The Soviet era embraced all kinds of vehicles, from the simple and functional to the amazingly innovative motor vehicles, many of which are collectibles today. But not all projects reached the assembly line - some died along with the Union. Take a look at the cutting edge concept cars built in the USSR and forgotten.
These little-known samples were supposed to breathe new life into the Soviet auto industry, but due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, they were never put into mass production. Here are some examples of interesting concepts and experimental models developed by Soviet engineers and designers.
1. Moskvich 408 Tourist (1964)
Convertible with an aluminum body, an experimental electronic fuel injection system and a top speed of 130 km / h could be a real find for the middle class. But the then leadership of the country decided that it was too luxurious for the Soviet proletariat, and exports were unsafe.
As a result, only two prototypes were born, after which the development of the concept ceased. But the idea of this 63-horsepower handsome man with a folding roof was nevertheless realized - it was used in the production of children's pedal cars.
2. AZLK 2139 Arbat (1987-1991)
The prototype of the seven-seater station wagon Arbat in 1987 was supposed to be a revolutionary car of the Soviet automobile industry of the 80-90s - convenient, reliable, economical, inexpensive to buy, repair and service.
The sample impressed with many innovative solutions: plastic body panels, a transforming saloon with swiveling front seats and adjustable pillow lengths, a multifunctional steering wheel, an electronic instrument cluster and other innovations unfamiliar to models those years.
But the authorities of the Union, with their dislike of the idea of affordable luxury cars for mere mortals, and the subsequent collapse of the state, made it only part of the rich exhibition in the Moscow AZLK museum.
3. Moskvich 2141 KR (1988)
With its 175-horsepower engine and a maximum speed of about 200 km / h, the 890-kilogram Moskvich 2141KR (rally prototype in 1988 for racing competitions of group "B") could become the flagship of small-scale Soviet sports cars.
But the idea never came to fruition. A sample created by young specialists at the Lenin Komsomol Automobile Plant went to the Autoreview Museum (Moscow).
4. AZLK-2143 (1991)
An all-wheel drive sedan with a wedge-shaped profile, twin side windows and the beautiful name "Yauza" looked extraordinary. On board there were power windows, a safety steering wheel and even a computerized control center developed by Soviet electronic engineers.
An experimental prototype with a futuristic design, the components and parts of which were tested on related models 2141, improved for several years and by 1991 was completely ready for serial launch. But the dreams of its creators did not come true: AZLK chose to redirect the funds allocated for it to modify the existing 2141/2142 lines, and Yauza became a museum exhibit.
5. ZIS 101A Sport (1939)
Designed on the platform of a seven-seat limousine, the one-of-a-kind two-seat ZIS was created in 1939. Donors for him were the existing models 101 (with a 5.8-liter engine and speeds up to 115 km / h) and ZIS 101A (with a modified engine that increases the speed limit by 15 km / h).
An even more advanced 101A Sport with a forced version of the latest power unit, timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary Komsomol, was personally approved by Stalin, but after the celebration the project was revised, recognized as unnecessary and safely forgotten.
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6. Moskvich-2144 "Istra" (1985)
This experimental model of AZLK with huge windows and vertical windows hitherto unseen in the Union gullwing doors was a fantasy of automotive engineers on the topic "What cars will be future." The designers never got to the prototype, running models: by 1991, only a single demonstration model was completed. The collapse of the country put an end to this promising project.
7. NAMI "Okhta" (1986-1987)
Innovative Okhta was created by young, eager for change designers from the Leningrad laboratory advanced prototyping of passenger cars of the central automotive research NAMI Institute.
Their concept accommodated up to seven people: the front seats rotated 180 degrees, the rest could be removed, and the rear ones could also be transformed into a comfortable table. In those days, such a system, especially in a Soviet car, was just a fantasy. But the real state of affairs in the then automobile industry made its own adjustments: only one copy was created, and it did not go beyond the museum.
It is also interesting to look at 4 famous Soviet motorcycles that have been ridden by more than one generation.
Source: https://novate.ru/blogs/140622/63272/