Zastava Koral - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Zastava Koral also known simply as the Yugo, was a subcompact car

Subcompact car

Subcompact car is a North American term used to describe automobiles whose class size is smaller than that of a compact car, usually not exceeding in length, but larger than a microcar...

built by the Zastava

Zastava Automobiles

Zastava Automobiles is a Serbian industrial conglomerate based in the city of Kragujevac in central Serbia, currently run as a joint venture between the Fiat Group and the Serbian government . It is most known for its Fiat-based automobiles, which began assembling in 1955 for Eastern European...

corporation. The first Yugo 45 was handmade on 2 October 1978.

The car design was based on the mechanics of the Fiat 127

Fiat 127

The Fiat 127 is a supermini produced by the Italian automaker Fiat between 1971 and 1983. It was introduced in 1971 as the replacement for the Fiat 850...

, under license from Fiat

Fiat

FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...

, with a modified body style. The Zastava Koral was sold with an updated design, priced at about 350,000 dinar (3,500 euro, 4,300 USD), until 11 November 2008, when production stopped with a final number of 794,428 cars. The Yugo entered the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

by means of Malcolm Bricklin

Malcolm Bricklin

Malcolm Bricklin born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an automotive entrepreneur. He is best known for his self-named automobile company, and for being one of the few Americans who has successfully introduced foreign cars in bulk to the American public from firms such as Subaru, Fiat and...

, who wanted to introduce a simple, low cost car to that market. In total 141,511 cars were sold in the US from 1985 to 1991, with the most American units sold in a year peaking at 48,500 in 1987. 1991 sales were only 3,981 cars. Like the Lada

Lada

Lada is a trademark of AvtoVAZ, a Russian car manufacturer in Tolyatti, Samara Oblast. 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 Zhiguli name in the domestic Soviet market...

, they are a common sight on the urban landscape in the cities and towns of Eastern Europe and the old Soviet satellite countries.

Basic information

Trim Lines
- Zastava Koral 1.0E (903 cc Economic engine)
- Zastava Koral 1.1
- Zastava Koral 1.3
- Zastava Koral In 1.1i
- Zastava Koral In 1.3i
- Zastava Koral In L 1.1 (1124 cc Peugeot engine)

- Koral In Models: All the Koral Models have a modernized interior and exterior.

Models

In the lifetime of the model range the car has gone under a variety of different names:

Yugo 45 / Zastava Jugo 45 (Yugoslavia, United Kingdom, Europe)
Yugo 55 (Yugoslavia, U.K., Europe)
Yugo 60 [1.1l engine Weber twin barrel carburetor
Weber carburetor
Weber is an Italian company producing carburetors, currently owned by Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A., in turn part of the Fiat Group.The company was established as...

version] (Germany, Europe, Latin America)
Yugo 60efi (German version, Europe, Latin America)
Yugo 65 [1.3l engine Weber twin barrel carburetor
Weber carburetor
Weber is an Italian company producing carburetors, currently owned by Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A., in turn part of the Fiat Group.The company was established as...

version] (Germany, U.K., Europe, Latin America)
Yugo 65efi (Germany, Europe, Latin America)
Yugo GV (United States)
- Yugo GV Plus (U.S.)
- Yugo GVC (U.S.)
- Yugo GVL (U.S.)
- Yugo GVS (U.S.)
- Yugo GVX (U.S.)
Yugo Cabrio (U.S., Germany, Yugoslavia, Greece)

Zastava Koral (Serbia, Europe)
- Zastava Koral In 1.1i [46 kW/63 hp] (Serbia, Europe)
- Zastava Koral In 1.3i [50 kW/68 hp] (Serbia, Europe)
- Zastava Koral In L [44.1 kW/60 hp] (Serbia, Europe)
Yugo Cabrio (Yugoslavia, Europe)
Yugo Ciao (Yugoslavia, Europe)
Yugo Tempo (Yugoslavia, Europe)
- Yugo Tempo — circa 1991
Innocenti Koral (Italy)
- Innocenti Koral Cabrio (Italy)

Earlier models

Yugo 45 derivative models have included the Yugo 55, 60, 65, Koral, Ciao, Tempo, Cabrio, GV, GV Plus, GVX, and GVL. Yugo engines were fitted with a carburetor

Carburetor

A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....

until late into the 1980s before fuel-injected models (starting with Koral 65) were introduced beginning with the GVX-EFI (Electronic fuel injection), which featured a 1300cc

Engine displacement

Engine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches...

engine.

The fuel injection system Motronic MP3.1 which was developed with BOSCH

Bosch

Bosch is a popular surname in Catalan and Dutch; it means forest. It may refer to:Buildings:*Huis ten Bosch, an official palace of the Dutch Royal Family in The Hague, Netherlands*Bosch Palace, the official residence of the U.S...

and had Multiport fuel injection with a three-way Bosal Catalytic converter

Catalytic converter

A catalytic converter is a device used to convert toxic exhaust emissions from an internal combustion engine into non-toxic substances. Inside a catalytic converter, a catalyst stimulates a chemical reaction in which noxious byproducts of combustion are converted to less toxic substances by dint...

and "Lambda" sensor.

Later models

Near the end of its production run, Zastava sold an updated version of the Yugo Koral model, known as the Zastava Koral IN, which has Central locking, three steps rotary switch on the dash marked "0", "1", "2", "3" for Headlamps levelling control in four height positions, 4-speakers

Loudspeaker

A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Non-electrical loudspeakers were developed as accessories to telephone systems, but electronic amplification by vacuum tube made loudspeakers more generally useful...

Car Audio system

Car audio

Car audio/video , auto radio, mobile audio, 12-volt and other terms are used to describe the sound or video system fitted in an automobile. While 12-volt audio and video systems are also used, marketed, or manufactured for marine, aviation, and buses, this article focuses on cars as the most common...

, Electric windows, Folding Electro-adjustable Side-view mirrors, alloy wheels, optional Air Conditioner and also an optional Renault

Renault

Renault 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...

-designed three-speed automatic transmission

Automatic transmission

An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...

. Zastava sold these in Serbia, Montenegro

Montenegro

Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...

, Croatia

Croatia

Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...

, Republic of Macedonia

Republic of Macedonia

Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...

, Greece

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

, Lebanon

Lebanon

Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

, Libya

Libya

Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....

, Syria

Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....

, Tunisia

Tunisia

Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...

, Poland

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

and Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

. Besides all the Koral versions available, other models included the Florida and Skala. In October 2005, an agreement with Fiat was reached for production of the Fiat Punto

Fiat Punto

The Fiat Punto is a supermini produced by the Italian manufacturer, Fiat, since 1993.-1st generation :Internally codenamed Project 176, the Punto was announced in September 1993 and launched in late 1993 as a replacement for the ageing Fiat Uno. The Fiat Punto was voted European Car of the Year...

by Zastava for Eastern European markets, which will be known as the Zastava 10

Zastava 10

Zastava 10 is a car produced in Kragujevac, Serbia. It is based on the Italian Fiat Punto Mark 2b. It was produced between 2006 and December 21, 2008. On March 30, 2009, its name was changed to Fiat Punto Classic.-Car:...

.

The Koral IN L, with a Peugeot

Peugeot

Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...

fuel injected 1.1 L - 60 PS engine, met the European Union

European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

safety standards in a test supervised by the German Technischer Überwachungsverein

Technischer Überwachungsverein

TÜVs are German organizations that work to validate the safety of products of all kinds to protect humans and the environment against hazards. As independent consultants, they examine plants, motor vehicles, energy installations, devices and products TÜVs (short for Technischer...

(Technical Monitoring Association), a necessary step for importation to E.U. countries.

History

Zastava was founded as an arms manufacturer in 1853. By the late 1930s the company had expanded into automobile production supplying Ford

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...

designed trucks to the Yugoslav Army. Vehicle production continued until 1941 when World War II reached Yugoslavia. Following the war Zastava was permitted to produce Jeeps under license from Willys-Overland until production was halted in the early 1950s.

The first passenger models were produced on 26 August 1953 using designs licensed by Fiat

Fiat

of Turin

Turin

Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...

. The first model designed by Zastava was a sedan called the Milletrecento ("one thousand three hundred") powered by a 1300 cc engine. Some of the most successful models were those based on the Fiat 128

Fiat 128

The Fiat 128 is a small family car manufactured by the Italian manufacturer Fiat from 1969 to 1985. The engine was designed by the famous Ferrari racing engine designer Aurelio Lampredi.-History:...

model, marketed under different names: Zastava 128, Zastava 311, Zastava Skala, etc.

Zastava continued to produce vehicles for the Yugoslav and European markets until exports were limited by sanctions imposed by the United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

in the 1990s. In 1984, automobile entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin

Malcolm Bricklin

tested the U.S. market for Zastava vehicles, now branded as Yugo. As a result, in mid-1986, Yugo America began selling cars at a starting price of $3,990 for the entry-level GV ("Great Value") hatchback equipped with the 1100 cc overhead-cam five-main-bearing engine and four-speed manual transmission. The similar GVL offered a plusher interior, but the sporty top-line GVX was powered by the 1300 cc engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission, and included as standard equipment a number of deluxe features such as a ground-effects package, alloy wheels and rally lights. However, even though the GVX was billed as a upscale, sporty version of the base GV, it went from 0-60 mph in 13.56 seconds, just a half a second faster than the GV. When the political instability in Yugoslavia intensified in early 1992, Zastava was forced to stop exports.

Today there are various models available in the former Yugoslavia, including an agreement signed with Fiat for the production of the 2003 Fiat Punto

Fiat Punto

model.

In the United States

International Automobile Importers (IAI) was the company founded by Malcolm Bricklin to import the X1/9 and 2000 Spider after Fiat halted their manufacture. Bertone and Pininfarina

Pininfarina

Pininfarina S.p.A. is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy.Founded as Società anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers,...

carried on production under their own names and Bricklin's IAI took over their American importation. Bricklin wanted to import additional brands, and international dealmaker Armand Hammer

Armand Hammer

Armand Hammer was an American business tycoon most closely associated with Occidental Petroleum, a company he ran for decades, though he was known as well as for his art collection, his philanthropy, and for his close ties to the Soviet Union.Thanks to business interests around the world and his...

had been asked by the Yugoslavs to identify business areas in which they could generate exports to bolster their economy. Hammer thought the idea of exporting the small cars made in Kragujevac

Kragujevac

Kragujevac is the fourth largest city in Serbia, the main city of the Šumadija region and the administrative centre of Šumadija District. It is situated on the banks of the Lepenica River...

, Serbia

Serbia

Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...

, by Zavodi Crvena Zastava would be viable. Zastava had, since the mid-19th century, been a quality armaments producer and sponsored its own museum.

As Zastava celebrated its 100th anniversary, it started producing vehicles made under license from Fiat, just across the Adriatic Sea. For three decades it produced the rear-engined 600 and the 101, a bustle-backed version of Fiat's 128. On its own initiative in 1980, Zastava introduced its Jugo or Yugo model which, though still using Fiat 128-type power train and underpinnings, was an update of the Fiat 127. Styled in Turin, the two-door hatchback's lines were reminiscent of the original VW Golf or VW Rabbit. Zastava was already exporting its new offering to other Eastern European markets, installing the bigger 128 overhead-cam engine for a top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h).
In 1982 US Enterpreneur Miro Kefurt (also responsible for the Oka NEV ZEV

Oka NEV ZEV

The Oka NEV ZEV is an electric Neighborhood Electric Vehicle converted from a VAZ-1111 Oka to be sold in the US market by Oka Auto USA. The Oka NEV ZEV can be bought pre-made or in kit form.-Public Appearances:...

) contacted Zastava in Kragujevac (ZCZ-Zavodi Crvena Zastava) with an idea to export the Yugo 45 to the United States. The 903 cc 4-cylinder engine was just under 50 cubic inches displacement, and was exempt from California Emission Inspections (all engines under 50 CID were exempt). The vehicles were to be renamed Yugo GV for the US market and YugoCars, Inc. was formed in Sun Valley, California by Kefurt and Ray Burns. The proposal required approval by FIAT in Italy due to existing restrictions that were in effect in FIAT — ZASTAVA collaboration agreements.

The first three Yugo vehicles (Red, White & Blue) were introduced to the American public at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show in May 1984 held at the Los Angeles Convention Center

Los Angeles Convention Center

The Los Angeles Convention Center is a convention center in the southwest portion of downtown Los Angeles. The LACC hosts annual events such as the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show and Anime Expo, and is best known to video games fans as host to E3...

. The car was promoted with a 10 year /100,000 mile warranty, free maintenance and a price of only $4,500 - front page articles about the Yugo appeared in the Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....

(Business Section), New York Times, and The National Enquirer

The National Enquirer

The National Enquirer is an American supermarket tabloid now published by American Media Inc . Founded in 1926, the tabloid has gone through a variety of changes over the years....

.

Reportedly Malcolm Bricklin attended the Los Angeles Auto Expo Show and while the show was still in progress flew to Yugoslavia to "seal the deal" to import the Yugo to the United States himself. YugoCars, Inc. however already held the exclusive import contract for 5,000 vehicles for the 1985 model year to be sold in California only and the California Certification was already in progress. In November 1984 the marketing rights were sold by YugoCars, Inc to International Automobile Importers (IAI) for $50,000 ($10 per car). Additionally Miro Kefurt obtained exclusive dealer franchse from IAI to sell BERTONE X1/9 in North Hollywood, California. Both companies, YugoCars and IAI, were quite satisfied with this arrangement.

The YugoCars, Inc YUGO 45 was 903 ccm (45 Hp) with ZEUNA catalytic converter and Lambda feed back and delivered 42 to 45 MPG at 70 mph (top speed) (the emission system was identical to the one used on FIAT/BERTONE X1/9 since 1980 model year), but IAI Tony Ciminera preferred the 1,100 cc engine (55 Hp) with outdated carburetor, air-injection and fuel economy in 30 MPG range. The car was capable of 110 mi/h on level road.

Setting up Yugo America to import the car, Bricklin assigned Bill Prior to sort out the distribution and Tony "Hurricane" Ciminera to fine-tune the Yugo for US markets. Ciminera carried out a bumper-to-bumper audit that resulted in more than 500 changes to meet the needs of the American market, including the safety and emissions improvements that US laws demanded. The vast Yugo facility was patterned after the Fiat factories of the early 1950s and employed 50,000, divided among 85 basic associated labor organizations and 25 work committees. For American production models, a separate assembly line was built with handpicked elite staff earning extra pay ($1.23 per hour extra), building Yugos destined for the New World. The first shift began at 6:00 in the morning and after an eight-hour day many employees left for their second jobs in other workplaces.

The chief engineer and head of Zastava's Research and Development Institute was Zdravko Menjak, who responded to the many changes needed to qualify the car for sale in the West. Bricklin had his own people at the plant to monitor the effort, constantly stressing the need for high quality. A team of British quality experts sent a cadre to Kragujevac to study the factory and recommend improvements.

At first, five models of Yugo were sold in the United States for the 1987 model year: the basic entry-level $3,990 GV (for "Great Value"), GVC with Glass

Glass

Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...

Sunroof

An automotive sunroof is a fixed or operable opening in an automobile roof which allows light and/or fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Sunroofs may be manually operated or motor driven, and are available in many shapes, sizes and styles...

, the nearly identical GVL and GVS with minor trim and upholstery upgrades, and the race-inspired GVX with the 1300 cc engine, five-speed manual transmission and standard equipment including a plush interior, ground-effects package, alloy wheels, rally lights and Centre High Mount Stop Lamp. The Cabrio convertible was introduced in 1988.

Toward the later 1980s an automatic transmission was being sourced from Renault and a larger model (named the "Florida") had been styled by Giorgio Giugiaro and was in the early manufacturing stages. With communism's collapse, however, Yugoslavia began to unravel.

By 1990, the GV, GVL and the 1100 cc engine and four-speed manual transmission were replaced by a 1300 cc OHC engine and five-speed manual transmission, and an optional Renault

Renault

-designed three-speed automatic transmission

Automatic transmission

An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...

, and also an optional air conditioner with holder for cooling two soft drink cans on 1990 Yugo GVX model was offered too. The standard model became the GV Plus.

In 1990, Yugo America introduced an EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) version of the YUGO GVX to replace the less expensive carbureted fuel system, it arrived too late as the prospect of a recall

Product recall

A product recall is a request to return to the maker a batch or an entire production run of a product, usually due to the discovery of safety issues. The recall is an effort to limit liability for corporate negligence and to improve or avoid damage to publicity...

by the United States Environmental Protection Agency

United States Environmental Protection Agency

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...

of over 126,000 vehicles sold in the USA due to failure to meet exhaust emissions. The recall effectively caused Yugo America to cease importation and fold in 1992. The faulted emission system used an "emissions" carburetor of outdated design, a two-way catalyst that required an air pump, and an EGR(Exhaust Gas Recirculator) valve; the outdated, power-reducing application of this equipment on an already underperforming drivetrain was one of the major problems that caused the vehicles to get a reputation for poor drivability and the inability to meet emission standards.

By the early 1990s, the effects of United Nations sanctions on Yugoslavia forced Zastava to withdraw the car from every export market. After embargoes stifled production, the coup de grâce

Coup de grâce

The expression coup de grâce means a death blow intended to end the suffering of a wounded creature. The phrase can refer to the killing of civilians or soldiers, friends or enemies, with or without the consent of the sufferer...

was NATO's bombing of the company's automotive division instead of arms manufacturing division (Zastava is also a producer of military equipment). Only in 2000 could production be restarted and not until 2003 was the Florida launched.

Malcolm Bricklin signed a deal with Zastava in 2002 to bring the Yugo back to American shores with a model tentatively called the ZMW. Under Bricklin's direction, 'Zastava Motor Works USA' expected to sell 60,000 cars in 2003. However, Bricklin instead turned to marketing the Chery

Chéry

Chéry is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:An area of farming and forestry, comprising the main village and a hamlet, situated in the valley of the river Arnon some south of Vierzon, at the junction of the D75, D165 and the D68 roads.-Population:-External...

line of Chinese cars. Bricklin's foray into importing and marketing Chery cars from China folded in mid-to-late 2006 when Bricklin could not come up with the investment required to fund US-specification vehicles from Chery. As of early 2008, Bricklin was working with several universities to develop a car powered by advanced lithium-ion batteries.

In the UK

Zastava (GB) LTD set up its headquarters at Reading in 1981 and the first cars seen by British motorists were the 1100/1300 series in the autumn of that year, badged as Zastava ZLC (5 door) and Zastava ZLM (3 door). These cars were based upon the FIAT 128 which had been voted European car of the year in 1969. The Kragujevac factory produced faithful copies of the 128 saloon, known as the Zastava 128 (Osmica) and then from 1971 also began production of the Zastava 101. The legendary “Stojadin” was a FIAT 128 with a re-designed rear which was available in 3 and 5 door hatchback versions. In 1982-3 as sales slowly improved, Zastava (GB) LTD introduced special trim levels in the form of the “Mediteran” and the“Caribbean”. The UK market was the only market catered for with Right Hand Drive versions.

By the time the first British users were getting used to their new Yugoslav machines, attention in Yugoslavia had moved away from the Stojadin towards the new “Yugo” series which began production in October 1980 and appeared on British roads from 1983 onward. The “Type 102” answered a call for a small, economical family car and was based mechanically on Fiat’s 127 hatchback. The styling of the car also owed much to the contemporary small Italian Autobianchi Abarth, which was never available in the UK.

The “Type 102” morphed into the early production Yugo 45 with a 903 cc engine, later into the 55 with a 1,116 cc engine and then the more powerful 65 fitted with a 1,301 cc engine also became available on the UK market. The new Yugo competed with indigenous cars such as the Austin Mini-Metro and Ford Fiesta MK1/MK2, captive imports such as the Vauxhall Nova (Opel Corsa A), as well as French models like the Citroen Visa and Talbot Samba.

In 1984 only, Zastava (GB) LTD imported small numbers of the Zastava 128. After that, with the company’s branding altered to “Yugo Cars”, relegating the Zastava name to the small print, Zastava (GB) LTD concentrated on selling the 101 range, branded as Yugo 311/313/511/513, and the 45/55/65 series. The cars sold steadily throughout the decade and even though they managed to avoid the dreadful reviews reserved for Lada and FSO, commentators in the British motoring press were rarely more than lukewarm in their praise of the car - A headline from 1986 read “The Yugo 55 is a good small car, but would you be seen in one?” Brand snobbery in the UK was just as prominent then as it is now.

In 1988, Zastava launched the first of its new “Florida” range, envisaged as a long-term replacement for the ageing Stojadin. Styled by Giorgetto Guigiaro, the car was a modern design for the time, and bore more than a passing resemblance to the Citroen BX and future Citroen Xantia. The “Florida”, marketed as the “Sana” in the UK, first appeared in Britain in 1990 and seemed set to fare well with positive early reviews. The Stojadin range ceased to be exported to the UK in 1991, with sales of the Sana under way.

Sadly, by the end of the 1980s, Yugoslavia was on the brink of a disintegration few would have envisaged under the leadership of Tito. Slovenia was the first to secede from the Federation in the middle of 1991, swiftly followed by Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and finally Macedonia. Hostilities, other than in Macedonia, began not long afterwards.

This had direct implications for the company at Kragujevac. The Yugo had been envisaged as an all-Yugoslav car; the alternator came from Slovenia, the plastics and the interior came from factories in Croatia, the seats and rear boot-struts from Kosovo. The disintegration of the Yugoslav federation suddenly saw supplies dry up at Kragujevac and production rates declined steeply. The Sana may well have established Yugo as a fixture in the UK market in the 1990s but political developments left this prospect unrealized.

As the terrible events of the wars of Yugoslav succession (1991-95 and 1999) unfolded, Zastava (GB) LTD became a barely noticed casualty. In Easter 1999, the Zastava factory in Kragujevac was targeted by NATO forces during the Kosovo campaign and whilst severely damaged was not put out of action. Supplies of vehicles to the UK were however reduced to a trickle in 1991-92 and with the imposition of UN sanctions on Slobodan Miloseviç’s rump Yugoslavia (consisting of Serbia and Montenegro), the company folded in 1993. The remaining Yugos on dealer forecourts were sold at drastically reduced prices or written off altogether as economically unviable.

Marketing

The Yugo was vigorously marketed in the late 1980s as a car that would fit into everybody's life, providing basic economical and reliable transportation along the lines of the Volkswagen Beetle

Volkswagen Beetle

The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...

and the earlier Ford Model T. The car was promoted as a uniquely affordable new vehicle — providing an option for buyers who would otherwise have chosen a used vehicle — and as a reliable second car for wealthier buyers. The Yugo carried the tagline "Everybody Needs A Yugo Sometime." This marketing appealed successfully to its target market of low-budget new car buyers, as well as wealthier people looking for an affordable second or third car. A popular ad included the 39-90 campaign, a play on the $3,990 price of the car.

Criticism and response

Along with other Central and Eastern European vehicles marketed in the West during the 20th century — such as Lada

Lada

and Škoda

Škoda Auto

Škoda Auto , more commonly known as Škoda, is an automobile manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. Škoda became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group in 2000, positioned as the entry brand to the group...

- the Yugo was subjected to derision by critics who pointed to its use of old-generation Fiat technology and to alleged issues with build quality and reliability. The Yugo was voted Car Talk

Car Talk

Car Talk is a radio talk show broadcast weekly on National Public Radio stations throughout the United States and elsewhere. Its subjects are automobiles and repair, and it often takes humorous turns...

s worst car of the millennium.

Defenders of the vehicle have counter-argued that the Yugo's reputation suffered due to an issue that also appeared with initially inexpensive cars as the Chevrolet Chevette

Chevrolet Chevette

The Chevrolet Chevette was introduced in September, 1975 and manufactured for model years 1976-1987 based on GM's worldwide T platform and superseding the Vega as Chevrolet's entry-level subcompact...

, Rambler

Rambler (automobile)

Rambler was an automobile brand name used by the Thomas B. Jeffery Company between 1900 and 1914, then by its successor, Nash Motors from 1950 to 1954, and finally by Nash's successor, American Motors Corporation from 1954 to 1969...

, Crosley

Crosley

The Crosley was an automobile manufactured by the Crosley Corporation and later by Crosley Motors Incorporated in the United States from 1939 to 1952.-History:...

and others — dealers were finding that too many owners were considering inexpensive cars as "disposable", and were failing to perform basic maintenance such as oil changes.

One critical maintenance issue specific to the Yugo 55 & 65 (the 45 was a 903 cc pushrod engine, with a timing chain) was the need for regular replacement of the interference engine

Interference Engines

An interference engine is a type of 4-stroke internal combustion piston engine. Depending on the design of an engine, piston and valve paths may "interfere" with one another as a result of incorrect timing in their movements. An interference engine is a type of 4-stroke internal combustion piston...

's timing belt — every 40000 miles (64,373.6 km). In a non-interference engine, timing belt failure does not cause further damage to the engine. In an interference engine, however, timing belt failure disrupts synchronization between pistons and valves, causing them to smash into each other (hence the name interference engine), thus destroying the engine. Though this requirement was stressed in owners' manuals, it was frequently overlooked by owners.

The factory also stresses the need for 89-octane fuels for the low compression engines. Some Yugo owners have reported that regular oil changes and appropriate maintenance allow the cars to remain dependable and trouble-free.

In 1989, 31-year-old Leslie Ann Pluhar, driving a 1987 Yugo over the Mackinac Bridge

Mackinac Bridge

The Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac to connect the non-contiguous Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge is the third longest in total suspension in the world and the longest suspension bridge between anchorages...

in Michigan, died when her Yugo was blown over the bridge's 36 inches (914.4 mm) railing by a 50 mi/h gust of wind. The incident was widely publicized, with the make of car prominently identified. While Mackinac Bridge Authority's chief engineer initially thought the car was exceeding the 45 mi/h speed limit enforced on the bridge, it was later discovered that Pluhar had panicked when the high winds made driving too difficult and stopped the Yugo on the bridge. The act of stopping the car denied it the downforce generated by forward motion, and along with the car's light weight, blew the Yugo off the bridge.

Owners of the Yugo and related models in the former Yugoslavia benefit from a ready supply of inexpensive spare parts due to general continuity in the car's design; local mechanics' ready familiarity with the Yugo also lowers the cost of ownership. All parts for the Yugo are readily available in the United States.

The end of production

With the 794,428th and final car, production of the car ended on November 11, 2008.

External links

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