Automotive industry in the Soviet Union

The automotive industry in the Soviet Union spanned the history of the state from 1929 to its dissolution. It began with assistance from Western manufacturers and grew into a substantial industry with multiple makes.

History

The oldest Soviet automaker, GAZ (Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod, "Gorky Automobile Factory") was built in 1929 by Ford - a very wise move on the part of the Soviet leadership because, at the time, Ford was the largest automobile company in the world with Model T comprising over 90% of the world's car fleet.

A year later, Ford built the second automobile plant, AZLK, in Moscow.

At the beginning of 1960s it became clear that Soviet industry was not able to design and launch a decent car for the masses.^{[citation needed]} The Soviet leadership again turned to the West seeking technical assistance. Several options were considered - Volkswagen, Ford, etc. FIAT was chosen because at the time Italian communists were gaining power in Italy and it was a good chance for the USSR to show support. The plant was built in just 6 years in a small town of Stavropol Volzhsky, which was later renamed Togliatti to commemorate Palmiro Togliatti, an Italian communist leader who died two years prior while visiting a children's summer camp in Ukraine.^{[citation needed]}

By the early 1980s Soviet automobile industry consisted of several plants which produced cars for various market segments:

• ZAZ - manufacturer of small cheap cars
• VAZ (export brand Lada): produced a licensed copy of Fiat 124, '67 Car of the Year and other models based on it.
• AZLK (aka Moskvitch): originally part of GAZ, was an official "competitor" of VAZ but produced slightly less advanced (but easier to service and repair) cars
• GAZ: produced business-class sedans for Soviet officials
• ZIL: manufacturer of limousines for the Communist party elite
• UAZ: produced light four-wheel-drive vehicles for the army
• LuAZ: produced compact four-wheel-drive vehicles

With the exception of ZAZ and LuAZ, which were located in the Ukrainian SSR, all the abovementioned companies were located in the Russian SFSR.

Post-1991

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, it became hard for Russian/Ukrainian automakers to thrive. Some automakers, like AvtoVAZ, have turned to collaborations with other companies (such as GM-AvtoVAZ) in order to keep the factories running. Others, like AZLK, have become dormant, while still others still build the old Soviet-era models. Then there are special cases, like ZAZ, which have transformed themselves into new companies - in ZAZ's case they are now known as UkrAVTO.

Soviet automotive manufacturers

Armenia

• ErAZ

Azerbaijan

• Gyandzha Auto Plant
• Nakhchivan Auto Plant

Belorus

• BelAZ
• MAZ

Georgia

• KAZ

Kazakhstan

• Azia Avto

Latvia

• Russo-Balt
• RAF

Lithuania

• KAG

Russia

• Avtotor
• AvtoVAZ
• AZLK
• GAZ
• Izhmash
• Kamaz
• KAvZ
• Lada
• LiAZ
• Moskvitch
• NefAZ
• PAZ
• SeAZ
• TagAZ
• UAZ
• UralAZ
• ZiL
• ZiS
• ZMA

Ukraine

• Anto-Rus
• Cherkasky Avtobus
• BAZ
• ChAZ
• Eurocar
• Etalon-Avto
• HalAZ
• KrASZ
• KrAZ
• LAZ
• LuAZ
• ZAZ

Uzbekistan

• GM Uzbekistan
• SamAuto
• UzDaewooAuto

See also

• Economy of the Soviet Union

References

External links

• GM-AvtoVAZ