Moskvitch (Russian: Москвич) (also written as Moskvich, Moskvič or Moskwitsch) was a Soviet/Russianautomobilebrand produced by AZLK from 1946 to 1991 and by OAO Moskvitch from 1991 to 2001. The current article incorporates information about both the brand and the joint-stock successor of AZLK for the sake of simplicity.
OAO Moskvitch was a privatized venture name given to the former factory in order to avoid legal issues after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since the factory had no assembly branches outside Russia after 1991, its name is largely used today to refer to the building located in the lower eastern part of Moscow and abandoned since 2006.
The word moskvich (Russian: москвич) itself translates as “a native of Moscow, a Moscovite“. It was used to point out the original location of the cars manufactured in the capital of Russia, Moscow.
History
MZMA Logo
In 1929 the construction of Moscow Automotive Plant began with initial production of 24,000 vehicles. Between 1940 and 1941, it built the two-door compact car KIM 10-50 and its “Phaeton” version KIM 10-51. In 1941, after having produced under 1,000 units, the plant was evacuated to Ural and the entire production converted for the manufacture of military equipment after Hitler’s invasion during World War II.
After the war, the production of the KIM cars was not resumed, and instead the Soviet Union acquired an Opel manufacturing line from Brandenburg in Soviet occupation zone of Germany to manufacture the modified Opel Kadett under the name Moskvitch-400 in December 1946. In the 1950s and afterwards the factory, now called MZMA (Moskovsky Zavod Malolitrazhnykh Avtomobiley, that is, Moscow Compact Car Factory), replaced it with its own cars developed by Soviet engineers: the second post-war generation consisting of the Moskvitch-402–407 and 410, then by the more advanced Moskvitch 408, 412 and 2140. The M-407 was the first Soviet automotive export to be truly successful in the West. Up to half of all M-407 production was exported for a number of years, mainly to the Eastern Bloc countries, Norway, Finland, and France. Later models were also sold in Great Britain, Finland, and Norway, for instance, and in 1968, 55% of production was for export. In 1969, the factory changed its name to AZLK (Avtomobilny Zavod imeni Leninskogo Komsomola, which means Automobile Factory in honor of Komsomol Leninist Communist Youth Union).
Moskvitch cars were sturdy, reliable on substandard roads and were offered at low cost. Demand always exceeded production, so people in the Soviet Union had to wait a long time for a new car. Until the 1980s all Moskvitch cars were compact rear-wheel drivesaloons and estates with solid rear axles suspended by leaf springs.
The Moskvitch was also produced in Bulgaria (see Moskvitch (Bulgaria)) between 1966 and 1990 on the basis of complete knock down (CKD) kits. Models 408, 408I, 412, 21412 “Aleko”, total of 304,297 cars.
In 1986 the Moskvitch-2141 Aleko became available for the first time. It was influenced by the Simca 1307 (which was also badged as the Chrysler/Dodge Alpine, and under other names, in western markets). It was upgraded and restyled during the period of its production. It was powered by the 1.5L UZAM used in the M-412 model and VAZ-2106 1.6L in-line four-cylinder engines, which had by then had been used in several LADA models. Aleko was different from any model the factory had made previously: it was larger and more luxurious, made with more comfort, safety and aerodynamics in mind. The new car had such features as front-wheel drive, a hatchback body style, MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion-crank rear suspension. It had rack-and-pinion steering and a collapsible steering column. The 1.8 liter gasoline engine for the new car was planned, but never materialized, as was also the case with a diesel version. In the early 1990s AZLK still remained one of the largest auto companies in the USSR. Design and experimental work was prepared to create a new model car (sedan M-2142) and an engine plant. However, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, due to a financial crisis, disruptions in the work of the company and financial mismanagement the engine plant was not finished and the Moskvitch company fell into decline. Because of its location, Moskvitch was in a more vulnerable position than companies located in other regions, as the cost of living and car production in Moscow began to grow rapidly.
The factory, which had been renamed to OAO Moskvitch (Moskvitch Joint-Stock Company) in the early 1990s, filed for bankruptcy in 2002 and ceased production. Unfinished bodyshells remained on the production line in various stages of completion, while furniture, computers, office supplies, and documents remained in the plant’s administration building. Several attempts to restart production have been made over the next 3 years, but none were successful.
A portion of the abandoned plant was acquired by OAO Avtoframos, a 38%-62% joint venture between the City of Moscow and French automaker Renault SA. In 2005, Avtoframos commenced assembly of Renault Logan sedans from imported complete knock-down kits (CKDs). The presence of Avtoframos brought new life to a small part of the facility, but the majority of the sprawling plant remains abandoned, apparently still owned by the dormant Moskvitch company.
The bankruptcy of OAO Moskvitch was officially announced in 2006 and the company was liquidated the following year. As of 2016, over a million Moskvitch cars remained on Russian roads.
Since 2009, the owner of the brand Moskvitch is the German automotive company Volkswagen. In 2011, the company extended its brand ownership rights until 2021, a 10-year period.
KIM 10-51 (1941) the same car with a Phaeton bodyKIM-10-52 (1945) 4-door compact carMoskvitch 400-420 Flathead engine 23 hp (1946-1954), copy of 1939 Opel Kadett K38Moskvitch 400-420A (4-door convertible, was priced below closed models, but anyway was not popular) (1949–52)Moskvitch-402, probably a Moskvitch-402B (with hand controls for disabled drivers) Moskvitch 400-420B (version of 400 for disabled persons)1953 Москвич 401 – cab Moskvitch 400-420K (cab-chassis version of 400)moskvich 400-3 ambulance car Moskvitch 400-420M (medical sedan version of 400)
Moskvitch 433 (panel van version of 408) (1966-1975)
Moskvitch 412 (1967-1975) (latterly known as a Moskvitch 1500 for the Western export market)Moskvitch 426 (station wagon version of 408) (1967-1975)Moskvitch 427 (station wagon version of 412) (1967-1975)
Moskvitch 434 (panel van version of 412) (1967-1975)Moskvitch-2140 (1976-1988) (carried on the scheme of using the Moskvitch 1500 name for Western exports)Moskvitch 2136 (similar to 2137, but with 408 engine) (1976)Moskvitch 2137 (station wagon version of 2140) (1976-1988)Moskvitch 2734 (panel van version of 2140) (1976-1981)Moskvitch 2138 (similar to 2140, but with 408 engine) (1976-1982)
Moskvitch 2140SL (1981-1986, also known as 1500SL) (improved 2140, Super Lux was made for foreign markets)
Moskvitch 3-5-2 (1970, based on the M-408)Moskvitch 3-5-3 (station wagon version of 3-5-2)Moskvitch 3-5-4 (modernized 3-5-2)Moskvitch 3-5-5 (1972, based on the 3-5-2)
Moskvitch 3-5-6 (1975)
C Series
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Moskvitch DeltaMoskvitch S1 (1975)Moskvitch S2 (developed from the S1)
Moskvitch S3 (1976)
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Moskvitch S4
Moskitch 434G (1978-1979, prototype pickup truck based on 412)
Moskvitch 2144 Istra (1985)
Moskvitch 8135 (1989, prototype trailer)
Moskvitch 2143 Yauza (1991)
Moskvitch X1
Gallery
Moskvitch-400
Moskvitch-402
Moskvitch-403
Moskvitch-423
Moskvitch-408
Moskvitch-412
1972 Moskvitch-427 estate (this year of this export model sold as a Moskvitch-1500)
Moskvitch-2137
Moskvitch-2140
Moskvitch-2140SL
M-2141 alias M-2141S
M-21412 alias M-2141S
My personal collection:
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ADN-Ralf Hirschberger 28.12.90 Nordhausen: Endstation für die ehemaligen “Prunkstücke” der DDR-Bürger. Auf einer Deponie in der Nähe von Nordhausen gammeln die einstigen “Renommierlimosinen” vor sich hin.
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Zentralbild-Deutsche Demokratische Republik 13.11.1970 schw Sowjetische Personenkraftwagen auf den Straßen der DDR Unser Foto zeigt einen PKW vom Typ “Moskwitsch” auf dem Berliner Alexanderplatz. Im Hintergrund die Baustelle des zukünftigen Berliner Verlages, dessen Gleitkern bereits in die Höhe ragt. Reporter: Sturm Copyright: ADN-Zentralbild”
Zaporozhets is still well-known in many former Soviet states. Like the Volkswagen Beetle or East Germany‘s Trabant, the Zaporozhets was destined to become a “people’s car” of the Soviet Union, and as such it was the most affordable vehicle of its era. At the same time, it was rather sturdy and known for its excellent crossing performance on poor roads. Another important advantage of the Zaporozhets was its ease of repairs. The car’s appearance gave birth to several nicknames that became well known across the Soviet Union: horbatyi (“hunchback“, owing to ZAZ-965’s insect-like form; although ZAZ factory workers never used this nickname), malysh (English: Kiddy),ushastyi (“big-eared“, due to 966 and 968’s round air intakes on each side of the car to cool the rear-mounted engine), mylnitsa (“soap-box”, for ZAZ-968M, lacking “ears” and producing a more box-like appearance).
Numerous special versions of the Zaporozhets were produced, equipped with additional sets of controls that allowed operating the car with a limited set of limbs, and were given for free or with considerable discounts to disabled people, especially war veterans, side-by-side with SMZ-series microcars. These mobility cars would at times consume up to 25% of ZAZ factory output.
The ZAZ 965 was a city car produced from 1960 to 1963. Design of a car accessible to the public, and one in part taking the place of the soon to be discontinued Moskvitch 401, began in 1956. Following the growing trend of city cars (then accounting for between 25% and 40% of all European car sales), the minister in charge of Minavtroprom (the Soviet automotive ministry) Nicholas Strokin selected the new Fiat 600 as the model to follow. However, apart from general principles of mechanics and a close visual similarity to the Fiat 600, the ZAZ was in fact a completely different car.
ZAZ-965 dashboard
The first prototype, the Moskvich-444, was designed by MZMA in October 1957; it used the same glass for front and rear windows. Its ground clearance, on 13 in (330 mm) wheels, was 200 mm (7.9 in). The prototype was first powered by a flat twin-cylinder MD-65 engine provided by the Irbitskiy Motorcycle Plant, which was “totally unsuited”: it produced only 17.5 hp (13.0 kW; 17.7 PS) and lasted only 30,000 km (19,000 mi) between major overhauls. As a result, a search for another engine was begun, and the success of the VW Type 1‘s boxer led to a preference for an air-cooled engine, which NAMI (the National Automobile Institute) had on the drawing board.Minavtroprom, however, preferred a 23 hp (17 kW; 23 PS) rear-mounted 746 cc (45.5 cu in) V4, the NAMI-G, which had the additional advantage of being developed for the LuAZ-967. As a result, it had characteristics not common for automobile engines, including a magnesium alloy engine block. (This engine, the MeMZ 965, would be built by the Melitopolski Motor Plant, MeMZ.) It had the drawback of needing to have the rear of the car redesigned to fit, as well as needing a new rear suspension. The influence of the LuAZ designers led to the introduction of independent suspension on all four wheels. Its front doors open in a manner like suicide doors, partly to make it more accessible to the disabled.
One of the primary differences was that the engine, which featured a V4 layout in place of the Fiat‘s inline-four, was air-cooled. The Zaporozhets also featured bigger wheels and front suspension on torsion bars. In 1958, the government ordered production of the car in the reformed ZAZ factory, under its final designation ZAZ-965. All further production of the car was carried out there.
The new car was approved for production at the MeMZ factory 28 November 1958, changing the name to ZAZ (Zaporizhia Automobile Building Plant) to reflect the new profile. The Zaporizhia factory was supplemented with the Mikoyan Diesel-Building Factory in Melitopol, which was part of the Soyuzdieselcombinat.
The first car, dubbed the ZAZ-965 Zaporozhets, was delivered 12 June 1959, was approved 25 July 1960, and entered production 25 October. The Zaporozhets was priced at 1,800 rubles.
There was also a car-derived van model for the Soviet post office, the 965S, with right-hand drive and blanked-off windows.
ZAZ-965A
ZAZ-965AE
The 965A was an improvement on the 965 and was produced from November 1962 to May 1969. In total, 322,106 units of the 965 were produced. It was powered by a MeMZ 965 rear-mounted, air-cooledOHV 887 cc (54.1 cu in) V4 engine, partially of aluminium design, producing 27 PS (20 kW). From November 1966 some cars were fitted with the slightly more powerful 30 PS (22 kW) MeMZ-965A engine. The 965’s modest engine output has given ground to an urban joke that it was used as a starter motor in Soviet tanks.
As Soviet drivers were expected to do much of the servicing themselves, and auto workshops were in short supply anyway, the engine’s 90° V4 layout proved more practical, especially in harsh winter conditions. The higher centre of gravity of the engine also provided superior traction on steep slopes, though this advantage, which was also continued in later models, came at the expense of the car’s infamous cornering stability.
The 965A also had its versions for the disabled (ZAZ-965B, AB, AR), as well as a more luxurious export variant ZAZ-965AE Yalta.
Despite low prestige of those cars, they have shown an unbeaten accessibility and popularity among the Soviets, becoming the “car for pensioners and intellectuals”. They were the cheapest Soviet-made cars. Quite a large number of them was produced in variants for disabled people, with modified steering.
Between November 1966 and May 1969 the 965A and its successor, the ZAZ966, were produced concurrently.
When production of the 965 ended, 322,116 had been built.
The 965 also inspired the 1962 prototype NAMI 086, named Sputnik (Fellow Traveller), with a 15 PS (11 kW) 500 cc (31 cu in) vee-twin (half an MeMZ 965), electromagnetic clutch and four-speed transmission. Fitted with four-wheel independent suspension and weighing just 520 kg (1,150 lb), intended for use by the disabled, it was never built.
The ZAZ KD of 1969 was also based on the 965, fitted with a glassfibre body, giving it a weight of only and a top speed of 75 mph (121 km/h) on just 30 PS (22 kW). It was never produced in quantity, either.
The second generation of the Zaporozhets was a series of subcompact cars, production starting of the 966 in November 1966, although the prototype was working on as 1961. It had a completely restyled bodywork (done entirely by ZAZ), no longer resembling the Fiat 600 and arguably similar to the Chevrolet Corvair or the NSU Prinz. This was an effort to cure some of the 965’s issues, such as torsion bars that lost tension, suicide doors, and engine overheating and noise. The engine was the 30 hp (22 kW; 30 PS) 887 cc (54.1 cu in) MeMZ 966A. A radio was standard equipment. The price had inched up, too, from 1,800 rubles at the 965’s debut to 2,200 by 1969.
While featuring a larger two-door notchbacksaloon body, it still featured an air-cooled V4 engine and featured more prominent air intakes – the so-called “ears”, although a decorative chrome grille was also present. The car’s rear suspension was also replaced. The 966 started out as the simpler ZAZ-966V (ЗАЗ-966В in Cyrillic) with the 30 hp (22 kW; 30 PS) engine from the 965A, which was also featured on all later models. Much like the 965A, the 966V was also produced in several special variants for the disabled (VR, VB, VB2 – until January 1973). It was produced in tandem with the 965 from November 1966 to May 1969.
ZAZ launched an upgraded 966B in 1968, powered by a new 40 hp (30 kW; 41 PS) 1,197 cc (73.0 cu in) MeMZ 968 V4, while the 30 hp (22 kW; 30 PS) 966A-powered model became the 966-1 which was only ever produced in small numbers. The 966B, weighing in at 780 kg (1,720 lb), was heavier than the earlier model, but faster, reaching 75 mph (121 km/h).
The 966 was discontinued in 1972, with the introduction of the ZAZ 968.
Nicknamed “Zapo” in the Eastern Bloc, the 966 was also popular in Western Europe, including some Scandinavian countries and France. Some markets fitted a 956 cc (58.3 cu in) Renault engine.
ZAZ-968
ZAZ-968
ZAZ-968 rear view
The ZAZ-968 and its modifications were produced from 1971 to 1980. It featured the same 40 hp (30 kW; 41 PS) 1,197 cc (73.0 cu in) MeMZ 968 V4 as the ZAZ 966, but the exterior design was slightly modernized. The most obvious alteration was replacing the fake chrome grille in the car’s front with a horizontal chrome decoration. Among other changes was the less austere dashboard and better front brakes. The 968 was discontinued in 1978, having been produced simultaneously with the newer 968A since 1973, which was produced until 1980. It introduced new safety measures, including a safer driving wheel and a plastic dashboard instead of the earlier metal one. The 968A also had its variants for the disabled (the ZAZ-968R, B, B2, AB, and AB2) with the 30 hp (22 kW; 30 PS) 887 cc (54.1 cu in) engine.
Toward the end of 1974, an up-market 968A debuted, surviving until 1979. Among its improvements were padded dash, energy-absorbing (collapsing) steering column, and seats from the VAZ-2101. The export 968E (destined mostly for the Eastern Bloc) had headlights able to meet international standards, a safety glass windscreen, and anti-theft steering lock.
ZAZ-968M
ZAZ-968M
ZAZ-968M
In 1979, the 968 series was replaced by the modernized 968M. Prototyped in 1977, it had the “ears” removed and replaced much of the chrome exterior with black plastic. Its interior design was also upgraded, featuring a closed-space glove compartment and a slightly more modern dashboard. It was offered with either the MeMZ 968E (40 hp (30 kW; 41 PS), carbureted, low-compression for 76-octane fuel); 968GE (40 hp (30 kW; 41 PS), dual carburettor); or the MeMZ 968BE (50 hp(37 kW; 51 PS), 8.4:1 compression, for 93-octane). Instead of the side-mounted “ears”, the hood lid and rear quarter panels were louvered.
The 968M is the most contemporary Zaporozhets model and also spent the most time in production, spanning a career from 1979 to 1 June 1994. Some of its special variants include the ZAZ-968MB2, for drivers who have only one foot, the ZAZ-968MB for drivers who have no feet.
Planned 968s with 1,300 cc (79 cu in) or 1,400 cc (85 cu in) engines were never realized.
Export versions
Among the export variants produced by ZAZ were ZAZ-965E, ZAZ-965AE, ZAZ-966E, ZAZ-968E, and ZAZ-968AE, which had improved consumer qualities. Depending on target markets, commercial names Jalta or Eliette were used for these models.
In total, 3,422,444 Zaporozhets vehicles were manufactured and powered by air-cooled engines from the Melitopol factory from 1960 to 1994.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his spouse Lyudmila on the way to the informal dinner with the American President George Bush and his spouse Laura.
ADN-ZB Kutscher 21.10.75-Berlin: Blick auf das Werk für Fernsehelektronik im Berliner Stadtbezirk Köpenik
In 1925 Laurin & Klement was acquired by Škoda Works which itself became state owned during the communist regime. After 1991 it was gradually privatized and in 2000 Škoda became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group.
Initially, the company was meant to serve the role of the VW Group’s entry brand. Over time, however, the Škoda brand has shifted progressively more upmarket, with most models overlapping with their Volkswagen counterparts on price and features, while eclipsing them on space. Its total global sales reached 1.06 million cars in 2015 and had risen annually by 1.8 percent, profit had risen by 6,5%. In 2015, a corporate strategy was launched to produce an all-electric car by 2020 or 2021 with a range of over 300 miles (480 km), 15-minute charging time, and a cost below comparative combustion-engine vehicles.
History
The Škoda Works were established as an arms manufacturing plant in 1859. Škoda Auto (and its predecessors) is one of the five oldest companies producing cars and has an unbroken history alongside Daimler, Opel, Peugeot and Tatra.
The origins of what became Škoda Auto go back to the early 1890s when, like many long-established car manufacturers, a company started manufacturing bicycles. Škoda (then Laurin & Klement) factories were founded in 1896 as a velocipede manufacturer.
In 1894, 26-year-old Václav Klement, who was a bookseller in Mladá Boleslav, Kingdom of Bohemia (today’s Czech Republic, then part of Austria-Hungary), was unable to obtain spare parts to repair his German bicycle. Klement returned his bicycle to the manufacturers, Seidel and Naumann, with a letter, in Czech, asking them to carry out repairs, only to receive a reply, in German, stating: “If you would like an answer to your inquiry, you should try writing in a language we can understand”. Not satisfied with the reply and realising the business potential, Klement, despite having no technical experience, decided to start a bicycle repair shop, which he and Václav Laurin opened in 1896 in Mladá Boleslav. Before going into partnership with Klement, Laurin was an established bicycle manufacturer in the nearby town of Turnov.
In 1898, after moving to their newly built factory, the pair bought a Werner “Motocyclette”. Laurin & Klement‘s first motorcyclette, powered by an engine mounted on the handlebars driving the front wheels, proved dangerous and unreliable—an early accident on it cost Laurin a front tooth. To design a safer machine with its structure around the engine, the pair wrote to German ignition specialist Robert Bosch for advice on a different electromagnetic system.
Their new Slavia motorcycle made its debut in 1899 and the company became the first motorcycle factory in the Central Europe. In 1900, with a company workforce of 32, Slavia exports began and 150 machines were shipped to London for the Hewtson firm. Shortly afterwards, the press credited them as makers of the first motorcycle.
By 1905 the firm was manufacturing automobiles, making it the second-oldest car manufacturer in the Czech lands after Tatra. The company, with an area of 7800 m2, had a workforce of 320 and used 170 special machine-tools, power-driven by 100 hp of steam power. The first model, Voiturette A, was a success and the company was established both within Austria-Hungary and internationally.
Škoda
Škoda 422 (1929)
After World War I the Laurin & Klement company began producing trucks, but in 1924, after running into problems and being affected by a fire on their premises, the company sought a new partner.
Meanwhile, “Akciová společnost, dříve Škodovy závody” (Limited Company, formerly the Škoda Works), an arms manufacturer and multi-sector concern which had become one of the largest industrial enterprises in Europe and the largest in Czechoslovakia, sought to enlarge its non-arms manufacturing base and acquired Laurin & Klement in 1925. It also started manufacturing cars in cooperation with Hispano-Suiza. Most of the later production took place under Škoda’s name.
An assembly line was used for production from 1930 onwards. In the same year a formal spin-off of the car manufacture into a new company, Akciová společnost pro automobilový průmysl or abbreviated ASAP, took place. ASAP remained a wholly owned subsidiary of the Škoda Works and continued to sell cars under the Škoda marque. Apart from the factory in Mladá Boleslav it included also the firm’s representation, sales offices and services, as well as a central workshop in Prague. At the time, the car factory in Mladá Boleslav covered an area of 215,000 m2 and employed 3,750 blue-collar and 500 white-collar workers.
After a decline caused by the economic depression, Škoda introduced a new line of cars in the 1930s which significantly differed from its previous products. A new design of chassis with backbone tube and all-around independent suspension was developed under the leadership of chief engineer Vladimír Matouš and modelled on the one first introduced by Hans Ledwinka in Tatra. First used on model Škoda 420 Standard in 1933, it aimed at solving insufficient torsional stiffness of the ladder frame.
The new design of chassis became the basis for models
1934-44 Škoda 420 Popular Popular (845-1,089 cc),1934 Škoda Popular Kupé Rapid (1165–1766 cc),1936-41 Škoda Favorit (typ 904) limousine Favorit (1802–2091 cc) and the1939 Škoda Superb OHV Superb(2.5–4 l). While in 1933 Škoda had a 14% share of the Czechoslovak car market and occupied third place behind Praga and Tatra, the new line made it a market leader by 1936, with a 39% share in 1938.
World War II
During the occupation of Czechoslovakia in World War II the Škoda Works were turned into part of the Reichswerke Hermann Göring serving the German war effort by producing components for military terrain vehicles, military planes, other weapon components and cartridge cases. Vehicle output decreased from 7,052 in 1939 to 683 in 1944, of which only 35 were passenger cars. A total of 316 trucks were produced between January and May 1945. The UK and US air forces bombed the Škoda works repeatedly between 1940 and 1945. The final massive air raid took place on 25 April 1945 and resulted in almost the complete destruction of the Škoda armament works and approximately 1,000 dead and injured.
Post World War II
Škoda 1101 Tudor Roadster (1949)
When, by July 1945, the Mladá Boleslav factory had been reconstructed, production of Škoda’s first post-World War II car, the 1101 series began. It was essentially an updated version of the pre-World War II Škoda Popular. In the autumn of 1948, Škoda (along with all other large manufacturers) became part of the communist planned economy, which meant it was separated from the parent company, Škoda Works. In spite of unfavourable political conditions and losing contact with technical development in non-communist countries, Škoda retained a good reputation until the 1960s, producing models such as the Škoda 440 Spartak, 445 Octavia, Felicia and Škoda 1000 MB.
Škoda Octavia Super (1960)
In late 1959, the Škoda Felicia, a compact four-cylinder convertible coupe, was imported into the United States for model year 1960. Its retail price was around US$2,700, for which one could purchase a nicely-equipped V8 domestic car that was larger, more comfortable, and had more luxury and convenience features (gasoline retailed for less than 30 cents per gallon, so fuel economy was not of primary importance in America at that time). Those Felicias that made it to American ownership soon experienced a number of reliability problems, further damaging the car’s reputation. The Felicia was therefore a poor seller in the States and leftover cars ended up being hied off at a fraction of the original retail list. Since that time, Škoda automobiles have not been imported into the U.S. for retail sale.
Škoda MB 1000 (1966)
In the late 1980s, Škoda (then named Automobilové závody, národní podnik or abbreviated AZNP) was still manufacturing cars that conceptually dated back to the 1960s. Rear-engined models such as the Škoda 105/120, Estelle and Rapid sold steadily and performed well against more modern makes in races such as the RAC Rally in the 1970s and 1980s. They won their class in the RAC rally for 17 years running. They were powered by a 130 brake horsepower (97 kW), 1,289 cubic centimetres (78.7 cu in) engine. In spite of its dated image and becoming the subject of negative jokes, Škodas remained a common sight on the roads of UK and Western Europe throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
Sport versions of the Estelle and earlier models were produced, using the name “Rapid”. Soft-top versions were also available. The Rapid was once described as the “poor man’s Porsche”, and had significant sales success in the UK during the 1980s.
“Of course, that the Škoda became such a figure of fun was in part due to its ubiquity on Britain’s roads. The company must have been doing something right.”(from a BBC report on Škoda sales in 1980s)
In 1987 the1989 Skoda Favorit Bertone Favorit was introduced, and was one of a triumvirate of compact Western-influenced front-wheel drive hatchbacks from the three main Eastern Bloc manufacturers around that time, the others being VAZ‘s1993 Lada Samara 1500 Lada Samara and Zastava‘sYugo Sana. The Favorit’s appearance was the work of the Italian design company Bertone. With some motor technology licensed from western Europe, but still using the Škoda-designed 1289 cc engine, Škoda engineers designed a car comparable to western production. The technological gap was still there, but began closing rapidly. The Favorit was very popular in Czechoslovakia and other Eastern Bloc countries. It also sold well in Western Europe, especially in the UK and Denmark due to its low price and was regarded as solid and reliable. However, it was perceived as having poor value compared with contemporary Western European designs. The Favorit’s trim levels were improved and it continued to be sold until the introduction of the Felicia in 1994.
Volkswagen Group subsidiary
2015 Skoda Superb II
Škoda Auto is one of the largest car manufacturers in Central Europe. In 2014, 1.037.200 cars were sold worldwide, a record for the company
The fall of communism with the Velvet Revolution brought great changes to Czechoslovakia and most industries were subject to privatization. In the case of Škoda Automobile, the state authorities brought in a strong foreign partner. Volkswagen was chosen by the Czech government on 9 December 1990, and, as a result, on 28 March 1991 a joint-venture partnership agreement with Volkswagen took place, marked by the transfer of a 30% share to the Volkswagen Group on 16 April 1991. By this stage, Škoda was still making its outdated range of rear engine saloons, although it had started production of the Favorit front-wheel drive hatchback in 1988 as an eventual replacement.
In the following years, Škoda became the fourth brand of the German group, as the Volkswagen Group raised its equity share first on 19 December 1994, to 60.3%, followed on 11 December 1995, to 70%.
In the competition for Škoda, Volkswagen was pitted against French car-maker Renault, which lost out because its strategic plan did not include producing high-value models in the Czech factories; Renault proposed to manufacture the Renault Twingocity car in the Škoda factories.
At the time the decision was made, privatization to a major German company was somewhat controversial, since there was still anti-German sentiment lingering in the Czech Republic from WW2 and its aftermath. However, it could be argued that the subsequent fortunes of other Eastern-Bloc automobile manufacturers such as Lada, AutoVAZ, and of Škoda Works itself – once Škoda Auto’s parent company – suggested that Volkswagen’s involvement was not necessarily a result of poor judgement.
Backed by Volkswagen Group expertise and investments, the design — both style and engineering — has improved greatly. The 1994 modelFelicia was effectively a reskin of the Favorit, but quality and equipment improvements helped, and in the Czech Republic the car was perceived as good value for money and became popular. Sales improved across Europe, including the United Kingdom, where the Felicia was one of the best-ranking cars in customer satisfaction surveys.
Volkswagen AG chairman Ferdinand Piëch personally chose Dirk van Braeckel as head of design, and the subsequent Octavia and Fabia models made their way to the demanding European Union markets. They are built on common Volkswagen Group floorpans. The Fabia, launched at the end of 1999, formed the basis for later versions of the Volkswagen Polo and SEAT Ibiza, while the Octavia, launched in 1996, has shared its floorpan with a host of cars, the most popular of which is the Volkswagen Golf.
2014 Skoda Octavia Combi RS (III) Octavia is the best selling Škoda
The perception of Škoda in Western Europe has completely changed since the takeover by VW, in stark comparison with the reputation of the cars throughout the 1980s—often described as “the laughing stock” of the automotive world. As technical development progressed and attractive new models were marketed, Škoda’s image was initially slow to improve. In the UK, a major turnabout was achieved with the ironic “It is a Škoda, honest” campaign, which began in 2000 when the Fabia launched. In a 2003 advertisement on British television, a new employee on the production line is fitting Škoda badges on the car bonnets. When some attractive looking cars come along he stands back, not fitting the badge, since they look so good they cannot be Škodas. This market campaign worked by confronting Škoda’s image problem head-on — a tactic which marketing professionals regarded as high risk. By 2005 Škoda was selling over 30,000 cars a year in the UK, a market share of over 1%. For the first time in its UK history, a waiting list developed for deliveries from Škoda. UK owners have consistently ranked the brand at or near the top of customer satisfaction surveys since the late 1990s.
Growth strategy
Škoda Auto plant in Mladá Boleslav
2010 was a year of important changes for Škoda Auto, in terms of both products and management. On 1 September 2010, Prof. Dr. h.c. Winfried Vahland assumed responsibility for the management of the company, becoming the CEO of Škoda Auto. Under Vahland’s leadership, Škoda set forth plans to double the company’s annual sales to at least 1.5 million by 2018 (later known as the ‘Growth Strategy’, Czech: ‘Růstová strategie’).
At the 2010 Paris Motor Show in September 2010, the company unveiled the Octavia Green E Line. This e-car concept was the forerunner to the e-car test fleet that Škoda released in 2012. The final 1st-generation Octavia (Tour) was produced at the Mladá Boleslav plant in November 2010. The worldwide production of this model exceeded 1.4 million units since its release in 1996. In 2010 for the first time in history, China overtook German sales to become Škoda’s largest individual market.
In 2011, Škoda Auto celebrated its 20-year partnership with the Volkswagen Group. More than 75,000 visitors attended an open-house event held in Mladá Boleslav in the April. Earlier that year, the company provided details on its 2018 Growth Strategy: for at least one new or completely revised model to be released every six months. With this in mind, the company redesigned its logo and CI, which was presented at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Škoda’s main attraction at the event was the VisionD design concept; a forerunner to the future 3rd generation Octavia. Škoda presented the MissionL design study at the IAA in Frankfurt am Main in September, which was to become the basis of the company’s forthcoming compact model theEuropean Rapid.
In the same year, the company started production of the new Rapid model in Pune, India (October 2011), and launched the Citigo at Volkswagen’s Bratislava plant (November 2011).
In 2012 Škoda introduced two new mass production models. The European version of the Rapid premiered at the Paris Motor Show. This car was a successor to the 1st-generation Octavia in terms of its price bracket. The second model was the 3rd-generation Octavia, which premiered In December 2012. In the same month, local production of the Yeti was launched at the Nizhny Novgorod GAZ factory.
In 2012 Škoda introduced an emission-free fleet of Octavia Green E Line e-cars on Czech roads to be used by external partners. Since internal tests on the fleet in late 2011, the e-fleet had driven more than 250,000 km. During the same year, Škoda celebrated several milestones, including fourteen million Škoda cars being produced since 1905 (January), three million Fabias (May), 500,000 Superbs at the Kvasiny plant (June ) and 5 years of Škoda operations in China.
Massive rejuvenation of the model range was a major tune for 2013 at Škoda: The Czech car maker launched the third-generation Octavia Combi and Octavia RS (both liftback and estate) as well as facelifted Superb and Superb Combi. They were accompanied by brand new members of the Rapid family as the Rapid Spaceback, the first Škoda hatchback car in the compact segment, and the Chinese version of the Rapid. The Yeti also faced significant changes. With the facelift, two design variants of Škoda’s compact SUV are now available: city-like Yeti and rugged Yeti Outdoor. Chinese customers were also given a Yeti with an extended wheelbase.
In 2015, Volkswagen admitted that it had installed pollution-cheating software in many of its cars to fool regulators that its cars met emissions standards when in fact they polluted at much higher-levels than government standards. 1.2 million Skoda cars worldwide were fitted with this emissions-cheating device. Skoda stated that Volkswagen would recall and cover refitting costs for all of the cars affected by the Volkswagen emissions testing scandal.
In 2015 Škoda was voted the most dependable car brand in the UK. Škoda Auto is planning to manufacture a large, seven-seatSUVŠkoda Kodiaq, which should be a true off-roader and will be introduced at the Paris Motor Show in October 2016.
As of August 2016, Skoda was being sold in 102 countries with planned expansions to South Korea, Singapore and Iran within a year. The decision whether to expand into the North American market is planned to be made in 2017.
Electrification strategy
In 2015, new Škoda chairman Bernhard Maier stated that the Volkswagen Group “is working on a modular, new electric platform and we are in the team”, and that “there is no alternative to electrification.”The target of Škoda is to produce an electric car with a range of over 300 miles (480 km), 15-minute charging time and a cost below a comparative combustion-engine vehicle. New Škoda corporate “Strategy 2025”, which replaces the previous “Strategy 2018”, aims to start production of a fully electric vehicle in 2020 or 2021, after a plug-in hybrid Superb in 2019.
Financial results
ŠKODA has maintained sound financial stability over recent years. In 2013 the brand achieved sales revenues totalling €10.3 billion (2012: €10.4 billion). Due to the weak economic situation in many European countries and the expansion of the ŠKODA model range, operating profit reached a modest 522 million euros (2012: €712 million). ŠKODA achieved a successful start to 2014: As well as recording the highest number of deliveries to customers in a first quarter ever (247,200; up 12.1%), ŠKODA recorded a significant increase in sales revenue (23.7%) to almost 3 billion euros. Operating profit increased 65.2% to 185 million Euros over the previous year.
Production
Škoda cars are now produced in production facilities in the Czech Republic, China, Russia, India and Slovakia. A smaller number of Škoda models are additionally manufactured in Öskemen, Kazakhstan and Solomonovo, Ukraine through local partners. The following table lists the factories and their production models in 2015.
Following a long history of class victories in lower levels of motorsport, Škoda became a participant in the FIA World Rally Championship in the 1999 season, with World Rally Car models of the Škoda Octavia. Škoda’s best result with the Octavia WRC was Armin Schwarz‘s third place at the 2001 Safari Rally. From mid 2003, the Octavia was replaced by the smaller Škoda Fabia. Škoda used the 2004 season to develop the car further, but did not achieve much success the following season. However, at the season-ending Rally Australia, 1995 world championColin McRae was running second before retiring. Škoda then withdrew from the series, and the 2006 season saw Škoda represented by the semi-privateer Red Bull Škoda Team. Jan Kopecký drove the Fabia WRC to fifth place at the Rally Catalunya, and as late as the 2007 Rallye Deutschland the Fabia still achieved a fifth-place result, again in the hands of Kopecký. Former works Ford and Citroen driver François Duval also drove a Fabia WRC in 2006 for the privateer First Motorsport team, achieving a sixth-place finish in Catalunya.
In 2009, Škoda entered the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) for the first time, using the Fabia S2000, winning three rallies and finishing second in both the drivers and manufacturers championship. In 2010, Škoda won a total of seven IRC events winning both the manufacturers and driver championship for Juho Hänninen. These achievements were repeated in the following two seasons, with Andreas Mikkelsen as the drivers’ champion. In 2013, the Intercontinental Rally Challenge was merged with the European Rally Championship (ERC) and the team gained the drivers’ championship title once again for Jan Kopecký. The car was also raced by privateers in several championships, including Red Bull, Barwa, Rene Georges and Rufa in the 2010 Super 2000 World Rally Championship.
Bonneville Speedway
In August 2011, a special Škoda Octavia vRS set the world record at the Bonneville Speedway and became the fastest car in the world with an engine up to two litres, when it hit 227 mph (365 km/h). The current fastest production Škoda car is the Škoda Superb III, with a top speed of 250 km/h (160 mph) and an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 5.8 seconds.
In 1923, two different trademarks were registered at the Office for Innovation and Model Registration in Plzeň. The first depicted a winged arrow pointing to the right with five feathers in a circle and the second was a winged arrow with three feathers. The famous winged arrow with three feathers still forms the Škoda logo today. The ŠKODA text was added to the logo in 1936. The arrow represents speed, the wings progress and freedom, the eye precision and the circle unity, completeness, world and harmony.
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MZMA Logo
KIM-10-50
Moskvitch-400
KIM-10-52 (1945) 4-door compact car
Moskvitch 400-420 Flathead engine 23 hp (1946-1954), copy of 1939 Opel Kadett K38
Moskvitch 400-420A (4-door convertible, was priced below closed models, but anyway was not popular) (1949–52)
Moskvitch-402, probably a Moskvitch-402B (with hand controls for disabled drivers) Moskvitch 400-420B (version of 400 for disabled persons)
1953 Москвич 401 – cab Moskvitch 400-420K (cab-chassis version of 400)
moskvich 400-3 ambulance car Moskvitch 400-420M (medical sedan version of 400)
Moskvitch 400-422 (three-door “woodie” station wagon version of 400) (1949)
Moskvitch 400-424 (prototype for 401)
Moskvitch 400P-431-441 (prototype truck based on 400) (1951)
Moskvitch 401-420 Flathead engine 26 hp (1954-1956)
Moskvitch 401-420K (cab-chassis version of 401)
Moskvitch 401-423 (prototype redesigned version of 401) (1949-1951)
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Moskvitch 412 (1967-1975) (latterly known as a Moskvitch 1500 for the Western export market)
Moskvitch 426 (station wagon version of 408) (1967-1975)
Moskvitch 427 (station wagon version of 412) (1967-1975)
Moskvitch-2140 (1976-1988) (carried on the scheme of using the Moskvitch 1500 name for Western exports)
Moskvitch 2136 (similar to 2137, but with 408 engine) (1976)
Moskvitch 2137 (station wagon version of 2140) (1976-1988)
Moskvitch 2734 (panel van version of 2140) (1976-1981)
Moskvitch 2138 (similar to 2140, but with 408 engine) (1976-1982)
Aleko 2141 S (Moskvitch Chrysler-Talbot Alpine lookalike) Moskvitch-2141
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Moskvitch 2142 (1997)
Moskvitch 2336 (cab-chassis truck based on 2141)
Moskvitch 2141 Moskvitch Sviatogor (1997) (a name taken from the Russian mythology)
Moskvitch 2142 Dolgorukiy (1997) (named after Yuri Dolgorukiy, founder of Moscow)
Moskvitch 2142 Kalita (1998) (named after Ivan Kalita, a 14th-century Russian prince)
Moskvitch 412R (1972)
Moskvitch G1 (1955)
Moskvitch 415 (1959)
Moskvitch 415S (1966, improved 415)
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Moskvitch 3-5-2 (1970, based on the M-408)
Moskvitch 3-5-3 (station wagon version of 3-5-2)
Moskvitch 3-5-4 (modernized 3-5-2)
Moskvitch 3-5-5 (1972, based on the 3-5-2)
Moskvitch S1 (1975)
Moskvitch S2 (developed from the S1)
Moskvitch X1
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1,055,500 units (2015)
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