Photo: image edited by autoevolution
The Brooklyn traffic holds plenty of surprises, especially for the uninitiated, but just when you think you've seen them all, a piece of... communist metal comes along and amazes you with its tip-top shape. This is the exact feeling we had when we came across the adjacent images, which show a Lada bathing in Brooklyn's automotive landscape.
This Lada, which belongs to the 1200-1300-1500 series, has certainly been restored and while we can't be certain about its production year, this looks to be one of the models from the late 70s, when the vehicle entered production.
Speaking of such industry matters, Ladas were never officially imported into the US, due to the embargo against the former Soviet Union. The reason for which you couldn't have a Lada in the US was the Cold War, but not too many complained. As some of you know, communist motoring wasn't exactly translated into quality time spent behind the wheel and we're not just referring to Ladas here.
Even the Trabant, which came from Eastern Germany, was still not good at anything else than offering a cheap way to travel. Still, both brands happen to have enthusiasts in the US, so a very, very limited number of cars were brought into America after all. By the way, there's even a recent... review for the long-dead Trabant, coming from the US.
AvtoVaz, the Russian carmaker that owns Lada, reached a deal with Fiat and then kept the vehicle in production for decades and decades. Sure, it received multiple names, along with more or less important upgrades, but the basic package around which everything was built remained largely unchanged.
Interestingly enough, perhaps this is one of the reasons for which enthusiasts love this car today. The driving experience is raw thanks in no small part to the rear-wheel drive, but underpowered, as the thing packed 75 hp when it left the factory. Driving one of these Ladas feels more like maneuvering like an old truck than being in a car, so while it is a very... bespoke experience, the few who are into this kind of fetish will adore it.
Nowadays, Lada is part of the Renault-Nissan alliance, so even though you may have not head too much about it, this is one of the cards being played in the battle for the world's largest automakers, where the Alliance is ranked fourth.
Speaking of such industry matters, Ladas were never officially imported into the US, due to the embargo against the former Soviet Union. The reason for which you couldn't have a Lada in the US was the Cold War, but not too many complained. As some of you know, communist motoring wasn't exactly translated into quality time spent behind the wheel and we're not just referring to Ladas here.
Even the Trabant, which came from Eastern Germany, was still not good at anything else than offering a cheap way to travel. Still, both brands happen to have enthusiasts in the US, so a very, very limited number of cars were brought into America after all. By the way, there's even a recent... review for the long-dead Trabant, coming from the US.
More about Lada
Returning to our Lada, we want to tell you the actual story of the car. This is a re-skinned version of the Fiat 124. So you basically get a car that was designed in the 60s and subsequently adapted for the budget markets.AvtoVaz, the Russian carmaker that owns Lada, reached a deal with Fiat and then kept the vehicle in production for decades and decades. Sure, it received multiple names, along with more or less important upgrades, but the basic package around which everything was built remained largely unchanged.
Interestingly enough, perhaps this is one of the reasons for which enthusiasts love this car today. The driving experience is raw thanks in no small part to the rear-wheel drive, but underpowered, as the thing packed 75 hp when it left the factory. Driving one of these Ladas feels more like maneuvering like an old truck than being in a car, so while it is a very... bespoke experience, the few who are into this kind of fetish will adore it.
Nowadays, Lada is part of the Renault-Nissan alliance, so even though you may have not head too much about it, this is one of the cards being played in the battle for the world's largest automakers, where the Alliance is ranked fourth.
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