19.04



1970 - Birthday "penny". Yes, someone has "bug" someone Ford t. And in the Soviet Union became a national car VAZ 2101.
I remember how diametrically initially divided opinions and attitudes: one, try and see in fact, trying to cram in a queue to buy (or outbid, as citizens of the solar republic of double-triple the price - no exaggeration!), Others casually tsedili that, say , compared to the "Muscovites" -408 and especially -412 - unreliable piece of iron. But very quickly Togliatti version of Fiat 124 dot wherever possible. On set - quality, driving performance, safety and comfort - "Muscovites" and some were not. More precisely, just - stood. A "jig" went. Oh, and the price was comparable. The first "dime" cost 5000 rubles, the money for the majority of Soviet citizens strongly very large. But VAZ-2101 were in short supply until its phasing out in 1984. Lack of competition in the correct socialist economy - and one can not bathe for the implementation of vehicles. By the way, subsequent modifications, down to the WHA in 2108 (except for "Niva"), in general, were made on the basis of "a penny". Well, the body changes were generally purely symbolic. Cosmetics, max.
But, we must admit, being accomplished by the Italians in 1968, a very decent machine. As a result, more than 2, 5 million copies were produced. Yes, even now. I remember him well. It was with the advent of "Lada" really started the "movement" on the roads of the Union, since before the launch of the production line in Togliatti production volume of passenger cars in the country was purely symbolic ...