, Volkswagen and BMW. The first Zaporozhets was based on the design features and shape of the Italian FIAT-600 (FIAT). 3A3-965 had a monocoque two-door 4-seater body, a rear V-shaped air-cooled engine, independent suspension on all wheels, engine crankcases and gearboxes cast from magnesium alloy.

However, at MZMA itself there was no free space for the production of a new machine. Therefore, they decided to develop its production in Zaporozhye at the Kommunar agricultural machinery plant. On June 18, 1959, a prototype of the ZAZ-965 Zaporozhets car was released, and its serial production began in October 1960.

In the person of "Zaporozhets" the consumer received, although small, a full-fledged car with a four-cylinder engine, a four-seater interior, 13-inch wheels and an almost traditional body shape. The rear-mounted, air-cooled engine and independent suspension on all wheels, typical of European small cars, seemed unusual to Soviet motorists. For eight and a half years, the ZAZ-965 has been modernized more than once. The engine became more powerful, the engine compartment ventilation and electrical equipment, the rear hood and the front panel were changed.

Without outside help, ZAZ developed a more spacious second-generation Zaporozhets ZAZ-966. The ZAZ-966 Zaporozhets car was produced since November 1966. From the ZAZ-965A it inherited most of the components and assemblies: the MeMZ-966A engine with a power of 30 hp, gearbox, and suspension. It can be distinguished from subsequent models by the shiny decorative grille on the front end and the metal instrument panel.

The ZAZ-966V modification featured a 40 hp engine. (1197 cc, compression ratio 7.2, A-76 gasoline) and characteristics (curb weight 780 kg, total weight 1080 kg, maximum speed 120 km/h).

After modernization in 1972, the ZAZ-966V with a 40-horsepower engine received the index ZAZ-968, and its mass production began in the same year. External differences from the ZAZ-966 are reversing lights, the absence of jumpers in the air intakes and the inscription “Zaporozhets” on the right front fender.

Production of the ZAZ-968A began at the end of 1974. It was distinguished by: a decorative element on the front end that replaced the grille, a dual-circuit braking system, more comfortable seats (from the VAZ-2101), and a plastic instrument panel.

From 1980 to 1994, the plant produced an improved version of this car, the ZAZ-968M. The ZAZ-968M car entered the production line in 1979. The body design has undergone significant changes - the front panel of the body has become convex, the “ears” of the air intakes have been replaced with grilles, and the rear lights have acquired a more modern rectangular shape. There is less chrome and more black plastic.

From November 1966 to May 1969, ZAZ-965 and ZAZ-966 were produced in parallel. These cars could continue to coexist: the demand for the ZAZ-965 remained, but planning authorities forced the plant to discontinue production of the “humpbacked” Zaporozhets.

ZAZ-965 " Zaporozhets"

The ZAZ-968M was produced with three engine modifications: MeMZ-968E with a power of 40 hp. for A-76 gasoline with a K-133 carburetor - the basic model. MeMZ-968GE with a power of 45 hp, distinguished by a two-chamber DAAZ-2101-20 carburetor and an intake manifold for it. MeMZ-968BE with a power of 50 hp. for A-93 gasoline, which differed from MeMZ-968GE by an increased compression ratio to 8.4 due to changes in the design of the cylinder heads. Production of this last "classic" Zaporozhets ceased on July 1, 1994.

ZAZ-968M " Zaporozhets"

There was also a modification of the ZAZ-968E (export), distinguished by headlights that complied with international safety standards, a triplex windshield, decorative edging on the glass seals, and an ignition switch with an anti-theft device.

Modifications with manual controls were also produced: ZAZ-968B for people without both legs, ZAZ-968B2 for drivers with one leg and 3A3-968P for those with only one leg and one arm. Production of the ZAZ-966 was discontinued in December 1972, and its manual modifications were discontinued in January 1973.

ZAZ designers spent about 20 years creating a front-wheel drive small car. The Tavria, which appeared in 1988, despite its numerous shortcomings, suited many poor motorists.

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

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

ZAZ-965/965A.

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

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

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

Export options: Yalta / Jalta, Eliette.

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

Jokes about "Zaporozhets".

Due to the poor technical condition of most “Zaporozhets”,
caused mainly by the owners' failure to comply with maintenance rules, unusual rear-engine layout and small dimensions - ZAZ cars were quite often the object of jokes and anecdotes. It is also worth recognizing that in fact, the “Zaporozhets” were not inferior to the foreign analogues of their time in most operational qualities, and in this case the rumor was unfair to them. Moreover, in Europe, cars of similar class “Volkswagen Beetle”, “Renault 4CV”, “Fiat 500”, etc. are considered national treasures and symbols of their era; numerous replicas of them are produced.
Thus, ZAZ-965 was nicknamed “humpbacked” for the characteristic shape of the body, as well as “Jewish armored car”, ZAZ-966 and ZAZ-968 - “eared” or “Cheburashka” for the shape of the side air intakes of the cooling system, and ZAZ-968M “soap box” “for the similarity of the shape of the body that has lost its side air intakes (“ears”) with this object and the presence of cooling slots on the hood.
In post-Soviet times, many anecdotes appeared about various accidents involving the driver of a Zaporozhets and a “new Russian” in a 600 Mercedes, and this car was also sung by the famous Russian performer Bogdan Titomir, with the song “And the Zaporozhets is a car Class"))