Lada is a
trademarkA trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
of
AvtoVAZAvtoVAZ is the Russian automobile manufacturer formerly known as VAZ: Volzhsky Avtomobilny Zavod , but better known to the world under the trade name Lada. The company was established in the late 1960s in collaboration with Fiat...
, a Russian car manufacturer in
TolyattiTolyatti , also known as Togliatti, is a city in Samara Oblast, Russia. It serves as the administrative center of Stavropolsky District, although it is administratively separate from it...
,
Samara OblastSamara Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Samara. Population: In 1936–1990, it was known as Kuybyshev Oblast , after the Soviet name of Samara .-Demographics:Population:...
. All AvtoVAZ vehicles are currently sold under the Lada brand, though this was not always so; Lada was originally AvtoVAZ's export brand for models it sold under the
ZhiguliThe VAZ-2101 is a compact car, sedan, produced by VAZ and introduced in 1970. VAZ had been founded in the mid-1960s as a collaboration between Fiat and the Soviet government, and the 2101 was its first product...
name in the domestic Soviet market since 1970.
Lada cars became extremely popular in Russia and Eastern Europe during the last two decades of the Soviet era, particularly in former Soviet bloc countries, where they have become a symbol of city life.
The name "Lada" means "ship" in
RussianRussian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
. The Lada badge also depicts a Viking sailing ship.
Overview
Lada made its name in
Western EuropeWestern Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
selling the
Fiat 124The Fiat 124 is a mid-sized family car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1966 and 1974. It was the replacement of the Fiat 1300 and Fiat 1500...
-based
VAZ-2101The VAZ-2101 is a compact car, sedan, produced by VAZ and introduced in 1970. VAZ had been founded in the mid-1960s as a collaboration between Fiat and the Soviet government, and the 2101 was its first product...
and its many derivatives as an
economy carAn economy car is an automobile that is designed for low cost operation. Typical economy cars are small, light weight, and inexpensive to buy. Economy car designers are forced by stringent design constraints to be inventive...
in large quantities during the 1980s, but later models were less successful.
The common Lada sedan/estate, sometimes known as the Classic in the west (Signet in Canada), was partly based on the 1966 Fiat 124 sedan, and became a successful export car. The keys to its success were: competitive price as an export, reliability, simple DIY-friendly mechanics and unpretentious functionality. Since 1980 over 13.5 million Ladas were badged as 'Rivas' (re-styled), added to 5 million made from 1969 to 1979 (badged as 2101-2107 depending on engine size/interior specs) for a total of over 18.5 million. The car was built under licence in several other countries.
Being exported worldwide in the 1980s and '90s, the Lada was a big earner of foreign hard currency for the hard-pressed Soviet Union, and was also used in barter arrangements in some countries. Over 60% of Lada production was exported, mainly to western countries (the US was the only large market not to have imported Ladas). The rugged design of the Lada Classic, built with heavier-gauge steel bodywork to cope with extreme Siberian climates, poor roads, and few service facilities in many parts of Russia, made high usage, such as 300000 miles (482,802 km) possible under less extreme operating conditions. Because of their very competitive pricing and ease of service, Ladas became common as police cars, taxis, and a range of public service and civil defence vehicles in many parts of Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean.
In March 2008
RenaultRenault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
purchased a 25% stake in AvtoVAZ in a
US$The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1 billion deal. This is expected to result in new Lada models being manufactured on existing Russian assembly lines and increased output. The remaining 75% of AutoVAZ continues to be owned by the Russian state-owned Rostekhnologia corporation. Lada is now part of the Renault-Nissan-Lada group, which is the world's third-largest automotive group (after General Motors and Toyota). In spite of a flood of western models into the Russian market in recent years, Lada has managed to maintain its dominant market share.
Early 2011 was to be a watershed year for the brand as a whole, with production of the classic Fiat 124-based 2105 and 2107 series models being completely moved from the Togliatti plant to the IzhAvto plant near
IzhevskIzhevsk is the capital city of the Udmurt Republic, Russia, situated on the Izh River in the Western Urals. Population: From 1984 to 1987 Izhevsk carried the name Ustinov |Minister of Defense of the USSR]], Marshal of the Soviet Union, Dmitry Ustinov). The city is an important industrial center,...
, in order to make space for the company's forthcoming 2116 model.
Current model lineup
- Lada Priora
Lada Priora is an economy car produced by the Russian automaker AvtoVAZ since March, 2007. It is largely a restyled Lada 110.-Body styles:* VAZ-2170: base sedan ;...
(VAZ-2110/2111Lada 111 is AvtoVAZ's front wheel drive car with station wagon bodystyle . It has been manufactured since 1998...
/2112Lada 112 is a hatchback Car, part of the Lada Range Of Vehicles, produced by Russian auto manufacturer AvtoVAZ. The Lada 112 was introduced in 2000, and is somewhat more modern and luxurious-looking than the traditional Ladas. The car is relatively popular in Russia today.It has a 1.6 GTI engine...
) economy carAn economy car is an automobile that is designed for low cost operation. Typical economy cars are small, light weight, and inexpensive to buy. Economy car designers are forced by stringent design constraints to be inventive...
- LADA Priora sedan
- LADA Priora hatchback
- LADA Priora wagon
- LADA Priora Coupe
- Lada Kalina
The Lada Kalina is a supermini produced by the Russian automaker AvtoVAZ and sold under the Lada brand. It began production in November 2004 as the 2004 year model in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus, although dealership availability for foreign markets started only in September 2005.The...
- low cost superminiA superminicomputer, or supermini, is “a minicomputer with high performance compared to ordinary minicomputers.” The term was an invention used from the mid-1970s mainly to distinguish the emerging 32-bit minis from the classical 16-bit minicomputers...
car
- LADA Kalina wagon
- LADA Kalina Sedan
- LADA Kalina Hatchback
- LADA Kalina Sport
- Lada Samara (VAZ-2108/2109) - economy car
- LADA Samara Hatchback 3-doors
- LADA Samara Hatchback 5-doors
- LADA Samara Sedan (VAZ-21099, VAZ-2115)
- Lada Riva
The VAZ-2105, VAZ-2104 and VAZ-2107 are a series of medium-sized family cars built by Russian car manufacturer AvtoVAZ, introduced in 1980 in the Soviet Union, and progressively in other European markets through the early 1980s and sold in both saloon and estate versions...
(VAZ-2104/05/07) - medium-sized family car based on the original Fiat 124The Fiat 124 is a mid-sized family car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1966 and 1974. It was the replacement of the Fiat 1300 and Fiat 1500...
derived platform.
- LADA Classic 2104 - wagon version of 2105
- LADA Classic 2105 - base sedan
- LADA Classic 2107 - executive sedan
- Lada Niva
The Lada Niva or VAZ-2121 is the Russian word for "crop field") is an off-road vehicle built by Soviet/Russian automaker AvtoVAZ. The car is very popular in its home country. It is also popular in Canada , South America, Europe, and other regions where the terrain requires a robust and tough car...
4x4 -(VAZ-2121/2123) off-road vehicleAn off-road vehicle is considered to be any type of vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or gravel surface. It is generally characterized by having large tires with deep, open treads, a flexible suspension, or even caterpillar tracks...
- LADA 4x4 3-doors
- LADA 4x4 5-doors
Future models
- Lada 2116
This article refers to an AvtoVAZ vehicle under development, on which information in English is limited. The Russian Wikipedia article on the VAZ-2116 series can be found here: :ru:%D0%92%D0%90%D0%97-2116...
(VAZ-2116) - medium sized family car - expected release 2011-2012.
Australia
Ladas were first imported into
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1984 with the
NivaThe Lada Niva or VAZ-2121 is the Russian word for "crop field") is an off-road vehicle built by Soviet/Russian automaker AvtoVAZ. The car is very popular in its home country. It is also popular in Canada , South America, Europe, and other regions where the terrain requires a robust and tough car...
compact 4WD, and in 1988 the
SamaraThe Lada Samara or VAZ-2108 is an economy car produced by Soviet/Russian vehicle manufacturer AvtoVAZ's Lada brand, from 1984 until 2004. The brand name Samara originally was used only for exported models, in Russia the same model was called "Sputnik" , until 1991, when the sedan version of Samara...
three-door hatchback was introduced. The
SamaraThe Lada Samara or VAZ-2108 is an economy car produced by Soviet/Russian vehicle manufacturer AvtoVAZ's Lada brand, from 1984 until 2004. The brand name Samara originally was used only for exported models, in Russia the same model was called "Sputnik" , until 1991, when the sedan version of Samara...
five-door hatchback and four-door sedan later joined the
SamaraThe Lada Samara or VAZ-2108 is an economy car produced by Soviet/Russian vehicle manufacturer AvtoVAZ's Lada brand, from 1984 until 2004. The brand name Samara originally was used only for exported models, in Russia the same model was called "Sputnik" , until 1991, when the sedan version of Samara...
three-door hatch, but would be given different names—the five-door hatchback was called the Lada Cevaro and the four-door sedan was sold as the Lada Sable. The
Lada NivaThe Lada Niva or VAZ-2121 is the Russian word for "crop field") is an off-road vehicle built by Soviet/Russian automaker AvtoVAZ. The car is very popular in its home country. It is also popular in Canada , South America, Europe, and other regions where the terrain requires a robust and tough car...
4WD was also offered as a
ute/pickup truckA pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
on an extended wheelbase and a two-door soft top of which only 100 were believed to be imported to Australia.
While initial sales were promising, reports of poor quality and reliability issues soon began to take their toll and by 1996 sales had dwindled to under 100 units. It is believed that Ladas had not been imported into
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
since 1994, but it took two years to sell the remaining stock; 1996 was the last year Lada sold vehicles on the Australian market.
The
Lada NivaThe Lada Niva or VAZ-2121 is the Russian word for "crop field") is an off-road vehicle built by Soviet/Russian automaker AvtoVAZ. The car is very popular in its home country. It is also popular in Canada , South America, Europe, and other regions where the terrain requires a robust and tough car...
enjoys a small cult following in
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
; it is the Lada model most often seen on Australian roads.
Brazil
Lada cars started being imported to
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in 1990, when the Brazilian president Fernando Collor lifted the ban on car imports. Lada was the first foreign trademark to enter Brazil's car market after Collor's liberalization of 1990. Initially, Lada 2105 (sedan) and 2104 (station wagon) models (badged as Lada Laika) and
Lada NivaThe Lada Niva or VAZ-2121 is the Russian word for "crop field") is an off-road vehicle built by Soviet/Russian automaker AvtoVAZ. The car is very popular in its home country. It is also popular in Canada , South America, Europe, and other regions where the terrain requires a robust and tough car...
were very successful models because of their low prices. Between 1990 and 1992, Lada sold more cars than any other importer to Brazil.
Shortly after, the
SamaraThe Lada Samara or VAZ-2108 is an economy car produced by Soviet/Russian vehicle manufacturer AvtoVAZ's Lada brand, from 1984 until 2004. The brand name Samara originally was used only for exported models, in Russia the same model was called "Sputnik" , until 1991, when the sedan version of Samara...
was introduced. The
SamaraThe Lada Samara or VAZ-2108 is an economy car produced by Soviet/Russian vehicle manufacturer AvtoVAZ's Lada brand, from 1984 until 2004. The brand name Samara originally was used only for exported models, in Russia the same model was called "Sputnik" , until 1991, when the sedan version of Samara...
was never successful in Brazil. The Laika and Niva models' popularity began to wane after a few years because of the perceived lack of quality of all Lada car models. The cars were also widely criticized for their poor design. However, the Niva continued to be strong in the off-road market, even having a limited edition exclusively for the Brazilian market (Niva Pantanal). It continued to be sold until 1997. Many of the last Lada Nivas sold in Brazil had diesel engines. Most of the Nivas sold in Brazil remain operational and used cars still command high prices in the used car market. In fact, in Brazil, a 1991 Niva in very good condition can cost as much as R$11,000 or US$5,500, which is far more than the average price in the Brazilian used car market for a car of that year. The normal price for a
Lada NivaThe Lada Niva or VAZ-2121 is the Russian word for "crop field") is an off-road vehicle built by Soviet/Russian automaker AvtoVAZ. The car is very popular in its home country. It is also popular in Canada , South America, Europe, and other regions where the terrain requires a robust and tough car...
made in year 1991 or 1992 is about R$6,000 (about US$3,000) in Brazilian used car market. As many as 30,000 Lada cars were sold in Brazil between 1990 and 1997.
Canada
LadaCanada started importing the Russian made cars in 1979. The first model was the Lada 2106, with a 1500 cc engine.
Later, the
Lada NivaThe Lada Niva or VAZ-2121 is the Russian word for "crop field") is an off-road vehicle built by Soviet/Russian automaker AvtoVAZ. The car is very popular in its home country. It is also popular in Canada , South America, Europe, and other regions where the terrain requires a robust and tough car...
, a 1.6L 4x4 Lada, did very well, with over 12,000 sold in Canada in its first year of import. Lada disappeared from
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
after the 1998 model year because low-cost
South KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n automakers
Daewoo MotorsThe Daewoo Motors was a South Korean car maker established in 1978, part of the Daewoo Group. The company sold most of its assets in 2001 to General Motors after running into financial trouble. The commercial vehicles division was acquired by Tata Motors in 2004.-History:The company was first...
and
Kia MotorsKia Motors , headquartered in Seoul, is South Korea's second-largest automobile manufacturer, following the Hyundai Motor Company, with sales of over 1.4 million vehicles in 2010...
arrived in
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
at the time. By the late 2000s, many Lada dealerships and Lada products have mostly disappeared from Canadian streets. There are some Lada vehicles that are still in use in Canada. The Canadian vehicle market is now mostly dominated by the major American, German, Japanese, and Korean car manufacturers.
Costa Rica
Lada cars started being imported to Costa Rica in the late seventies and became very popular in the eighties as one of the few new cars that the middle class could afford due to its low cost. The models included the Niva, 2104 and Samara among others. There are still a few Ladas in circulation nowadays, although it is considered a rare sighting.
Cuba
Lada cars appeared in Cuba in the mid seventies. They became very popular in the eighties and by the end of this decade they represented more than 30% of the cars used in the country.
Ecuador
Lada cars appeared in
EcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
during the 1970s. The imports stopped in the mid 1990s. During 1999
AvtoVAZAvtoVAZ is the Russian automobile manufacturer formerly known as VAZ: Volzhsky Avtomobilny Zavod , but better known to the world under the trade name Lada. The company was established in the late 1960s in collaboration with Fiat...
associated with the local factory AYMESA to produce the Lada Niva 4x4 1.7i. In 2000, the first units appeared on the market. This agreement ended in 2004 when car imports began again.
By 2007 other car models were also being imported: Lada 110, Lada 111,
Lada 112Lada 112 is a hatchback Car, part of the Lada Range Of Vehicles, produced by Russian auto manufacturer AvtoVAZ. The Lada 112 was introduced in 2000, and is somewhat more modern and luxurious-looking than the traditional Ladas. The car is relatively popular in Russia today.It has a 1.6 GTI engine...
, Lada Kalina (sedan), Lada Niva 2121 (3-doors), Lada Niva 2131 (5-doors) and Lada 2107 nicknamed "Clasico" (Classic).
During 2008 the imports of most of the models decreased, and in some cases, stopped. Only Lada 2121 and Lada 2131 continued to be imported during 2009.
As of 2010, all the imports have stopped again. However, the importation and commercialization of spare parts for all the models of vehicles of this brand continues at its normal rate.
There are very few units of old models, like the Lada 2101, that are still functioning.
Finland
Lada cars came to Finland in 1971. It can be said Lada was the car which finally made an automobile as an everyman's commodity in Finland. It was cheap and reasonably reliable, and easy to fix, tune and rig. Ladas were among the most sold cars in Finland for many years in 1970s but their share has declined and in 2004 Lada cars were in position 26th of all new registered cars. For the moment Lada cars are not sold in Finland.
Since 1990s there have been organized meetings of drivers of old Lada models, and an owners' club. In 2008 Lada drivers made a trip to Lada factory in Russia with their cars.
Lada Samara was assembled at
Valmet' was a Finnish state-owned conglomerate. Valmet was formed in 1951, when the state of Finland decided to group their various factories working on war reparations to the Soviet Union under one company...
during the 1990s for the European market outside Russia.
http://www.valmet-automotive.com/automotive/cms.nsf/pages/C06C13A04D7A8921C2257137004E7292?opendocument.
Jamaica
An agreement between Jamaica and the USSR in the early 1980s saw large numbers of Ladas imported under a barter arrangement in exchange for bauxite ore. Ladas became popular as taxis because of their rugged simplicity, replacing the ubiquitous, but dated,
Morris OxfordAfter the Second World War the Oxford MO replaced the 10. It was introduced in 1948 and was produced until 1954. The design was shared with Nuffield Organisation stable-mate Wolseley 4/50....
.
New Zealand
In the 1980s Lada cars were briefly popular. Meat, dairy and fertiliser exports to Russia were wholly or partly paid for in contra-deals such as imports of Belarus tractors, Stolichnaya vodka and Lada cars. As a result the New Zealand Dairy Board were distributors for Lada vehicles.
Some Ladas, even those of the 1970s, can still be seen on New Zealand roads (especially in rural areas and offshore islands) but older Ladas are increasingly rare.
Portugal
AutoVAZ began exporting Lada cars to
PortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in 1986. On December 2001, it was announced that Lada Portugal would cease on April 2002. On April 2002, Lada disappeared from the car market.
Singapore
The Lada Samara, Riva and Niva were introduced in
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
for a brief period of time in the early 1990s. They proved to be extremely impractical in a country where cars above three years of age have to be inspected yearly, because of their unreliability especially in the tropical climate. Coupled with the
Certificate of EntitlementThe Certificate of Entitlement , instituted by the government of Singapore since May 1990, is a program designed to limit car ownership and hence the number of vehicles on the country's roads...
system, which meant that a hefty sum needs to be paid after 10 years should car owners wish to continue driving their cars, Lada had virtually no market and pulled out quickly. There are few, if any Lada cars left, on Singapore roads.
Sweden
Lada, meaning
barnA barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
in Swedish, was sold during the 1970s and 1980s as an export product by the USSR to gain foreign currency, the early classic Lada version of
Fiat 124The Fiat 124 is a mid-sized family car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1966 and 1974. It was the replacement of the Fiat 1300 and Fiat 1500...
was featured with Russian dashboard.
The Niva jeep got a cult following for its robust and inexpensive DIY car, Lada Samara sold less. After the breakup of USSR, Lada was reorganized and faced hard competition from Asian brands forcing it to out of the market in the late 1990s and grey market imports of mainly the Niva continued. Lada Sweden was officially reintroduced in 2010 by one of the grey market importers.
Trinidad and Tobago
From 1995 until 2001, there was a fairly successful attempt at marketing Lada Riva saloons, estates, Nivas and Samaras in Trinidad and Tobago. Using right hand drive kits from the defunct Lada UK , these were sold as budget transportation as at one time the Riva 1.5 SE saloon was the cheapest new car available. Trinidadian dealer Petrogas Ltd. marketed the Riva as a family runabout and the Niva as a lifestyle 4x4. Both were reasonably well equipped and retailed for between US$8,000.00-$15,000.00. Rust, reliability issues and increasing competition from grey market Japanese imports soon forced Ladas off the market. The Samara was introduced in 2000 as a last-ditch attempt to salvage the brand. It failed and the last Samaras were sold as unfinished kits in 2003.
Turkey
Lada made an entry into the Turkish Market in the late 1980s. Most of the sales were of
SamaraThe Lada Samara or VAZ-2108 is an economy car produced by Soviet/Russian vehicle manufacturer AvtoVAZ's Lada brand, from 1984 until 2004. The brand name Samara originally was used only for exported models, in Russia the same model was called "Sputnik" , until 1991, when the sedan version of Samara...
(100,000 units), which was marketed with durability, cheap price, and relatively low fuel consumption.
Lada NivaThe Lada Niva or VAZ-2121 is the Russian word for "crop field") is an off-road vehicle built by Soviet/Russian automaker AvtoVAZ. The car is very popular in its home country. It is also popular in Canada , South America, Europe, and other regions where the terrain requires a robust and tough car...
also made a presence in the 4x4 market. New models like 2110 are still being sold in Turkey, though not with the success met by Samara.
Egypt
Both the Lada Riva and Niva are popular amongst the Egyptian working class. The Riva sedan serves as one of Egypt's most popular make of taxi cab and is a fixture in virtually every city of Egypt.
United Kingdom and Ireland
AvtoVAZ began exporting cars to the
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Ireland in 1974 using the brand name
Lada. The
Fiat 124The Fiat 124 is a mid-sized family car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1966 and 1974. It was the replacement of the Fiat 1300 and Fiat 1500...
-based range was known for its outdated technology, poor fuel economy and tank-like roadholding, but it gained popularity thanks to its ruggedness, spacious interior, massive boot and low price, a particular consideration during the recession of the 1980s. The later Riva version had practical spring-loaded stainless steel bumpers. The Lada particularly appealed to drivers who did low mileages, making the poor fuel economy less of an issue.
After introduction of the Riva range to the UK in 1983, sales through the 1980s were particularly strong, with UK and Ireland sales peaking in 1988 at 33,000 units (nearly 2% of UK car sales). A memorable advert for the Riva was produced featuring comedy duo Cannon & Ball. AvtoVAZ built up a network of UK and Ireland Lada dealers through its marketing associate, Satra Motors. Some of the dealerships were owned outright and some were agencies. The Satra-owned dealerships were all sold off in 1987 and 1988.
Lada was a victim of the political and economic problems of Russia in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was not possible to invest adequately in product and service development. By the 1990s the age of the basic Riva design was showing more than ever. Not even prices starting below £5,000 were enough to disguise the 1966 vintage of the design. By 1994, annual sales of the Lada range had fallen to just over 9,000 - less than a third of the peak figures attained six years earlier.
United Kingdom and Ireland sales dwindled to 8,000 units in 1996, the last full year in which Lada cars were marketed in the UK and Ireland. During this period many Lada dealers either went out of business or switched to other makes of car. Confronted with the need to meet new 1992 EU emission control requirements, Lada tried to continue to use a carburettor with an exhaust catalyst instead of the nearly universally used electronic fuel injection. Three years later at their first emissions MOT test they failed very badly, needing new expensive catalysts: over-fuelling had destroyed the catalysts. This catastrophe, along with a shortage of certain imported components and increased competition from
DaewooDaewoo or the Daewoo Group was a major South Korean chaebol . It was founded on 22 March 1967 as Daewoo Industrial and was dismantled by the Korean government in 1999...
and Proton in the 1990s, led AvtoVAZ to withdraw from the UK, Ireland and most other western European markets. Lada cars maintained a presence in a number of African, Caribbean and Latin American markets.
From 1979 Lada produced the Niva four-wheel drive. It had
monocoqueMonocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
construction, which was innovative in the 4x4 market where a heavy separate chassis was the norm. It competed well with Japanese rivals like the
Suzuki SJ/SamuraiThe Suzuki Jimny is a line of SUVs from Suzuki. The line started in 1968 and is still running.-History:The history of Suzuki four-wheel-drive cars dates to 1968. Suzuki bought former Japanese automaker Hope Motor Company which had introduced fifteen small off-road vehicles called the HopeStar...
and
Daihatsu FourtrakThe Daihatsu Rugger was an off-road vehicle built by Daihatsu between 1984 and 2002. The Rugger was called the Daihatsu Rocky in most export markets, and Daihatsu Fourtrak in the UK...
in terms of practicality and stability, and above all its off-road ability. Also, the Niva was significantly cheaper than its rivals. This was one area where Lada achieved some market success in the 1990s. The Niva was adopted by several British police forces and attracted something of a cult following within the 4x4 enthusiast fraternity in the UK and elsewhere. Niva sales would have benefitted from a diesel engine option, but it was never offered in the UK. After the withdrawal of Lada from the UK & Ireland in 1997, several dealers continued to acquire Nivas by special import for sale in the UK. These required some local modification of the new
General MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
-supplied engines in order to meet emission control regulations current in the UK. A few Lada enthusiasts make the trip to
TallinnTallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
where new, right-hand-drive Ladas (made for the West African market) can be bought for as little as US$2,500.
Lada's first attempt at a modern car came with the
SamaraThe Lada Samara or VAZ-2108 is an economy car produced by Soviet/Russian vehicle manufacturer AvtoVAZ's Lada brand, from 1984 until 2004. The brand name Samara originally was used only for exported models, in Russia the same model was called "Sputnik" , until 1991, when the sedan version of Samara...
hatchback in 1984 (launched in the UK in November 1987), which made use of a completely new mechanical design.
In 1997 the Lada range was withdrawn from Britain and most other European markets, although it continued to be very successful in Russia. The decision was announced on 4 July 1997, by which time more than 100,000 of the 350,000 or so Lada cars sold in Britain were still on the road, with more than 1,000 still in stock. Just over 5,000 Lada cars were sold in Britain during 1997. By this time, the budget market was growing with more modern designs from the likes of
DaewooDaewoo or the Daewoo Group was a major South Korean chaebol . It was founded on 22 March 1967 as Daewoo Industrial and was dismantled by the Korean government in 1999...
,
HyundaiHyundai ) is a global conglomerate company, part of the Korean chaebol, that was founded in South Korea by one of the most famous businessmen in Korean history: Chung Ju-yung...
,
KiaKia Motors , headquartered in Seoul, is South Korea's second-largest automobile manufacturer, following the Hyundai Motor Company, with sales of over 1.4 million vehicles in 2010...
and Proton.
Another attempt at a modern car came in 1996 with the 2110, similar in size to a
Ford MondeoThe Mondeo was launched on 8 January 1993, and sales began on 22 March 1993. Available as a four-door saloon, a five-door hatchback, and a five-door estate, all models for the European market were produced at Ford's plant in the Belgian city of Genk...
or
Opel VectraThe Opel Vectra is a large family car that was engineered and produced by Opel. In the United Kingdom, the car was sold under the Vauxhall marque as the Vauxhall Cavalier and later as the Vauxhall Vectra, from 1995 onwards...
. This model was never sold in the UK or Ireland. It looked and was far more modern than the rest of the Lada range, but proved disastrously unreliable in its early years, causing the company, already in financial difficulty, to spend millions ironing out the many faults which had been reported.
After Lada (UK) ceased operations in 1997, the remains of the British network of Lada dealers were serviced by Lada (France). Ladas rapidly disappeared from British roads. They had minimal second-hand value in the UK and a re-export market for Russia developed: many UK- and Irish-registered Ladas were sold back to Russia (especially by Russian trawlermen), to be stripped for spare parts or to be sold to Russian buyers who appreciated the cars built to better export specification than cars sold on the Russian market. Many Ladas returned to Russia by ship through Latvia and Lithuania where enterprising mechanics changed the right hand drive to the left hand drive for about USD 500-600 and then shipped them back to Russia for second-hand resale.
There have been several attempts to reintroduce Ladas to the UK. In May 2010, the
Lada NivaThe Lada Niva or VAZ-2121 is the Russian word for "crop field") is an off-road vehicle built by Soviet/Russian automaker AvtoVAZ. The car is very popular in its home country. It is also popular in Canada , South America, Europe, and other regions where the terrain requires a robust and tough car...
became available again, through an independent importer. Aimed at the agricultural market, three models are available (all LHD), the 3-door 4-seat hatchback at £10,000, a 2-seat commercial van, £8000 and a 2-door, 4-seat pickup for £12,000. All meet the current UK Vehicle Certification Agency standards. Engine options are restricted to a 1.7 litre petrol engine, with or without LPG conversion.
Motorsport
In 2008 Lada entered the
World Touring Car ChampionshipFor the video game, known as World Touring Car Championship in Japan, see TOCA World Touring CarsThe FIA World Touring Car Championship is an international Touring Car championship sanctioned by the FIA.-History:...
, raced and developed by
Russian Bears MotorsportRussian Bears Motorsport is a Russian auto racing team based in Moscow. They ran the works team for Lada in the World Touring Car Championship , under the banner LADA Sport in the 2009 season.-Team history:...
, although badged as a factory team. The team raced the
Lada 110The Lada 110 is a Russian sedan car built by AvtoVAZ since 1995. It also spawned two close derivatives - the 111 estate and 112 hatchback...
in the 2008 season, but ran a trio of
Lada PrioraLada Priora is an economy car produced by the Russian automaker AvtoVAZ since March, 2007. It is largely a restyled Lada 110.-Body styles:* VAZ-2170: base sedan ;...
s in the 2009 WTCC. The team scored their first championship points at
ImolaThe Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is an auto racing circuit near the Italian town of Imola, east of Bologna and east of the Ferrari factory in Maranello....
with renowned
BTCCThe British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
two-time champion
James ThompsonJames Thompson is a British auto racing driver and commentator for Eurosport's motorsport coverage. He has twice been champion of the British Touring Car Championship , and was third in the 2007 World Touring Car Championship.-Racing career:He started racing in the BTCC in a privately-entered...
.
In 1981, Guy Moerenhout Racing made two special models for Lada Belgium :
Lada 21011 RS Sport model with 2 Weber carburetors and special sport equipment
Lada Niva Dream Big wing extension,special colors and big wheels
Sponsorship
Lada sponsored
Aldershot Football ClubAldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
of the
EnglishEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Football League for two seasons leading up their bankruptcy in 1992. Lada also sponsored Colo Colo (Chile) during their championship season in 1991.
Lada are currently major sponsors of the
Renault F1 TeamLotus Renault GP, formerly the Renault F1 Team, is a British Formula One racing team. The Oxfordshire-based team can trace its roots back through the Benetton team of the late 1980s and 1990s to the Toleman team of the early 1980s. Renault had also competed in various forms since , before taking...
, competing in the
2011 F1 World ChampionshipThe 2011 Formula One season was the 62nd FIA Formula One season. The original calendar consisted of twenty rounds, including the inaugural running of the Indian Grand Prix before the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Pirelli returned to the sport as tyre supplier for all teams, taking over...
.
Lada are also currently a major sponsor of the Dams GP2 Team, competing in the 2010 GP2 World Championship.
See also
External links