Many Soviet models copied the design or construction of European and American cars. Even the “Zaporozhets” and the UAZ “Loaf” have foreign prototypes.
It is no secret that the USSR actively copied many Western developments. In the automotive industry, such plagiarism was especially widespread and it is visible to the naked eye if you look at Soviet cars, their prototypes from Europe and America. Focus will tell you about passenger cars from the USSR, copied from Western models.
GAZ-A and Ford-A
GAZ-A
Photo: “Behind the Wheel”
Ford A
Photo: Ford
Already the first mass-produced passenger car from the USSR turned out to be a copy of the “capitalist” model. The 1932 GAZ-A was no different from the Ford A, because the Soviet government acquired a license from Henry Ford to produce these 40-horsepower cars. And Ford AA trucks became GAZ-AA in the USSR. By the way, the first copies of the Ford A were assembled in Kharkov while the Gorky Automobile Plant was still under construction.
GAZ M1 and Ford Model B
GAS M1
Photo: “Behind the Wheel”
Ford Model B
Photo: Ford
The GAZ-A was replaced in 1936 by the M1 model, which is a copy of the more modern Ford Model B of 1932. The American car was equipped with a 3.3-liter 50-horsepower four and a 3.6-liter V8 with 75-90 hp. s., however, the Emka was exclusively four-cylinder.
L-1 (ZiS-101) and Buick Limited
L-1 was a prototype of the ZiS-101
Buick 32-90
Photo: General Motors
The prototype of the first Soviet executive car L-1 was an exact copy of the Buick 32-90. The production model ZiS-101 received a more modern body from the American company Budd, but retained all the filling from Buick, including a 5.7-liter inline eight with 110 hp. With.
ZiS-110 and Packard 180
ZiS-110
Photo: Drom
Packard 180
Joseph Stalin was very fond of Packard cars, so it is not surprising that the Soviet ZiS-110 limousine became a clone of the Packard 180. True, Stalin’s car was lengthened, and the volume of its eight was increased to 6 liters.
“Moskvich-400” and Opel Kadett
“Moskvich-400”
Photo: “Behind the Wheel”
Opel Kadett
Photo: Opel
In 1945, the entire Opel plant was dismantled in Germany and transported to Moscow as post-war reparations. Thus, the budget Opel Kadett of 1938 turned into the Moskvich-400. By the end of the 40s, this model was already outdated, but it was produced in the USSR until 1956.
GAZ-13 “Chaika” and Packard Caribbean
GAZ-13 “Seagull”
Packard Carribean
They continued to copy Packard in the USSR in the 50s. The Seagull looks like the 1955 Packard Carribean, and even the emblem on the radiator grille is similar. At the same time, the design of the 3-speed automatic transmission with buttons instead of a lever was taken from the Chrysler TorqueFlite transmission.
UAZ “Buhanka” and Jeep Forward Control
UAZ-450
Jeep Forward Control
It’s hard to believe, but even the 1958 UAZ-450 did not have an original design. The “loaf” was clearly created with an eye on Jeep Forward Control, which appeared two years earlier. In addition, both models are all-wheel drive and designed for off-road use.
Important Tuning ZAZ-968: the most original and unusual “Cossacks” (photo)
ZAZ-965 and Fiat 600
ZAZ-965
Photo: ZAZ
Fiat 600
Photo: Fiat
The design of the humpbacked “Zaporozhets” was clearly created under the influence of the mass-produced Fiat 600, which was produced in socialist Yugoslavia under the Zastava brand. Although it should be noted that in this case we are not talking about directly copying the appearance, and the design of the Ukrainian small car is different.
ZAZ-968 and NSU Prinz
ZAZ-968
Photo: ZAZ
NSU Prince
Even the ZAZ-968 had its own prototype – the German NSU Prinz of 1961. The similarity of the two models is visible to the naked eye, but it should be noted that NSU also copied the design of the Chevrolet Crovair. By the way, the Prinz was also rear-engine, but two-cylinder.
VAZ-2101 and Fiat 124
VAZ-2101
Photo: AVTOVAZ
Fiat 124
Photo: Fiat
“Zhiguli” is perhaps the most famous Soviet copy of a Western car. In the USSR they bought a license for the Fiat 124, recognized as the best car of 1966 in Europe. For Soviet roads, the VAZ-2101’s ground clearance was increased, and the rear disc brakes were replaced with drum brakes.
VAZ-2103
Photo: AVTOVAZ
Fiat 125
Photo: Wikipedia
Few people know that both the VAZ-2103 and 2106 have an Italian brother – this is the Fiat 125. Soviet clones are still somewhat different from it in the design of the front end.
Important Nobody needs: a warehouse with two dozen VAZs without mileage was discovered in Europe (photo)
“Moskvich-2141” and Simca 1307
“Moskvich-2141”
Simca 1307
When creating the new Moskvich in the early 80s, the AZLK plant received a direct order to copy the design of a Western car. The Simca 1307 was chosen as a donor, which became the European car of the year, like the Fiat 124. Both models have a front-wheel drive layout and a hatchback body, with similar design and interior.
Previously Focus said that the new flagship Moskvich 6 turned out to be not an independent development, but a Chinese JAC.
We also wrote that a 50-year-old VAZ station wagon with no mileage was found in Ukraine.
2023-10-20 14:26:14
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