When they stopped producing the VAZ 2101. The legendary “kopek” or how the first “Zhiguli” cars were made

You can write a lot about this car, but at the same time... everyone already knows about it. Of course, after all, at one time the “kopek” was a car - a dream for tens of millions of Soviet car owners, both those who had already driven other cars, especially old Moskvichs, Zaporozhets, “Pobedas”, and those who dreamed of getting behind the wheel for the first time a new “Soviet foreign car”, because the “kopek” at one time, as a descendant of the Italian Fiat, brought many innovations to the Soviet automobile industry.

Years passed, one era replaced another, the Kopeyka ceased to be a dream car, but for many people of my age, who are between 30 and 40 years old now, it became the first car, the first own car with which many memories are associated, but to find a person, who would never drive this car, I am sure, in our country, it is simply impossible. If the Moskvich 412 and its numerous restylings can be called the people's car in the USSR, then the Kopeika, without any doubt, is a car of the era, because for its production it was necessary to build a giant automobile plant.

Interesting fact. There were several cities that were contenders for the construction of an automobile plant - Yaroslavl, Gorky, Belgorod, Minsk, and even a satellite city of Kyiv - Brovary. Cities were determined by meeting a number of requirements - well-developed transport infrastructure, proximity to sources of large quantities of building materials, and the presence of already operating machine-building plants in the region. In such cities, the level of people's awareness of technology is higher, therefore, it is easier to carry out personnel training. But the winner of the competition for the construction of the auto giant was Stavropol-on-Volga, later renamed Togliatti, in honor of the then General Secretary of the Italian Communist Party Palmiro Togliatti. In many ways, the appearance of the VAZ is due to the good friendly relations of the Soviet party elite with the Italian communists.

The choice in favor of Fiat occurred for a number of reasons, and the friendship of Soviet communists with Italian ones is only one of them. Fiat offered more favorable conditions compared to the French, and the predecessor of the Kopeyka, the FIAT-124, became the car of the year in Europe in 1966. Construction of the car plant began in 1967 and proceeded at an accelerated pace; instead of the planned six years, the plant was built in three years.

For the late 60s, the FIAT-124 was a completely modern car, and in some ways even advanced. It’s just rear-wheel drive, in those days when front-wheel drive was considered advanced in Europe, and an engine with a lower camshaft position gave the car a good old classic. But the FIAT did not go into production in its original form at the Volzhsky Automobile Plant, despite the strong external similarity of the cars; the Zhiguli has many differences from its Italian predecessor.

While the plant was being built, Italian cars were tested for endurance in the USSR, in different road conditions, in different climatic zones from Crimea to Vorkuta, however, they did not travel such a distance under their own power, but by train. Italian cars did not withstand the tests, they fell apart after 5 thousand kilometers of our roads and directions, and based on the test results, many changes were made to the design of the Kopeyka. A significant number of changes were made to the body design; it had to be strengthened in many places, since initially the FIAT-124 was developed with European roads in mind, and not for our realities.

The changes affected the suspension; on the rear of the Fiat, the shock absorbers were inside the springs, the ball joints were strengthened, the diameter of the clutch disc was increased from 182 to 220 mm, unfortunately, the rear disc brakes gave way to drum brakes that were simpler and more unpretentious in our conditions. It should be noted, however, that Fiat also rushed with rear disc brakes; although they were more efficient than drum brakes, they required more attention and frequent maintenance, and for some time subsequent Fiat models rolled off the assembly line with rear drum brakes. The rear axle gearbox and gearbox have also undergone changes. The engine underwent serious changes, the camshaft moved to the head of the block, the lubrication system and cooling system were changed. In total, about 800 changes were made to the design of the FIAT-124 before it became the car we are used to, the Zhiguli, the Kopek. Italian engineers worked to make changes to the design.

From 1966 to 1970, 35 different examples of the car were collected for extensive testing. While the plant was being built, pre-production samples of the “kopek” traveled 2.5 million kilometers on Soviet roads and off-roads.

Serial production of the “penny” began on April 19, 1970. Coming out of the gates of the new automobile plant, the new car made a real splash on the Soviet car market. The car was dynamic, despite the relatively low power of the 1.2 liter engine of 62 hp. The car was elegant, aroused interest even among the fair half, motivating its representatives to go to driving school, if, of course, the family had the opportunity to purchase this car, which instantly became popular and in short supply. The car gave Soviet car owners unprecedented convenience - in winter there was no need to drain the cooling system when the car was idle; the cooling system contained antifreeze, known to us under the Tosol brand. And also, “kopek” gave the Soviet car enthusiast a car service. The creation of a network of service stations for servicing cars was one of the main requirements of the Italians, according to the contract. In general, without any exaggeration, with the advent of the “penny”, a new era began for Soviet car owners...

I think there is no point in describing the technical characteristics and design of the VAZ-2101. Many of us learned them from our own experience, with wrenches in our hands, learning the intricacies of auto mechanics. The steering causes a lot of criticism; it is very simple - a worm-roller gearbox, devoid of any amplifiers, and turning the steering wheel on a VAZ classic requires considerable effort. But the reason for the tight steering lies not only in the design of the gearbox.

The Kopeyka came from the factory on narrow 155 R13 tires, these are standard wheels native to the Lada. And at the same time, the diameter of the steering wheel was rather large. Now everything is exactly the opposite, the standard for VAZ classics is 175 R13, and the steering wheel is “sports”, with a small diameter. This is why it is difficult to steer, especially when the car is stationary. The gear shift of the four-speed manual transmission is clear even after many years and tens of thousands of kilometers, which, alas, cannot be said about the Moskvich.

According to the passport, accelerating the car from zero to one hundred takes 22 seconds, which corresponds to reality on a good flat road, a well-adjusted carburetor, a lively, peppy engine and the absence of a strong headwind. Maximum speed – 140 km/h. Fuel consumption according to the passport in the urban cycle is about 9.5 liters per 100 km, plus or minus a liter, this is also true.

The interior can be called laconic, the front seats could be folded out to form sleeping places, but they, like the seats themselves, cannot be called comfortable. In general, in terms of the ergonomics of the driver’s seat, the “kopek” lagged behind the Moskvich 412, but this is a topic for a separate article.

During the production of the VAZ-2101 and its modification VAZ-21011 with a 1.3 liter engine, from 1970 to 1988, 2.7 million cars were produced. “Kopeyka” was popular not only within the country but also abroad, where it was exported under the beautiful name “LADA”, and not only to the countries of the socialist camp, but also to France, Britain, Sweden, Austria, and was supplied to Africa and Cuba, where “ kopecks" still travel.

In our country, the “penny” can be found even now, probably in any corner of the country, for the most part, of course, in the outback, where simplicity of design, unpretentiousness and availability of spare parts in the nearest village store are valued more than the top-end equipment of various new European and Korean representatives of the automotive mass market. At the same time, despite the prevalence of Zhiguli cars, it is now very difficult to find a decent copy of the VAZ-2101, in the original, with a body that has not been overcooked and repainted for the 10th time. Well-preserved VAZ 2101 are full-fledged Youngtimers, which are already a collector's value, and cost money corresponding to such value, and an ordinary “penny” can be bought for 10-25 thousand rubles.

Photos and illustrations are taken from open sources and belong to their authors.

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VAZ-2101. History of creation

Definition

    VAZ-2101 "Zhiguli"- Soviet rear-wheel drive passenger car with a sedan body. The first model produced at the Volzhsky Automobile Plant.
    On the base VAZ-2101 the so-called “classic” family of VAZ cars was created, which was on the assembly line until April 17, 2012.
    For the release of this model in May 1972, the Volzhsky Automobile Plant was awarded the International Golden Mercury Award. In 2000 VAZ-2101 was named the best domestic car of the 20th century according to the results of an all-Russian survey conducted by the magazine “Behind the Wheel”. Over the entire period of production (from 1970 to 1988), the Volzhsky Automobile Plant gave birth to 4.85 million cars VAZ-2101 all modifications.

History of the creation of the VAZ-2101

Logo of the VAZ automobile company, which produced the VAZ-2101 model. Popularly known as "kopek"

    VAZ 2101 became the first car brand produced by the Volzhsky Automobile Plant. The FIAT-124 was taken as its basis. At first glance, the car differed little from its “progenitor”, but was much better adapted to Soviet roads.
    On August 15, 1966, a cooperation agreement was concluded between FIAT and Vneshtorg. At the same time, construction began on the largest automobile production plant in the USSR. As the plant was being built, the FIAT 124 underwent tests, the purpose of which was to identify design flaws in the Italian car and subsequently adapt it to Russian conditions.
    VAZ 2101 - was christened “Zhiguli”, and popularly nicknamed “Kopeyka”. But from the point of view of promoting the car abroad, the name “Zhiguli” turned out to be unsuccessful. For a number of languages ​​it was dissonant. For example, the name “Zhiguli” was consonant with the Arabic “Dzhigul” - thief... Therefore, the pleasing “Lada” was chosen as the export name.
    The Zhiguli was conceived as a people's car. But the designers and factory engineers and mechanics subsequently encountered a lot of problems that prevented them from effectively solving the assigned problems. I had to give up the idea of ​​a car being affordable for the average person. Nevertheless, the cars went well for export. Over 57 thousand cars were sent to the countries of the Socialist Commonwealth - the GDR, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Yugoslavia. Soon Ladas appeared on the roads of Germany, France, Great Britain, Austria, Switzerland, Egypt and Nigeria. On April 19, 1970, the first copy of the new model was assembled on the main conveyor belt of the Volzhsky plant, which was rolled off the assembly line by Italian chief instructor Benito Guido Savoini.
    The ancestor of all “VAZ” “classics”, the VAZ 2101, was distinguished by a reinforced four-door sedan body of “canonical” shape, a more advanced engine, a modified transmission and chassis. The engine received a more progressive overhead camshaft in the cylinder head. The ground clearance was increased by 3 cm, the suspension was reworked and strengthened, the rear disc brakes were replaced with drum brakes as they were more resistant to dirt and durable, and a “crooked starter” was added. An exterior rearview mirror appeared on the outside, and the door handles became safety-recessed. The engine design was changed - the camshaft was moved to the head, the distance between the cylinders was increased. The weight of the car has increased by 90 kg.
    The interior was done at the level of those years (70s) quite well. The hood, which opens in the direction the car is moving, is hung on the body along the front edge and secured at one point with a lock. The trunk is located in the rear of the body. The trunk lid lock was locked and unlocked with a key. The trunk contained a spare wheel, a jack, and a set of driver's tools and accessories. The front seats are separate with reclining backrests and have a mechanism for adjusting the seat position and backrest tilt. The rear seat is fixed and solid.
    Carburetors 2101 of the first series were produced until 1974, the second - until 1976, the third series - from 1976 to 1978. Since 1979, carburetors of the Ozone-2105 series with an autonomous idle system have been installed on cars. Later, modifications of the VAZ 21011 and 21013 were produced with a modernized body and 1.3 and 1.2 liter engines. The main changes occurred in the body modification 21011 (1974), which received more comfortable shaped front seats and slightly modified controls, as well as ashtrays moved from the rear armrests directly to the door panels. In addition to this, the modification received a more powerful 69-horsepower engine with a displacement of 1.3 liters. These cars were equipped with a different radiator grille with more frequent horizontal crossbars, and four additional ventilation slots appeared at the bottom of the front panel. The bumpers lost their fangs and were replaced with rubber pads around the perimeter. Openings for forced exhaust ventilation of the cabin appeared on the rear pillars, covered with decorative grilles, brake lights and turn signals were retrofitted with reflectors. A reverse signal has appeared.
    Since the appearance of the VAZ-2101 in the early seventies no longer corresponded to the world level of design, a car modernization project was developed in Togliatti, which included the installation of a 1.3-liter engine, rectangular headlights from Moskvich and a number of other changes. There were several design options. None of them went into production, but the engine of increased displacement was subsequently installed on the VAZ-21011 model (since 1974), which had minimal external differences from the base model, and the design developments became the starting point for work on a deeper modernization model - VAZ -2105.
    With the development of production of the VAZ-2101, truly mass motorization of the USSR began, with all its positive and negative consequences. Already in the mid-seventies, cars from the Volzhsky plant accounted for about half of the passenger car fleet in the country, and their share continued to grow.
    In 2000, according to the results of a survey of almost 80 thousand car enthusiasts from Russia and the CIS countries, conducted by the magazine “Behind the Wheel,” the VAZ 2101 was recognized as “the best Russian car of the century.” 25% of respondents named the VAZ “kopek” as the best Russian car of the century. In second place with 19% of the Volga is the GAZ-21, in third is the tenth model of the Lada.

Origin of the name VAZ-2101

    Normal 1966
    The VAZ-2101 turned out to be the first Soviet car to which a new industry document was applied - normal OH 025270-66, which regulates the classification and designation system of rolling stock: each new model of a car or trailer is assigned an index consisting of four digits, where the first ones indicate the class of the car and its purpose. The second two digits are the model. Model modifications have an additional fifth digit indicating the serial number of the modification. The sixth digit is the type of execution: 1 - for cold climates, 6 - export version for temperate climates, 7 - export version for tropical climates, 8 and 9 - reserve for other export modifications. Some cars have the prefix 01, 02, 03, etc. in their designation through a dash, indicating that the model or modification is transitional or has additional equipment. The digital index is usually preceded by the letter designation of the plant that developed or produced the model. For example, the index of the VAZ-21011 car is deciphered as follows: VAZ - manufacturer: Volzhsky Automobile Plant; 21 - a small class car with an engine from 1200 to 1800 cm³; 01 is the first model registered in this class; 1 is the first modification of the base car, characterized by the installation of a different engine, in this case with a volume of 1300 cm³.

    "Zhiguli"
    There is an opinion that the name “Zhiguli” was born thanks to a competition announced by the magazine “Za Rulem” in August 1968. However, according to the testimony of VAZ veterans, the name “Zhiguli”, proposed by designer A. M. Cherny, was approved by the director of the plant V. N. Polyakov at the beginning of 1967. At the same time, it was proposed to FIAT to develop a decorative lettering for the rear body panel.
    People at different times attached two nicknames to the VAZ-2101: first - “One”, and already at the end of the 1980s, when the model was no longer considered prestigious, - “Kopeyka”.

Modifications of VAZ-2101

    Bulk:
    VAZ-2101 - initial version, 1,198 liter engine;
    VAZ-21011 - the so-called “eleventh” - the main changes occurred in the modification of the body, the interior of which received more conveniently shaped front seats and slightly modified controls, as well as ashtrays moved from the rear armrests directly to the door panels. In addition to this, the modification received a more powerful 69-horsepower engine with a displacement of 1.3 liters. These cars were equipped with a different radiator grille with more frequent horizontal crossbars, and four additional ventilation slots appeared at the bottom of the front panel. The bumpers lost their “fangs” and were replaced with rubber pads around the perimeter. On the rear pillars of the VAZ-21011, special exhaust ventilation holes for the interior began to be located, which were covered with original grilles; brake lights and turn indicators received reflectors. They began to install a reversing light on the car.
    VAZ-21013 - differs from the VAZ-21011 with a VAZ-2101 engine of lower power (displacement 1.2 l);
    VAZ-21016 - VAZ-2101 with a more powerful 1.3 liter VAZ-21011 engine.

    Right hand drive:
    For export to countries with left-hand traffic, the Volga Automobile Plant has mastered the production of two versions of the Zhiguli - VAZ-21012 and VAZ-21014 (based on the VAZ-2101 and VAZ-21011). They were distinguished by a reinforced suspension spring for the right front wheel, since when the controls were moved to the right side, the distribution of the vehicle’s weight turned out to be uneven.

    Limited series:
    VAZ-21018 - VAZ-311 rotary engine (1 section), 70 hp;
    VAZ-21019 - VAZ-411 rotary engine (2 sections), 140 hp;
    VAZ-2101 pickup truck - as was customary in the USSR, VAZ practiced converting defective Zhiguli bodies into pickup trucks, which were subsequently used for their own needs both inside the plant itself and outside it. The entire rear part of the roof of the car was simply cut off, a new rear wall of the cabin was mounted behind the front seats, and the rear doorways, which had become unnecessary, were welded to increase rigidity. The carrying capacity of such pickups was 250-300 kg.
    The export version of the car was called Lada 1200. Over 57 thousand cars were sent to the countries of the Socialist Commonwealth - the GDR, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Yugoslavia. Soon Ladas appeared on the roads of Germany, France, Great Britain, Austria, Switzerland, Egypt and Nigeria.
    The production of the VAZ-21011 car was stopped in 1982, and the VAZ-2101 was stopped produced in 1983. The VAZ-2102 station wagon was also created on the basis of the VAZ-2101.
    The VAZ-2101 car became the founder of a whole family of cars called “classics”. In Cuba, VAZ-2101 “limousines” are produced practically on a semi-industrial basis, widely used as minibuses.

Engine VAZ-2101

VAZ cars are equipped with a 4-cylinder carburetor engine with an in-line vertical arrangement of cylinders

    The cars are equipped with a 4-cylinder carburetor engine with an in-line vertical arrangement of cylinders and an overhead camshaft. Depending on the model or modification of the car, three types of engines can be installed:
    - 2101 - with a working volume of 1.2 liters. This is the engine of VAZ-2101 cars;
    - 21011 - with a working volume of 1.3 liters. The main engine for VAZ-21011 cars. It differs from the 2101 engines in having a cylinder diameter increased to 79 mm, therefore it has a different cylinder block, cylinder head gasket and pistons with piston rings;
    - 2103 - with a working volume of 1.45 liters. Used on VAZ-21023 cars. It differs from the 2101 engines with a piston stroke increased by 14 mm. Therefore, it has a different crankshaft and other parts of the timing chain drive. In addition, a carburetor with different calibration data is installed on it, intended for engines with a displacement of 1.45 liters.
    The VAZ-2101 engine has four cylinders 33 arranged in one row, which are bored into a common thin-walled cast iron block 11. The external dimensions of the engine are LΧHXW = 566.4X678X603 mm (L is the length from the end of the fan to the end of the flywheel; H is the height from the bottom of the crankcase to the top edge of the air filter cover; W is the overall overall width from the protruding parts of the air filter to the oil filter housing).
    In each cylinder 33 of the engine there is an aluminum piston 30, which is connected by a piston pin to the upper head of the connecting rod 32. The lower head of the connecting rod is connected to the connecting rod journal of the five-bearing crankshaft 35. The main bearings of the crankshaft are attached to the lower beds of the block with covers 1. To balance translationally moving and rotating The crankshaft is equipped with counterweights and a flywheel 26 is mounted on its rear flange. A double-row drive sprocket 3 of the chain drive and a pulley 2 of the belt drive are installed at the front end of the shaft. The front end of the shaft in cover 5 and the rear end in holder 27 are sealed with oil seals. From below, the engine is closed with a stamped steel pan with an oil sump 29, which is also a reservoir for oil used to lubricate engine parts. To reduce oil splashing, prevent oil overflow and hydraulic shock when driving over rough terrain, as well as during ascent, descent and sudden braking, a partition 31 is installed in the crankcase. Oil leakage and the passage of gases from the crankcase are prevented by a gasket made of cork-rubber mixture, which is installed between the cylinder block 11 and crankcase 29. Oil is poured into the engine through the oil filler neck, closed by plug 22. Oil from the crankcase is drained through the hole closed by plug 34. The engine has an upper arrangement of inlet 17 and exhaust 15 valves. They are mounted in the cylinder head 13, common to all four cylinders. The tight pressing of the head of each valve to its seat is ensured by two valve springs located one inside the other. The springs have opposite direction of turns. The valves are opened by levers 19, which are pressed by the intake and exhaust cams of the camshaft 18. The camshaft is installed in a bearing housing 21, mounted on the cylinder head 13. The cylinder head is closed on top with a stamped steel cover 23. The camshaft is driven from the crankshaft using a double-row roller chain 6. The tension of the drive chain is provided by the shoe 10 of the tensioning device. To ignite the working mixture, spark plugs 25 are installed in the combustion chambers of the cylinder head 13. The cylinder head 13 is attached to the block 11 with ten main and one additional bolts. The engine operates on a four-stroke cycle. When the piston 30 moves down and the intake valve 17 opens, a mixture of fuel and air enters the combustion chamber of the cylinder 33 through the intake channel in the head 13 from the carburetor, and the mixture is sucked in. With the subsequent upward movement of the piston, due to the rotation of the engine crankshaft 35, the working mixture is compressed. At the end of the compression stroke, the mixture is ignited by an electric spark of high voltage current, which is supplied to the spark plug 25. After the mixture is ignited, the power stroke is carried out. Further rotation of the crankshaft occurs under the action of the flywheel 26 and the working strokes occurring in other engine cylinders. After the power stroke, the piston 30 moves upward, at the same time the exhaust valve 15 opens and the exhaust gas exhaust stroke occurs.

Characteristics of VAZ-2101

    Soviet VAZ-2101 car owners experienced many things for the first time. The high degree of refinement of the design and the quality of manufacture of the car made it possible to operate it without taking excessive precautions during the initial period of operation. The restrictions only applied to driving at maximum speeds while the car was running in. In the Zhiguli, you could talk at high speed without raising your voice; It was warm in the car in winter; it could cover almost twice the distances than other Soviet cars. The VAZ-2101 could be started in winter without using the crank. Much of the credit for this belonged to the DAAZ-2101 two-chamber carburetor, more advanced than its Soviet counterparts. A few years later, Soviet variations of “Weber” began to be serially equipped with AZLK and Izhmash products.
    The VAZ-2101 engine at one time had the highest liter power among all Soviet passenger cars. In first gear, it was possible to confidently overcome mountain serpentine roads with long descents and ascents. The innovation was a closed-type cooling system, designed to use only antifreeze. Before this, Soviet passenger cars did not have an expansion tank, and their radiators were most often filled with water, which in winter had to be drained before each stop. For the first time in the VAZ-2101, plastic was used in the interior trim, which is not afraid of exposure to direct sunlight.

Sports achievements VAZ-2101

    The sporting success of the Zhiguli was based on an engine with a camshaft in the cylinder head. It turned out that the engine lends itself well to boosting - Soviet racers received an excellent opportunity to build sports cars.
    The debut of the VAZ-2101 in the sports arena took place at the beginning of 1971 in Riga at the team championship of the USSR Winter Rally Championship. Then - the USSR championship in circuit racing, where Togliatti cars were even brought into a separate class "Zhiguli". And already in the fall of the same year, VAZ-2101 cars took part in international competitions: three Soviet crews started in the Tour of Europe-71 marathon. The route of this rally was laid across the territory of 14 countries of Western and Eastern Europe (including the territory of the USSR), and the total length of the distance reached 14 thousand kilometers. At the end of the tour, the VAZ-Avtoexport team won the Silver Cup in the team competition, and the crews Girdauskas-Madrevits and Lukyanov-Karamyshev also received awards in the individual competition. The regularity of this fact was brilliantly confirmed later at the “Tour of Europe-73”, where the teams racing the VAZ-2101 received both gold and silver cups at once.
    The VAZ-2101 was popular not only in the USSR as a racing car. In the 80s, the British organized a special rally championship Lada Challenge. Subsequently, the “zero firsts” did not leave the tracks of both intra-Union and international competitions for many years, and VAZ-2101s are sometimes seen in amateur rallies even today.

    Conquering the Nürburgring
    The 1971 VAZ-2101 “Zhiguli” car, prepared by the CityMotorsport team, took part in the race of historical cars held at the prestigious Nürburgring track on October 1, 2004. The rivals of the “one” were racing legends of past years: Jaguar E-type, Lotus Elan, BMW 2002TI, Alfa Romeo Sprint GT, Ford Mustang and, of course, Porsche models Porsche 356 and Porsche 911.
    “One” started at the beginning of the third ten in accordance with the result of the qualification, which took place during the rain. The first laps were not easy - on a dry track, rivals in more powerful cars passed the Zhiguli one after another. It seemed to the CityMotorsport team that the race had already been lost; the main thing was to reach the finish line. But it started to rain, and power stopped playing a decisive role. The crew began to win position after position. First, they overtook the leader in the standings for cars produced from 1966 to 1971 - the blue Alfa Romeo, which competed in the class up to 1600 cm³. It should be noted that already in those years this car rolled off the factory assembly line with a two-shaft engine and twin Weber carburetors. And then the “one” began to overtake Jaguars and Porsches one after another! The VAZ-2101 crew finished in thirtieth position and first place in the class.

VAZ-2101 in the cinema

    Cars VAZ-2101 have repeatedly participated in the filming of films at various venues across the country. This car can be seen in films "Rally", "Sportloto-82", "Mimino", "Sunday Dad", “Accident is the cop’s daughter”, "Traffic Inspector", "Brother 2", "The game is serious", "National Security Agent", "Streets of Broken Lanterns", "New Adventures of Cops", "Hitler is kaput!", "Third take", "Sex and the City" and many others.
    In 2002, under the slogan “A cult car in the whirlwind of passions,” Ivan Dykhovichny’s film “Kopeyka” was released, in which the VAZ-2101 car played the main role.
    In 1983, “Kopeyka” also appeared on Western screens: in the detective story “Gorky Park” it was driven by William Hurt’s hero, and in 2008 in the action film “Wanted,” filmed in America by Russian director Timur Bekmambetov.
    In the film “Guest from the Future,” the pirates offered Kolya Gerasimov the information they needed: “Do you want a Zhiguli? Can you imagine: so small, and already a Zhiguli!” “Kopeyka” can be found in the computer game “Expedition-Trophy: Murmansk-Vladivostok”, in different colors and conditions. There are rusty turquoise, rusty red with dented roof, rusty blue, white in good condition, blue in good condition and red in good condition.

Technical characteristics of the VAZ 2101 car

    VAZ 2101- this is a small car, the engine capacity was only 1.2 liters, and the power was 60 hp. The VAZ 2101 was a small car; the trunk was very roomy - 325 liters. As for the dimensions of this car: the length was 4115 cm, the width was 1620, and the height was 1445 cm. The body type was, of course, a sedan, the number of doors was 4, and the number of seats, of course, 5. But as the story goes, five people is far from the limit for this brand.
    The car began to be produced in 1970, a little later modifications of the VAZ 21011 and VAZ 21013 were released. They were not particularly different, if only the technical characteristics were slightly improved - the engine capacity was 1.3 and the power was a little stronger. By the way, fuel consumption on these models ranged from 9.2 to 9.5.

10 facts about the VAZ 2101 car

    10 interesting facts from history:
    1. The prototype of the VAZ-2101 was the Fiat 124R (“Russia”), a car that received the Car of the Year award in 1965.
    2. At the request of Soviet specialists, more than 800 changes were made to the FIAT design. Among all the changes there was a requirement to increase ground clearance, to which the Italians asked the question: Are you not going to build roads at all?
    3. The FIAT rear disc brake pads wore down to metal within 500-600 km, so the rear brakes were replaced with drum brakes.
    4. It is believed that initially they planned to sell the VAZ 2101 for 1 ruble per kilogram, which would have amounted to a little more than 1000 rubles, but the capital that had accumulated in the hands of people at that time dictated a different price - 5300 rubles.
    5. The name “Zhiguli” turned out to be unsound in many European languages, Hungarian was especially distinguished, where there is the word “shchikuli” - a completely obscene word, so on export cars the name was replaced with LADA.
    6. With the name LADA, despite all the checks, an incident again turned out to be in the same Hungarian language, the word LADA means chest.
    7. Since 1971, the VAZ 2101 took part in sports competitions, where it immediately had a huge advantage over the traditional Volgas and Moskviches; competition participants even suspected the AvtoVAZ team of using studs.
    8. The only monument to the “kopek” in the whole world was installed in Moscow at 70 Privolnaya Street. On a marble pedestal there is a monument the size of the car itself. The monument was erected by the Lada Favorit company.
    9. According to the results of a survey by the magazine “Behind the Wheel” in 2000, the VAZ 2101 was recognized as the “Russian Car of the Century”.
    10. The INCOTEX Holding company produces 1:43 scale models. With a stamp on the bottom “made in the USSR, Made in USSR”, the inscription on the packaging is “Cars of Russia”. List of some models: “GAI” (yellow), “Rally” (blue), “Training” (white), “Russian Post”, “Standard” (green), “with trunk” (green, blue), “Taxi” " (yellow).

Close 8.5 (8.8 before 1973) Supply system: two-chamber vertical carburetor with sequential throttle opening Cooling: liquid closed type with forced circulation of liquid Cylinder operating order: 1-3-4-2 Recommended fuel: AI-92

Characteristics

Mass-dimensional

Dynamic

Acceleration to 100 km/h: 20 s
Max. speed: 142 km/h

On the market

Other

Modifications

VAZ-21011, VAZ-21013

VAZ-2101 "Zhiguli"- Soviet rear-wheel drive passenger car with a sedan body. The first model produced at the Volzhsky Automobile Plant.

On the basis of the VAZ-2101, the so-called “classic” family of VAZ cars was created, which is on the assembly line to this day.

For the release of this model in May 1972, the Volzhsky Automobile Plant was awarded the International Golden Mercury Award. In 2000, the VAZ-2101 was named the best domestic car of the 20th century according to the results of an all-Russian survey conducted by the magazine “Behind the Wheel”. Over the entire period of production (from 1970 to 1988), the Volzhsky Automobile Plant gave birth to 4.85 million VAZ-2101 cars of all modifications with a sedan body.

History of creation

In the summer of 1966, the first acquaintance of domestic specialists with the Italian car took place.

During tests on our roads, the cars revealed serious problems with the durability of the body and rear disc brakes. The low ground clearance and lack of towing eyes made operating the vehicles on a country road problematic. The dissatisfaction of Soviet engineers was also caused by the lower engine - absolutely unpromising from the point of view of further development of the design. All comments of our specialists were taken into account by Italian designers.

The chassis and transmission underwent no less serious changes. As a result, the VAZ-2101 began to differ from the Fiat 124 in brakes (drum mechanisms appeared at the rear, calmly withstanding bad roads), suspension (the front was strengthened, the rear was completely replaced with a more modern one with five reaction rods instead of a reaction pipe), cardan transmission (an open shaft with an intermediate support), reinforced clutch and modified design of synchronizers in the gearbox. Even in terms of comfort, the VAZ-2101 turned out to be better than its prototype thanks to the ability to transform the seats into full-fledged berths, which were subsequently appreciated by thousands of owners. It is interesting that some innovations were applied to the “zero first” in order to unify it with the luxury model Fiat 124S (VAZ-2103). First of all, these are safety external door handles. The VAZ-2101 also received an outside rear view mirror. In total, over 800 changes were made to the design of the Fiat 124, after which it received the name Fiat 124R. The “Russification” of the Fiat 124 turned out to be extremely useful for the FIAT company itself, which has accumulated unique information about the reliability of its cars in extreme operating conditions.

The first six VAZ-2101 cars were assembled on April 19, 1970, and the rhythmic work of the main conveyor began in August. By the end of the year, 21,530 units were assembled in Tolyatti; in 1971, this number increased to 172,175 cars, and the peak of VAZ-2101 production occurred in 1973, when 379,007 units were assembled. The plant reached its design capacity in 1974.

origin of name

Normal 1966

It should be noted that the VAZ first-borns turned out to be the first domestic cars to which a new industry document was applied - normal OH 025270-66, which regulates the classification and designation system of rolling stock: each new model of car or trailer is assigned an index consisting of four digits, where the first ones indicate class of vehicle (trailer) and its purpose. The second two digits are the model. Model modifications have an additional fifth digit indicating the serial number of the modification. The sixth digit is the type of execution: 1 - for cold climates, 6 - export version for temperate climates, 7 - export version for tropical climates, 8 and 9 - reserve for other export modifications. Some cars have the prefix 01, 02, 03, etc. in their designation through a dash, indicating that the model or modification is transitional or has additional equipment. The digital index is usually preceded by the letter designation of the plant that developed or produced the model. For example, the index of the VAZ-21011 car is deciphered as follows: VAZ - manufacturer: Volzhsky Automobile Plant; 21 - small class car with an engine from 1200 to 1800 cm³; 01 is the first model registered in this class; 1 is the first modification of the base car, characterized by the installation of a different engine, in this case with a volume of 1300 cm³.

"Zhiguli"

There is an opinion that the name “Zhiguli” was born thanks to a competition announced by the magazine “Behind the Wheel” in August 1968. However, according to the testimony of VAZ veterans, the name “Zhiguli”, proposed by designer A. M. Cherny, was approved by the director of the plant V. N. Polyakov at the beginning of 1967. At the same time, it was proposed to FIAT to develop a decorative lettering for the rear body panel.
People at different times attached two nicknames to the VAZ-2101: first - “unit”, and already at the end of the 1980s, when the model was no longer considered prestigious, - “kopek”.

Modifications

Bulk:

Right hand drive:

  • For export to countries with left-hand traffic, the Volzhsky Automobile Plant has mastered the production of two versions of the Zhiguli - VAZ-21012 And VAZ-21014(based on VAZ-2101 and VAZ-21011). They were distinguished by a reinforced suspension spring for the right front wheel, since when the controls were moved to the right side, the distribution of the vehicle’s weight turned out to be uneven.

Limited series:

  • VAZ-21018- VAZ-311 rotary engine (1 section), 70 hp;
  • VAZ-21019- VAZ-411 rotary engine (2 sections), 140 hp;
  • VAZ-2101 pickup- as was customary in the USSR, VAZ practiced converting defective Zhiguli bodies into pickups, which were subsequently used for their own needs both within the plant itself and outside it. The entire rear part of the roof of the car was simply cut off, a new rear wall of the cabin was mounted behind the front seats, and the rear doorways, which had become unnecessary, were welded to increase rigidity. The carrying capacity of such pickups was 250-300 kg.

The export version of the car was called Lada 1200. Over 57 thousand cars were sent to the countries of the Socialist Commonwealth - the GDR, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Yugoslavia. Soon Ladas appeared on the roads of Germany, France, Great Britain, Austria, Switzerland, Egypt and Nigeria.

The production of the VAZ-21011 car was stopped in 1982, and the VAZ-2101 was stopped produced in 1983. Then they began to produce only a modification of the VAZ-21013, the production of which was completed only in 1988.

"Limousine" VAZ-2101

The VAZ-2101 car became the founder of a whole family of cars, called “classics”. In Cuba, VAZ-2101 “limousines” are produced practically on a semi-industrial basis, widely used as minibuses.

Machine evaluation

Soviet VAZ-2101 car owners experienced many things for the first time. The high degree of refinement of the design and the quality of manufacture of the car made it possible to operate it without taking excessive precautions during the initial period of operation. The restrictions only applied to driving at maximum speeds while the car was running in. It was thanks to the Zhiguli that car enthusiasts learned that in a small car at high speed you can talk without raising your voice; that in the harsh winter the car can be as warm as home; that tirelessly you can cover almost twice as long distances as on other domestic cars. The VAZ-2101 clearly demonstrated to our car enthusiasts how simple winter engine starting can be. When owners of passenger cars of other brands were forced to go for buckets of hot water and blowtorches, the driver of a Zhiguli often did without even the aid of a crank. Much of the credit for this belonged to the two-chamber carburetor DAAZ-2101 (Weber 32 DCR), more advanced than the Soviet analogues of that time. It is not without reason that a few years later, domestic variations of Weber began to be mass-produced in the products of AZLK and Izhmash. However, “Zhiguli” carburetors began to appear under the hoods of “Muscovites” and even “Volgas” much earlier - through the efforts of the owners themselves, who were tired of fighting the vagaries and gluttony of standard units of the series K-126.

Speaking about the VAZ-2101 engine, it would not be an exaggeration to say that at one time it had the highest liter power among all Soviet passenger cars. In combination with a reliable four-speed gearbox on the “one”, it was possible to confidently overcome mountain serpentine roads with long descents and ascents. One cannot fail to note such an innovation as a closed-type cooling system, designed for the use of only antifreeze. Previously, Soviet passenger cars did not have an expansion tank, and their radiators were most often filled with ordinary water, which in winter had to be drained before each stop - this procedure was considered a completely ordinary thing. Only on the VAZ-2101 for the first time did high-quality plastic materials appear in the interior trim, which were not afraid of exposure to direct sunlight. Summarizing all of the above, we can say that with the first VAZ cars, new technologies and new materials came to our country, thanks to which the entire industry (and not only the automotive industry) took a huge step forward.

Sports achivments

The sporting success of the Zhiguli was already embedded in the engine itself with a camshaft in the cylinder head. It turned out that the engine lends itself well to boosting - Soviet racers received an excellent opportunity to build sports cars.
The debut of the VAZ-2101 in the sports arena took place at the beginning of 1971 in Riga at the team championship of the USSR Winter Rally Championship. Then - the USSR circuit racing championship, where Tolyatti cars were even brought into a separate Zhiguli class. And already in the fall of the same year, VAZ-2101 cars took part in international competitions: three Soviet crews started in the marathon "Tour of Europe-71". The route of this rally was laid across the territory of 14 countries of Western and Eastern Europe (including the territory of the USSR), and the total length of the distance reached 14 thousand kilometers. At the end of the tour, the team VAZ-Avtoexport won the Silver Cup in the team competition, and the crews Girdauskas-Madrevits and Lukyanov-Karamyshev also received awards in the individual competition. The regularity of this fact was brilliantly confirmed subsequently and on "Tour of Europe-73", where the teams driving the VAZ-2101 received both gold and silver cups at once.
The VAZ-2101 was popular not only in the USSR as a racing car. The British, for example, organized a special rally championship in the 80s Lada Challenge .
Subsequently, the “zero firsts” did not leave the tracks of both intra-Union and international competitions for many years, and VAZ-2101s are sometimes seen in amateur rallies even today.

Conquering the Nürburgring

VAZ-2101 “Zhiguli” car, produced in 1971, prepared by the team CityMotorsport participated in the race of historical cars held at the prestigious Nürburgring track on October 1, 2004. The rivals of the “one” were racing legends of the past: Jaguar E-type, Lotus Elan, BMW 2002 TI, Alfa Romeo Sprint GT, Ford Mustang and, of course, Porsche models Porsche 356 and Porsche 911. There are fifty collectible cars in total.
“One” started at the beginning of the third ten in accordance with the result of the qualification, which took place during the rain. The first laps were not easy - on a dry track, rivals in more powerful cars passed the Zhiguli one after another. Team CityMotorsport it seemed that the race had already been lost, the main thing was to reach the finish line. But suddenly it started to rain, and power ceased to play a decisive role. The crew began to win position after position. First, they overtook the leader in the standings for cars produced from 1966 to 1971 (the German historical racing championship takes place in several stages) - the blue Alfa Romeo, which competed in the class up to 1600 cm³. It should be noted that already in those years this car rolled off the factory assembly line with a two-shaft engine and dual carburetors Weber. And then the “one” began to overtake Jaguars and Porsches one after another! The VAZ-2101 crew finished in thirtieth position and first place in the class.
In 2010, the “unit” again went on the track. This time Mikhail Gorbachev's team took part in the competition FHR Historischer Langstrecken Cup, held on the full version of the Nürburgring track. The fact is that prestigious international 1000 km races were held on the Nordschleife from 1953 to 1983. Cars from famous world manufacturers took part in them. There were never any Soviet cars among them. Today this is possible, as the Germans have revived the legendary racing for historical cars.
The preparation of the car for the start was carried out with the support of the company Rossauto. It is prohibited to modify the body according to Group 1 rules, so the white “one” looks even more stock than the silver one that took part in the 2004 race. The suspension remained standard - only shock absorbers were installed Koni Sport. The engine has undergone more serious changes. It was bored out to 1300 cm³, a sports camshaft and two twin carburetors were installed Weber 40DCOE. Theoretically, it was in this configuration that the car could participate in international races at the very beginning of the seventies. The main rivals of the “one” were cars with an engine capacity of up to 1300 cm³, produced from 1965 to 1971.
The crew included Andrey Oleynikov, journalist and driving instructor Dmitry Sokolov and Alexey Mochanov, who knows the treacherous route very well.
In difficult weather conditions, both the car, which handled well, and the athletes, who did not make serious mistakes, showed themselves. Of the conditional classmates, the Russian-Ukrainian crew lost only to the NSU racers. The principal competitors in the Ford Escort 1300GT showed the best average speed per lap, but ended up behind at the finish.
In total, the VAZ-2101 was in the race for 7 hours and 6 minutes, having consumed more than 200 liters of fuel, on each lap it accelerated three times to a speed of 180 km/h (at 7500 rpm) and in the end, driven by Andrey Oleinikov, it saw the finishing flag ! Among the foreigners, the team has the fourth result, and 56th overall. A total of 70 cars finished, so in the overall standings, the “one” beat out several Porsche and BMW crews. Never before in its long racing life has a VAZ-2101 been continuously in a race for 7 hours.

To the cinema

VAZ-2101 cars have repeatedly participated in the filming of films at various locations across the country. This car can be seen in the films “Sportloto-82”, “Mimino”, “Sunday Dad”, “Accident - Cop’s Daughter”, “Wanted”, “Traffic Inspector”, “Brother-2”, “A Serious Game”, “ National Security Agent" ("Heir" series), "Streets of Broken Lights", "New Adventures of Cops", "Hitler Kaput! ", "Third Take", "Love in the City" and many others.

In 2002, under the slogan “A cult car in the whirlwind of passions,” Ivan Dykhovichny’s film “Kopeyka” was released, in which the VAZ-2101 car played the main role.

In 1983, “Kopeyka” also appeared on Western screens: in the detective story “Gorky Park” it was driven by William Hurt’s hero, and in 2008 in the action film “Wanted”, filmed in America by Russian director Timur Bekmambetov.

In the film “Guest from the Future,” the pirates offered Kolya Gerasimov the information they needed: “Do you want a Zhiguli? Can you imagine: so small, but already a Zhiguli!”

In the gaming and souvenir industry

A 1:43 scale model of the VAZ-2101 (A9) was produced at the Radon plant from 1977 to 1987.

  • The model of the VAZ-2101 (A17) PATROL car was produced at the Radon plant from 1978 to 1987, initially it had the index A9, but then it was assigned its own number. Early models had a teardrop-shaped flasher, later a cylindrical one. There were also options with megaphones on the roof.
  • On January 19, 2010, the white VAZ-2101 model was released as part of the “Auto Legends of the USSR” series number 25.

Handmade

  • There is a magazine series “Cult Cars of Poland” from the publishing house “DeAgostini” number 31. It contains a white VAZ-2101 export version.
  • The INCOTEKS Holding company produces 1:43 scale models. On the model, the “wipers” are made like on right-hand drive cars (not from left to right, but vice versa). With a stamp on the bottom “Made in the USSR, Made in USSR”, the inscription on the packaging is “Cars of Russia”. List of some models: “GAI” (yellow), “Rally” (blue), “Training” (white), “Russian Post”, “Standard” (green), “with trunk” (green, blue), “Taxi” " (yellow).

Monuments and memorials

on a pedestal near the building of the UDP Department of Internal Affairs of WKO

Literature

  • Vershigora V. A., Zeltser V. I., Pyatkov K. B. VAZ cars. - Moscow: Publishing House "Transport", 1974. - 368 p.
  • Kotlyarov V. A. Flame of high thought. - Togliatti: AVTOVAZ, 2000. - 357 p.
  • Auto legends of the USSR. VAZ-2102 "Zhiguli" // DeAgostini: magazine. - 2010. - No. 15.
  • Auto legends of the USSR. VAZ-2101 "Zhiguli" // DeAgostini: magazine. - 2011. - No. 25.

Sources and notes

Links

Cars of the Volzhsky Automobile Plant (VAZ)
Family Zhiguli (Lada, “classic”) VAZ-2101 VAZ-2102 VAZ-2103 VAZ-2104 VAZ-2105 VAZ-2106 VAZ-2107
Family Lada Samara (Sputnik) VAZ-2108 VAZ-2109 VAZ-21099
Family Lada 110 VAZ-2110 VAZ-21106 VAZ-2111 VAZ-2112 VAZ-21123
Family Lada Samara 2(“Eurosamara”) VAZ-2113 VAZ-2114 VAZ-2115
Family Lada Kalina VAZ-1117 VAZ-1118 VAZ-1119 VAZ-1119 Sport Lada Kalina City
Family Lada Priora VAZ-2170 VAZ-2171 VAZ-2172 VAZ-2172 Coupe
Family Lada Granta

One day, in the mid-sixties, dad came home from work and said:

We will buy Fiat!

What is it - Fiat? Any Soviet child of the sixties knew perfectly well that there were only three types of cars: Zaporozhets, Moskvich and Volga. Not counting, of course, various Seagulls, as well as the then extremely rare foreign cars parked in front of embassies and other representative offices.

The table of ranks of those times was quite clear. There simply could not be any doubt about the superiority of the Volga over a Moskvich or a Zaporozhets - why argue about the advantage of a large salary over a small one? The respectable price of the GAZ-21 matched its authority: 5,602 rubles! Moskvich-408 - simpler and cheaper: 4511 rubles 27 kopecks. Well, Zaporozhets is already a lifelong reason for ridicule: even in an era of shortages. The latest model “Humpbacked” cost 2,400 rubles, and the new “eared” ones that replaced it cost 3,000. It was as if there were no other cars in nature. True, in the International Journalists Solidarity Lottery some other exotic items were played out - the GDR Wartburg, and the Czechoslovakian Skoda, but the average resident of the country had no idea what it was all about.

The news that a certain fourth car will soon appear on the roads, which in terms of quality, mass production and availability will beat all the others, did not leave anyone indifferent. It was not just about a new small car: the prospects of a different automobile era loomed - with hospitable car dealerships, civilized service, the highest quality and something else terribly tempting. Little was required - to build a new plant and... and, in general, that’s all!

Soviet people cannot be frightened by construction projects. The remains of the flooded Stavropol were baptized in honor of Palmiro Togliatti (an Italian communist who recently died in Yalta). Then the still unknown VAZ announced a recruitment drive, at the same time famously erecting a virtually new city, providing VAZ workers with both apartments and good salaries. Moreover, new buildings with an emblem in the form of an ancient Russian boat began to appear throughout the country - shops, car services. And it was, of course, great. Communism appeared over the horizon.

However, at first the fate of Fiat did not work out. The stupid name Zhiguli (Zhigulya, Zhigulya, Zhigulya) only increased the skepticism - the buyer greeted the Italian novelty very coldly. The people waiting in line for the Moskvich-412 in 1970 contemptuously ignored postcards inviting them to buy some kind of VAZ-2101 instead of a normal car. The garage “councils of elders” also made fun of the imported “toy” - they say, what kind of car is it that you can’t even unscrew the wing? And the first Zhigulis that appeared “in public” generally caused bewilderment: why are they somehow matte? It turned out later that the owners, stunned by an excess of feelings, were in no hurry to remove the protective wax layer from the machines. The price also contributed to skepticism - an “affordable” toy with a Hungarian radio cost 5,605 rubles! True, the new Volga GAZ-24 at that time already had a dizzying price tag of 9,150 rubles, so the Zhiguli car was not allowed to top the price table of ranks...

But then everything was according to Bulgakov. Remember, in “The Master...”, when a ladies’ shop was opened in the variety show and “a brunette came out in such a dress that a sigh rang through the entire stalls”... And then it broke out completely...” So it is here - it broke through completely, and mistrust collapsed overnight. It quickly became clear that brand new Zhigulis, sparkling in the sun, simply start in the cold, easily move the speedometer needle to the right all the way, know how to silently close the doors, and in terms of comfort they have no competitors at all. The mere fact that the VAZ-2101 could easily accommodate three passengers in the back seat instantly transferred the Togliatti little car into the universal category. With this one you can go to the dacha, to work, on vacation, to the store, with your lover, or just to drive along the highway. Owning a Lada for many years has become an indisputable sign of the owner’s respectability. If you have a Zhiguli, then everything is fine with you.

The first Lada, in general, was very different from its Italian relative. Overhead camshaft, rear drum brakes, modified suspension, increased ground clearance. However, any bolt on the head of which the joyful driver found the inscription FIAT confidently worked for the Western image of “zero-first” - in the minds of the vast majority of consumers it was a Full-fledged Foreign Car. Note that all fasteners for new cars were made according to “their” standards with tight tolerances: once the connection was tightened, it never came loose. (Although the factory soon learned to undertighten these bolts, and the “broaching” operation came into use, which has nothing to do with broaching before launching a rocket from the cosmodrome.)

However, I didn’t want to think about anything bad then. Friends of my parents - a wealthy single couple - in 1970 bought themselves a white Zhiguli car from the first batch: I had the opportunity to travel in it several times (as a passenger, of course: I was only 15). Honestly, for me it was space - especially after my dad’s “humpback”. My father also liked the car, but he grumbled for a long time that we don’t need one and that Zaporozhets is also a car. In general, as a result, the parents got into debt for several years, and in June 1972, the beaming father came home in a brand new light blue Zhiguli. Let me remind you that there were seven color options back then - from cherry to dark green.

To be honest, in those days I had never heard the term “penny”. When asked what kind of car you have, they usually answered “first”, less often - “one”. On the road, the “first” easily overtook anyone, and the declared 62 hp. seemed like the ultimate dream. However, previously unknown problems also appeared.

For a brand new car, the kind people who hung around the service station and auto shop immediately offered “tuning” that could not be refused. First of all, they pressed their hands on the rear panel of the body - at the same time, the beautiful trunk... opened without a key! The price of tuning is 1 ruble: for this money they quickly screwed some kind of protective bracket to the lock mechanism. Another innovation - also for 1 rub. - the owner paid meekly when another kind uncle came up with a screwdriver and showed how easy it is to unscrew the glass from the rear lights - yellow and red. The solution was simple: the mounting screws were tightened from the inside!

Everyone knows that the VAZ 2101, or in common parlance “Kopeyka”, copied the external features and technical features from the Italian Fiat-124 model of 1966. Of course, all materials for production were used only Soviet ones.

The first stage of the plant was put into operation on March 24, 1971 and was designed to produce 220,000 cars per year. The following year, AvtoVAZ doubled its production capacity.

The VAZ-2101 was created as a low-power car (four-cylinder engine capacity was 1.2 liters; power - 62 hp at 600 rpm; maximum speed - 140 km/h) and with a relatively low price, so that everyone could afford to buy a legendary car.

Compared to the Italian prototype, the VAZ-2101 acquired rear drum brakes (instead of disc brakes), which were more durable and resistant to dirt. According to the characteristics of our roads, the ground clearance was also increased, the body and suspension were strengthened. In all subsequent years, the VAZ model was refined and subjected to modifications. But even in this (pristine) form, the VAZ-2101 was produced until 1982 and became a truly “people's” car.

Characteristics of VAZ 2101

Domestic car designers paid special attention to modifications to the VAZ 2101 for more comfortable operating conditions in our country. As you know, the road surface in Russia is significantly different from Italy, so the body and suspension were significantly strengthened, which improved the technical characteristics of the VAZ 2101. The rear disc brakes from Fiat were replaced with drum ones. This was explained by their durability and resistance to dust and dirt, for which Soviet roadways were famous.

Almost everything has changed, and most importantly, the engine design. Automotive designers increased the distance between the cylinders (this made it possible to bore the diameter of the cylinders) and moved the camshaft to the cylinder head. Changes also affected the clutch, gearbox, and rear suspension. As a result, the weight of the car increased by 90 kg. In total, there were more than 800 changes and differences in the design of the VAZ 2101.

From 1970 to 1986, the plant produced almost three million VAZ 2101 cars. When 19 years passed after the car was released, the AvtoVAZ Museum was replenished with a new attraction - the VAZ-2101.

Technical parameters of VAZ 2101

Engine

Length, mm

Width, mm

Height, mm

Wheelbase, mm

Front track, mm

Rear track, mm

Ground clearance, mm

Minimum trunk volume, l

Body type/number of doors

Engine location

Front, longitudinal

Engine volume, cm3

Cylinder type

Number of cylinders

Piston stroke, mm

Cylinder diameter, mm

Compression ratio

Number of valves per cylinder

Supply system

Carburetor

Power, hp/rev. min.

Torque

Fuel type

Gearbox type / number of gears

Gear ratio of the main pair

Front suspension type

Double wishbone

Rear suspension type

Helical spring

Steering type

Worm gear

Fuel tank volume, l

Maximum speed, km/h

Vehicle curb weight, kg

Permissible total weight, kg

Acceleration time (0-100 km/h), s

Fuel consumption in the urban cycle, l

Fuel consumption in the extra-urban cycle, l

Fuel consumption in the combined cycle, l

Modifications of VAZ-2101

Mass production of VAZ-2101:

VAZ-2101 “Zhiguli” - initial version, 1.2 liter engine. (1970-1983);

VAZ-21011 “Zhiguli-1300” - the so-called “zero eleven” - the main changes occurred in the modification of the body. This car was equipped with an excellent radiator grille with more frequent vertical bars; four additional slots appeared in the lower part of the front panel for better air flow to the radiator of the cooling system. The bumpers lost their “fangs” and were replaced with rubber pads around the perimeter. On the rear pillars of the VAZ-21011, special exhaust ventilation holes for the interior began to be located, which were covered with original grilles; brake lights and turn indicators received reflectors. They began to install a reversing light on the car (1974-1983). The interior has also undergone changes, which have become more comfortable, as well as ashtrays, for which they found a new place on the door panels. The corrugated silver inserts on the dashboard have given way to woodgrain inserts, and the steering wheel has lost its chrome ring. In addition to this, the modification received a more powerful 69-horsepower engine with a displacement of 1.3 liters.

VAZ-21013 “Lada-1200s” - differs from the VAZ-21011 with a VAZ-2101 engine of lower power (displacement 1.2 l) (1977-1988);

Right-hand drive VAZ-2101:

For export to countries with left-hand traffic, the Volga Automobile Plant has mastered the production of two versions of the Zhiguli - VAZ-21012 and VAZ-21014 (based on the VAZ-2101 and VAZ-21011). They were distinguished by a reinforced suspension spring for the right front wheel, since when the controls were moved to the right side, the distribution of the vehicle’s weight turned out to be uneven. The car was produced during 1974-1982.

Low-volume VAZ-2101:

VAZ-21015 "Karat" - a modification for special services, equipped with an engine.

VAZ-2106, additional gas tank, rear suspension springs from VAZ-2102, points for installing special equipment.

VAZ-21018 - VAZ-311 rotary engine (single-section), 70 hp. With.;

VAZ-21019 - VAZ-411 rotary engine (two-section), 120 hp. With.;

VAZ-2101 pickup - a variant with a pickup body, which had a load capacity of 250-300 kg.

Special VAZ-2101:

VAZ-2101-94 - this modification was a VAZ-2101, equipped with a 1.5 liter engine from the VAZ-2103. The car was primarily intended for the police and special services.

VAZ-21016 - VAZ-2101 body with a 1.3 liter VAZ-21011 engine.

The export version of the car was called Lada 1200. More than 57,000 cars were sent to the countries of the Socialist Commonwealth. Production of the VAZ-2101 and VAZ-21011 cars was discontinued in 1983, due to increased production of the new VAZ-2105 model. Then they began to produce only a modification of the VAZ-21013, the production of which was completed only in 1988.