Volzhsky Automobile Plant is the firstthe name of the leader of the domestic auto industry OJSC AvtoVAZ. So the company was called during the construction and production of the first cars, affectionately called “kopeks” by the people. In 1971, the plant was renamed and officially became known as the Volga Association for the production of passenger cars AvtoVAZ, and the following year the company was given an additional name for the 50th anniversary of the USSR. Before the restructuring, the plant produced cars under the brands "Zhiguli", "Oka", "Niva", "Samara" and "Sputnik". After the re-formation, a new trademark appeared - “Lada”. Nissan cars are also produced here, and soon new Renault will start to go off the assembly line. Headquarters before, and currently located in the city of Togliatti. Control over the company carries industrial alliance Nissan-Renault.
In the late 60s, it became apparent to the leadership of the USSR thatAZLK and GAZ products do not meet world engineering standards. After reviewing a number of sites, it was decided to build a car manufacturing enterprise in Tolyatti. This is how the Volga Automobile Plant appeared in the project. Its history began with the specialists of the Italian concern Fiat. The construction of the Volga Automobile Plant began in 1967, and was announced the All-Union Komsomol construction. Thousands of young people from all over the country gathered at such a significant event. The company was rebuilt in 2 years. In 1969, still at the stage of equipment installation, the formation of a team began, mainly from those people who built the plant. More than 800 enterprises from around the world supplied their products to equip the plant.
Первый автомобиль «Жигули» был сведен с конвейера Benito Guido Savoini, Chief Instructor, April 19, 1970. So began the life of the Volga Automobile Plant in Togliatti. Actually the name "Lada" then was not yet, "penny" officially called the VAZ-2101. And nicknamed - "Russian Fiat". Actually "kopek" was already the second popular name and it appeared in the 90s, when the VAZ-2101 was already discontinued. The prototype of the car was the Fiat 124R - an export modification of the concern especially for the USSR. In total, more than 8 hundred changes were made to the design, including the engine camshaft took the upper position, the piston stroke decreased, the ground clearance increased, the front suspension was changed, the engine was reequipped for a short stroke and other upgrades were made. But do not think that the successful experience of Fiat was taken over only in the USSR. In Bulgaria and Poland, licensed versions were produced, on the basis of one of the models, the Spanish Seat and the Turkish Tofash were developed.
Over the years, the Volga AutomobileThe plant has produced many modifications of cars. Not all of them were successful, but individual models were highly appreciated by consumers. "Kopek" quickly gained popularity due to its good technical parameters and a relatively inexpensive price. The first station wagon of the VAZ-2102 was no less successful and occupied this niche in the market for a long time. The following models did not enjoy high popularity, but the modification of the 76th year - VAZ-2106 - became, perhaps, the best car from the entire line of "Zhiguli". She had high-tech units and ideal parameters for domestic roads. The next successful car was the Niva, which began to be produced at the enterprise since the beginning of the 80s. It is worth noting that this is the only machine, massively exported by the USSR abroad. In the 84th, the VAZ-2108 Samara with a front wheel drive rolled off the assembly line, which caused a stir in the domestic market. In the 87th Volzhsky Automobile Plant produced the famous “nine”, on the basis of which some domestic cars are still making.
After the Volga Automobile Plant becameAvtoVAZ, the company has developed a new car brand. Pilot production of the Lada-110 began in 1995. It was first applied such innovations as airbags, electronic injection system, glued glass and other achievements of the global automotive industry. Subsequently, she went through many modifications, including a model with an Opel engine. Lada production was initiated not by the market, but by consumers who were in dire need of cheap and simple cars.
In December 2013, the last one went off the assembly line.car Lada-Samara. Today AvtoVAZ OJSC produces a new brand Lada-Granta. Its main improvement was the automatic transmission. For the Russian car industry - this is a real innovation. What will be her fate, is still unknown, since the model comes so far only in one version - the "sedan". But the car is already successful with domestic car enthusiasts and is selling well throughout the Russian Federation.
