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93-485: The Samara was a car that combined a robust build and ease of maintenance with a modern style. It was produced in various three, four and five-door designs with 1.1, 1.3 and 1.5-litre petrol engines. VAZ had hoped that the Samara would enable it to compete for sales in the mainstream European car market, where the company's traditional Fiat 124 -based " Zhiguli " models were looked upon as increasingly outmoded and out of date. It

186-447: A convertible top. Often the driver is separated from the rear passengers with a partition, as per a limousine . In the second half of the 20th century, landaulets were used by public figures (such as heads of state) in formal processions. They are now rarely used, for fear of terrorist attacks. Victoria-Cabriolet: reminiscent of the victoria carriage style , a three-position convertible. No rear side windows and equipped with

279-576: A turbocharged 16-valve 1,860 cc engine (with electronic fuel injection) of 300 hp (221 kW); a naturally-aspirated version produced 160 hp (118 kW). The only component left untouched was the original Zhuguli 2106 block. An even more powerful Samara S-Proto appeared in 1989, putting out 350 hp (257 kW). Most notably, the Samara T3 came seventh in class in the 1990 Paris-Dakar Rally and fifth in 1991, piloted by Jacky Ickx . The T3 did not contain many Samara parts however, using

372-537: A car in automotive history. The Fiat 124 was also introduced in India by Premier Automobiles Limited . In 1981 Premier began the process of acquiring the production tooling for the facelifted SEAT 124 D after authorisation from Fiat. The model was released in the autumn of 1985 as the Premier 118NE. The car was very similar to the 1966 version except for a few cosmetic changes to the front and rear. However, Premier incorporated

465-657: A convertible body style in its 1982 lines that was based on the K-Car . These models were the LeBaron , produced under Chrysler, and the 400 , manufactured under Dodge . Ford reintroduced a convertible Mustang for 1983, while American Motors Corporation (AMC) added a convertible version of the Renault Alliance in 1984. In 1989, Mazda released the first generation Mazda MX-5 (called "Miata" in North America), which has become

558-450: A downdraught (instead of the 1.2's sidedraught) twin-choke Weber 32 DHS or Solex C32 EIES carburettor and a 9.0:1 compression ratio , engine output was 70 DIN -rated metric horsepower (51 kW; 69 hp) at 5,400 rpm and 110 DIN-rated newton-metres (81 lb⋅ft) of torque at 3,300 rpm. Fiat advertised a top speed of over 150 km/h (93 mph). Besides engine and rear axle, notable mechanical changes from

651-544: A folding construction framework with the actual top made from cloth or other fabric. Other types of convertible roofs include retractable hardtops (often constructed from metal or plastic) and detachable hardtops (where a metal or plastic roof is manually removed and often stored in the trunk ). Other terms for convertibles include cabriolet, cabrio, drop top, drophead coupé, open two-seater, open top, rag top, soft top, spider, and spyder, although companies use many of these terms interchangeably. Thus, nomenclatural consistency

744-410: A four-speed gearbox. The three-door was joined by a five-door, and by models with 1,099 cc (a destroked version of the 1.3) or 1,499 cc (a bored-out 1288) engines. (The head was developed in co-operation with Porsche , though most Western observers assumed Porsche's involvement went beyond just engines, and the carburetors in connection with Solex .) In 1987, the model range was joined by

837-490: A heating duct to the neck area of the seat, which is often called an "Air Scarf". Examples of cars with this feature include Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class , Mercedes-Benz SL-Class , and Audi A5 / S5 . Modern safety features specifically for convertibles include: Convertibles have offered numerous iterations that fall between the first mechanically simple fabric tops to complex retractable roofs made from hard materials: Roadster: A roadster (also called spider or spyder )

930-531: A lower stack height offer a smoother silhouette for the car with the top down while concealed side rails allow room for three passengers in the back seat such as on the 1967 Rambler Rebel convertible. Rigid removable hardtops, many of which can be stored in a car's trunk/boot, have been available at least since the 1950s. These usually provide greater weatherproofing, soundproofing, and durability compared to fabric-based tops; some are available with integrated rear-window defrosters and windscreens. Examples include

1023-526: A road test conducted by The Motor magazine, it scored more than 5 points out of 10 in most aspects and was praised for having a remarkably extensive list of standard equipment, "impressive" engine, good visibility and performance for its price segment, lowered fuel consumption, being good at cornering and "tolerably quiet", but also received criticism for having a cheap-looking interior and plastic mouldings and being "very turbulent" on poor roads. The £ 4,795 price at introduction "was much less expensive" than

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1116-482: A solution. Rear windows are often part of the roof assembly. Traditionally, the rear window in a soft-top was made from plastic; however, more recently some convertibles have used glass for the rear window. A windblocker or wind deflector minimizes noise and rushing air reaching the occupants. According to the engineer responsible for the 2008 Chrysler Sebring , its windblocker reduces wind noise by approximately 11 to 12 dB . Several convertibles are available with

1209-425: A special body kit. It cost about A$ 3,000 more than the base model Samara. After 1997, the Samara was mostly sold in its homeland only, although it was still sold in some foreign markets with less strict emissions regulations. The Samara 2, a lightly facelifted version with a 77 hp (57 kW), single-point fuel-injected version of the 1,499 cc engine and a better gearbox, went on sale in limited numbers as

1302-414: A top layer made of PVC, which has a specific structure depending on the vehicle model, and a lower layer made of fabric (usually cotton). The collapsible textile roof section over an articulated folding frame may include linings such as a sound-deadening layer and/or an interior cosmetic lining, to hide the frame. The folded convertible mechanism with the top is called the stack. Designs that fold down to

1395-432: A totally new 5-door three-box design, with an extra strong passenger cell, but used the mechanicals of the standard 124 with 1438 cm3 engine. The ESV 2500 's weight was 43 % higher than that of the original 124. Convertible A convertible or cabriolet ( / ˌ k æ b r i oʊ ˈ l eɪ / ) is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing

1488-477: A tweed seat upholstery with pockets in the front seats, fabric inserts tweed upholstered doors, trunk trim, trunk rack, front head restraints, metallic color; version of the 20 had the same differences as in other bodies. In the configuration Norma added rear headrests and anti-glare visor with mirror. In the Luxe configuration added front electric windows and fog lamps. In the version with the sedan body configuration were

1581-536: A two-rotor VAZ-415 (with two 654 cc rotors) was sold in Russia only, and only in very small numbers. With a five-speed gearbox, it was priced at 56,000 rubles. Due to severe reliability problems, this remained rare, most commonly bought by police and other agencies to use as a pursuit vehicle, for which its 200 km/h (124 mph) top speed was ideal; it was capable of 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in eight seconds. The subsequent 2109-91 five-door hatchback had

1674-560: A year after its introduction in Italy, the twin-cam 124 Special T also joined the Malaysian production line. In the frame of the licence agreement between SEAT and Fiat, it was produced and sold in Spain with the name SEAT 124 from 1968 to 1975. Also a clone from the 124 Special with some elements from Fiat 125 was produced from 1969 to 1975 with the 1438 cc engine along with the twin-cams known as

1767-422: Is an open two-seat car with emphasis on sporting appearance or character. Initially, an American term for a two-seat car with no weather protection, usage has spread internationally and has evolved to include two-seat convertibles. Cabrio coach: A cabrio coach (also called semi-convertible ) has a retractable textile roof, similar to a traditional convertible. The difference is that a convertible often has

1860-565: Is rare. The term cabriolet originated from a carriage cabriolet : "a light, two-wheeled, one-horse carriage with a folding top, capable of seating two persons"; however, the term is also used to describe other convertibles. In the United Kingdom, the historical term for a two-door convertible is drophead coupé, and a four-door convertible was called an all-weather tourer . Most of the early automobiles were open-air vehicles without any roof or sides. As car engines became more powerful by

1953-553: The 124 Special ; like Fiat's other Special models, it was an upmarket, better appointed and higher performance variant of the standard saloon. A month after, in November, it was displayed at the 50th Turin Motor Show alongside its larger sibling, the new 125 Special . In addition to a 1.4-litre overhead valve engine, the 124 Special notably introduced all-new 5-link (four longitudinal, one transverse) solid axle rear suspension in place of

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2046-454: The B-pillar , C-pillar and other bodywork removed. However, the cabrio-coach retains all bodywork to the top of the door frames and just replaces the roof skin with a retractable fabric panel. An advantage of a cabrio coach is that retaining more of the car's original structure means that structural rigidity is higher (or the vehicle weight is lower) than traditional cabriolets. An example of

2139-549: The Benelux ), the Samara was available with a 1.5-litre Peugeot diesel engine in 1995–97. With VAZ facing financial hardships in 1996–1997, exports began coming to a halt. The Lada Samara disappeared from Canada after the 1997 model year, leaving the Niva as the only Lada sold in Canada for the 1998 model year. Exports to Australia and Great Britain ended around the same time. The biggest problem

2232-471: The Berlina had large, nearly square tail lamps made up by two stacked rectangular elements. The renewed Special sported a completely redesigned front end. A black, square-mesh radiator grille was crossed by a horizontal bright bar joining the dual headlamps; each of the four round lamps was set in its own square, bright-edged housing. The grille-headlamps assembly was flanked by the turn indicators. Front and rear

2325-468: The Ford Thunderbird (1st-generation and 11th-generation), Mercedes SL (2nd-generation and 3rd-generation), Porsche Boxster , Jeep Wrangler , Ford Mustang Cobra (1995 Only), and Mazda MX-5 . During the 1950s and 1960s, detachable hard-material roofs were offered for various convertible sports cars and roadsters , including the 1955–1957 Ford Thunderbird and Chevrolet Corvette , as well as

2418-647: The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. Peugeot presented a concept four-door retractable hardtop convertible, the Peugeot 407 Macarena in 2006. Produced by French coachbuilding specialist Heuliez , the Macarena's top can be folded in 60 seconds, with a steel reinforcing beam behind the front seats incorporating LCD screens for the rear passengers into the crossmember. Off-road: Several off-road vehicles have been produced with removable soft tops. Examples include

2511-521: The Jeep Wrangler , Suzuki Vitara , Suzuki Jimny , Ford Bronco , Land Rover Defender , Mercedes-Benz G-Class as well as early models of the Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Defender . Typically, the soft tops attach to the roll cage or to the installation points on the vehicle's body. Landaulet: A landaulet (also known as landaulette ) is where the rear passengers are covered by

2604-489: The Nissan A12 (1,171 cc and 52 bhp) powertrain instead of the original Fiat engine along with a Nissan manual gearbox. Added in 1996, there was also a version called the 1.38D which sported a diesel engine, built under license from Fratelli Negri Macchine Diesel Sud of Italy. Near the end of production an improved model called Viceroy was released in collaboration with Peugeot . Production ended in 2001. The 124

2697-617: The Nissan Figaro (1991), the Jaguar XJ-S C (1983) as well as the 1957 Fiat 500 and its 2007 Fiat 500 successor. The 1984 Heuliez-designed Citroën Visa Décapotable used elements of a fixed-profile convertible. Four-door: Most convertibles have two doors. However, four-door convertibles have been mass-produced. Examples include the 1940-41 Cadillac Series 62 , 1931 Chrysler Imperial Dual Cowl Phaeton and 1961-67 Lincoln Continental . Current production four-door convertibles include

2790-470: The Packard Caribbean , Oldsmobile 98 , and Imperial by Chrysler. Automakers often included a convertible body style as an available body style in a model range. Convertibles in the U.S. market peaked in sales around 1965, and fell in popularity over the next five years. Optional air conditioning was gradually becoming more popular, and the availability of sunroofs and T-tops limited the appeal of

2883-571: The Porsche 959 's four-wheel drive system and a 3.6-litre Porsche flat-six. It was developed by French concessionaire Lada-Poch together with NAMI and the Tupolev aircraft factory. In the mid-1980s Lada developed its first ever convertible car on its own, then actually entering production and quickly exported to most European countries, called the Lada Natasha Cabriolet, a four-seater convertible that

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2976-574: The Targa top versions of the AMC Concord and Eagle "Sundancer" as well as the Toyota Celica "Sunchaser" as specialty models. American Sunroof Company (ASC), which was responsible for popularizing the sunroof option for regular body styles, converted a Buick Riviera into a full convertible that compelled General Motors to market it as part of the 1982 Buick models. Chrysler Corporation also introduced

3069-502: The "FUs" 1,600 cc (1970–72), and 1,800 cc (1972–75) branded as SEAT 1430 . In 1975 when Fiat stopped production of the Fiat 124, the SEAT 124 had a minor facelift done by Giorgetto Giugiaro changing the aesthetics of the car by changing the round headlamps to rectangular design and integrating taillights into the body, car was known as the SEAT 124D and remained in production until 1980 with

3162-558: The 124 design following its discontinuation in mainstream Western European markets, including the widely known and most produced derivative, the Russian-built Lada , which sold over 15 million units. In 1966, Fiat entered into a collaborative agreement with the Soviet government to establish car manufacture in the Samara region of Russia . Fiat was contracted to take part in the creation of

3255-646: The 124 for worldwide manufacture, including the Russian-built VAZ-2101 " Zhiguli " and its many derivatives. Known as the Lada outside the Soviet Union, these Russian variants constituted the vast majority of 124 derived production, making it the fifth best selling automotive platform in history. The 124 was superseded in its home market by the Fiat 131 , launched in 1974. As a clean-sheet design by Oscar Montabone,

3348-570: The 1500 engine was updated with multi-point fuel injection, enabling it to meet Euro 3 emissions regulations. The last first generation Samara rolled off the Togliatti production line in 2004, ending 20 years of production there. Production of the "classic" Samara 2109/21099 continued at ZAZ in Ukraine as of 2004, and from May 2007 in Kazakhstan ( Azia Avto ). In January 2007, an upgraded Samara 2, using

3441-399: The 1963–1971 Mercedes-Benz W113 series of two-seaters. Because the convertible top mechanism is itself expensive, the hard roof was customarily offered as an additional, extra-cost option. On early Thunderbirds (and Corvettes through 1967), buyers could choose between a detachable hardtop and a folding canvas top at no additional cost, but paid extra for both. The metal-framed " Carson top "

3534-607: The 21083, with a 72 hp (53 kW) 1,499 cc engine and five-speed gearbox, and the 21081, with a 53 hp (39 kW), 1,099 cc engine. The 1.1 was an export-only variant. Top speeds were 87 mph (140 km/h) (1.1), 92 mph (148 km/h) (1.3) and 97 mph (156 km/h) (1.5); fuel economy was 7.9 L/100 km (36 mpg ‑imp ; 30 mpg ‑US ) (1099), 9.3 L/100 km (30 mpg ‑imp ; 25 mpg ‑US ) (1288), or 9.5 L/100 km (30 mpg ‑imp ; 25 mpg ‑US ) (1499). VAZ also debuted

3627-481: The 2109 five-door hatchback that year, also available with the 1.1, 1.3, and 1.5-litre engines. In 1989, the 21099 saloon followed, which had a new bonnet , grille, wings , and 200 mm (7.9 in)-longer rear overhang, as well as an improved dashboard . The 21099's front-end styling was adopted on the 2109 in 1992 and the 2108 in 1994. A number of other minor alterations followed, including fuel-injected engines to meet emissions regulations in export markets. On

3720-586: The 2115 (four-door sedan) in 1997. The 2115 was built at the VAZ special vehicles unit. Brakes and interior were also upgraded, incorporating parts from the VAZ 2110 . Full production on the main line in Togliatti began in 2000, in 2002 a five-door (2114) was added and the 2113 three-door followed in September 2004. The three-door was not originally planned to be built, but was added as a response to strong dealer demand. In late 2001,

3813-666: The Australian market in July 1988, and was offered in three-door and convertible body styles. A three-door variant called the Bizivan was also offered, which was sold without rear seats in order to qualify as a commercial van, and therefore, lower import duties. In 1990, the range was pared down to a single five-door model, marketed as the Lada Cevaro. The 3-door returned in 1994 as the Lada Volante and

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3906-538: The March 1967 Geneva Motor Show , the 124 Sport Coupé completed the range. The two Sport models were powered by an all-new 1.4-litre dual overhead camshaft engine producing 90 DIN-rated PS (66 kW; 89 hp) at 6,500 rpm. Following its introduction in 1966 with a publicity stunt, where a 124 was dropped by parachute from a plane, the 124 won the 1967 European Car of the Year award. In October 1968, Fiat launched

3999-525: The Netherlands), Forma (Germany) and Sable (Australia and New Zealand). It was engineered in right-hand drive for the UK market, where it was sold from November 1987. It was sold there until VAZ withdrew from the UK market in July 1997, and was the most popular Lada model sold in the UK during the 23 years that the brand was sold there. In certain markets where the tax structure benefited diesels (such as France and

4092-470: The Samara scored 2.7 points out of 16 in a frontal crash test conducted by the Russian ARCAP safety assessment program in 2002, demonstrating a durable car body but lacking modern passive safety equipment. Two years later, the 2114 five-door variant was awarded half a star out of a possible four by ARCAP , showing moderate pressure on the head, neck, chest and hips of the crash test dummy but excessive on

4185-552: The Samara was better than that of most Eastern European models. In most nations, versions and equipments were decided on and installed by the dealers themselves. These local varieties ranged from decals and badges to the convertible conversions offered in Belgium and Germany . The Samara was often sold under other names as well, in particular the VAZ 21099 (Samara Sedan), which was sold as the Sagona (France, Canada, and Spain), Diva (Belgium and

4278-510: The Samara was launched in April 1991, with all new trim levels. This was followed by the introduction of the VAZ 21099 saloon version 15 months later. The saloon also became available as a sporty 1.5 "Juno" from July 1994, featuring alloy wheels, swoopy, ill-fitting sideskirts and a rear spoiler. A fuel injected engine became available on the 1.3 and 1.5 models in August 1996. The Samara was introduced into

4371-648: The Samara was taken on 16 September 1978, the intention being to build a car with strong potential sales in Western European export markets. Proposals for a distinctive saloon, four-door, and both three- and five-door hatchback were considered; it was decided instead the saloon should share the three-door hatchback's sheetmetal forward of the C-pillar. (Design work on the four-door went toward the VAZ-2110 instead.) During its development, VAZ designers paid careful attention to

4464-521: The Samara's higher price pitched it against stiffer West European competition. By the time of the Samara's launch, the British small family car market was effectively split into two segments: The large mainstream market was dominated by mass-market manufacturers, such as Ford , Vauxhall , and Volkswagen . The budget market consisted of Eastern European and Far Eastern brands, such as Škoda , FSO , Hyundai , and Proton . The aging Samara came bottom of

4557-575: The Special ;T was identical to the Special, save for model badging at the rear. Power came from a 1.2 L (1,197 cc) Fiat OHV inline-four engine . Also, there were the 124 Special with a 1,438 cc OHV engine and the 124 Special T with 1,438 cc and 1,592 cc twin cam OHC engines . The twin cams are connected to a four-speed and five-speed gearbox. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Fiat sought to extend its worldwide reach by licensing

4650-458: The Sport models, new flush door handles, different tail lamps with integrated reflectors, and a central back-up light. The interior featured a redesigned padded dashboard with an oval binnacle housing two round instruments and a car radio console, a steering wheel without horn ring, new door cards, and more supportive seats. At the November 1970 Turin Motor Show , Fiat introduced a round of updates for

4743-520: The Sport versions now codenamed the "FLs", FL-40/45 1,600 cc 90HP, FL-80/82 1,800 cc 114HP and FL-90 1,919 cc 114HP The car was very successful in Spain, and was sold in both the four-door and station wagon versions. The Fiat 124 was also produced under the name Pirin-Fiat in Lovech , Bulgaria , on the basis of complete knockdown ( CKD ) kits between 1967 and 1971. The Fiat 124 was also produced by Tofaş under

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4836-515: The U.S. automakers discontinued the body style from their lineups. American Motors stopped making convertibles after the 1968 model year, Chrysler after 1971, Ford after 1973, and most divisions of General Motors after 1975. Cadillac held out until 1976, when they made about 14,000. The last 200 had a red, white, and blue motif and a dashboard plaque. The very last was offered to the Smithsonian Institution, whose trustees turned it down as it

4929-653: The United States at that time. These roadsters included the MG Midget and Triumph Roadster . The convertible design was incorporated into the mass market unibody by Hudson in 1948. United States automakers manufactured a broad range of convertible models during the 1950s and 1960s – from economical compact-sized models such as the Rambler American and the Studebaker Lark , to the more expensive models, such as

5022-539: The annual 1996 and 1997 JD Power and Top Gear surveys in Great Britain. Initially sold as a three- or five-door hatchback with a 1.3 petrol engine, a 1.5 version became available in October 1988. Metallic paint became an option for the first time in November 1989 when the 1.5 SLX was launched. A new entry-level model arrived in July 1990 when the 1.1 petrol engine was added to the range (Select or L). An updated version of

5115-541: The best-selling convertible with over 1 million cars sold. Also in 1989, Toyota released the Toyota Soarer Aerocabin, which uses an electrically operated retractable hardtop roof. A total of 500 were produced. Models dedicated to the convertible body style include the Mazda MX-5 , Porsche Boxster , and Opel Cascada . A "soft top" is made from a flexible textile material: Other materials are also used in

5208-437: The bumpers had lost their over-riders, replaced by full-width rubber strips. At the rear the lamps were also new—still horizontal and rectangular in shape unlike the ones used on the standard saloon—and the whole tail panel was surrounded by a chromed profile. Inside there was a new dashboard with imitation wood inserts, carpets instead of rubber mats, and cloth upholstery. The "T" in 124 Special T stood for twin cam , hinting at

5301-407: The cabrio coach is the 2003-10 C3 Pluriel , which has a roof with five possible configurations. Fixed-profile: In contrast to convertibles where the entire bodywork above the beltline (doors, roof, side pillars, side bodywork) is replaced with a folding or retractable roof, the fixed profile convertible retains portions of fixed bodywork including the doors, side pillars, and side elements of

5394-477: The car's 1,438 cc dual overhead camshaft engine, derived from the Sport Coupé and Spider but in a milder state of tune. Coded 124 AC.300 , this engine had revised valve timing and fuel system and produced 80 DIN -rated PS (59 kW; 79 hp) at 5,800 rpm and 112 DIN-rated N⋅m (83 lb⋅ft) of torque at 4,000 rpm. According to the manufacturer top speed was 160 km/h (99 mph). Externally

5487-502: The chief engineer responsible for its development, the 124 used only the all-synchromesh gear box from the Fiat 1500 . The 124 featured a spacious interior, advanced coil spring rear suspension, disc brakes on all wheels and lightweight construction. A 5-door station wagon variant (named 124 Familiare on its home market) as well as the 124 Sport Spider variants debuted at the 48th Turin Motor show in November 1966. A few months later, at

5580-451: The competing Peugeot 309 or Ford Escort 1300. The Samara remained on sale in the United Kingdom right up to 4 July 1997, when the decision was made to withdraw from Great Britain and most other export markets. In countries where ruggedness was more important, it was more successful, selling reasonably well in Canada, Australia, and Finland for instance. The attempt to appeal to a wider clientele failed; while an improvement over previous Ladas,

5673-504: The contemporary Renault 9 , Volkswagen Golf , Ford Escort Mark III , Opel Kadett , and Volvo 340 , which would be the new VAZ-2108's main competitors. Front suspension was MacPherson struts , rear by torsion bar . It also had rack and pinion steering, another Soviet first. On 31 December 1979, the first VAZ-2108 prototype was completed. It strongly resembled the earlier Ladoga, and the VAZ-1106 saloon . While named Sputnik at home, it

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5766-420: The convertible top. By 1955, the most popular materials were latex and butyl rubber fabrics that each accounted for around 35% of the convertible top's weight, with others included vinyl (12%), jute (8%), along with rayon and acrylic fibers (Orlon), amounting to about 1% each in the compositions. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material was used for many convertible tops. The material consists of two layers:

5859-445: The driver has a fixed roof and the passenger compartment has a folding roof. Less expensive cars, such as the runabouts , sporting roadsters , or sturdy touring cars , remained either completely open air or were fitted with a rudimentary folding top and detachable clear side curtains. In the 1920s, when steel bodies began to be mass-produced, closed cars became available to the average buyer, and fully open cars began to disappear from

5952-455: The earlier Samaras the front clip had been a separate piece, surrounding the headlights. On the sedan version, the fenders go all the way up to the headlights and the lip of the bonnet dips between the headlights and meets the slimmer grille. Full production of the 21099 began in December 1990, with models 210993 (1288), 21099 (1499). The saloon, intended as a premium model compared to the hatchback,

6045-462: The electro-door locks, immobilizer. In the configuration Norma added tweed seat covers with pockets in the front seats, door trim tweed, trim the trunk, anti-glare visor with mirror; in the version of 21 were also converter and a system for collecting gasoline vapors. In the Luxe configuration added headlamp cleaning system, exterior mirrors with antidazzle effect and tinted windows. In the version with five-door hatchback body Standard equipment included

6138-407: The end of the 19th century, folding textile or leather roofs (as had been used on victoria or landau carriages) began to appear on cars. Examples of early cars with roofs include the phaeton (a two-seat car with a temporary roof), the brougham or a coupé de ville , having an enclosed passenger compartment at the rear, while the driver sat in front either in the open, or the landaulet , where

6231-502: The entire saloon and estate 124 range, as well as a new model variant—the 124 Special T. All models had gained air outlets added to the C-pillar for better ventilation, and a split brake circuit; while some features previously exclusive to the 124 Special such as servo-assisted brakes, back-up light and an alternator were made standard across the range. Berlina and Familiare both had a new grille with alternated chrome and black horizontal bars, and larger bumper over-riders. Additionally

6324-536: The four-door was introduced as the Lada Sable. Imports had ceased by 1996. In 1988, approximately 6,000 Lada Samaras were modified by Peter Brock 's Special Vehicles operation that had previously made high performance Holden Commodores . The cars would be known as the Lada Samara Sedan Brock Delux and included a few subtle Brock-devised suspension tweaks to improve the car's low-speed ride, as well as

6417-491: The mainstream market. By the mid 1930s, the remaining small number of convertibles sold were high-priced luxury models. In 1939, Plymouth introduced the first mechanically operated convertible roof powered by two vacuum cylinders. Demand for convertibles increased as a result of American soldiers in France and the United Kingdom during World War II familiarizing themselves with small roadster cars, which were not available in

6510-563: The massive VAZ plant in the newly created town of Togliatti , named after the Italian communist leader of the same name . The factory produced an adapted version 124R of the 124, known as the VAZ-2101 " Zhiguli " (sold as the Lada 1200/1300 in export markets), until 1982, and 1200s until 1987. Based on the 124, they were modified at more than 800 points, the major modifications having an entirely different OHC engine, hydraulic clutch, drum brakes at

6603-604: The modern 1.6-litre VAZ-11183-20 engine first seen in the VAZ 2110 went on sale. While the Lada 110 and the Lada Priora have taken much of the Samara's market share at home, the Samara retains a clear price advantage and steady demand. The production of sedan Lada Samara 2 was stopped in December 2012; hatchbacks were still assembled until the end of 2013. Engine type Drivetrain Chassis There are various commercial and specialty conversions. The RosLada-made 2109 version of

6696-733: The names " Murat 124 " between 1971-1977 and " Serçe " ("sparrow" in Turkish) between 1984 and 1994, in Bursa , Turkey . 134,867 Murat 124s were produced between 1971 and 1994. Tofaş concurrently produced the Fiat 131 series under the name Murat 131 between 1976 and 2002. Today, the company manufactures bona fide Fiat models. The Fiat 124 was also produced under the name Fiat-KIA 124 by Asia Motors in South Korea , between 1970 and 1975. In total 6775 units were assembled. From 2002 to 2007, Lada - Egypt company built at least 9,000 cars (2,200 in 2006) in

6789-437: The open body style. Noise, leaks, and repairs associated with fabric tops also contributed to issues that many customers had. The popularity of convertibles was reduced by the increased travel speeds on roads (resulting in more wind and noise for occupants) and the emergence of more comprehensive vehicle crash safety standards in the United States. The market share of convertibles fell to two or three percent of total sales and

6882-415: The original 3-link design. Starting from late 1968 the same improved rear axle was adopted by both Sport models. In detail the Special's 1,438 cc type 124 A2 engine had the same bore and stroke of the Sport Coupé and Sport Spider engines (80 × 71.5 mm), but eschewed the dual overhead camshafts of the two sportscars in favour of the more conventional overhead valve setup from the 124 saloon. With

6975-581: The rear, modified suspensions, etc. Early modifications include the VAZ-2102 (station wagon), 2103 (Lada 1500), 2106 (Lada 1600) and 21011 (Lada 1300). The updated and restyled versions of the 124-based design were produced until September 2012, as the VAZ-2104, 2105 and 2107 – marketed as the Lada Riva in UK markets. Production of this line reached 17,332,954 cars, this being the second largest production volume for

7068-453: The regular 124 were an alternator replacing the dynamo , an uprated clutch, standard 155R13 Pirelli Cinturato radial tyres , and the addition of a vacuum servo to the all-disc braking system. Visually the Special could be immediately distinguished from the standard model by its new, rectangular grille with four inset round headlamps. Less evident differences were larger vertical bumper over-riders, wheels with round ventilation holes as on

7161-411: The roof vary across eras and manufacturers. A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving experience, with the ability to provide a roof when required. A potential drawback of convertibles is their reduced structural rigidity (requiring significant engineering and modification to counteract the side effects of almost completely removing a car's roof). The majority of convertible roofs are of

7254-446: The roof — while a center fabric portion slides back and accordions at the rear. As an example, Citroën 's 1948 Citroën 2CV featured rigid bodysides and two doors on each side, along with a sunroof that rolled back on itself and extended to the rear bumper in place of a separate trunk lid. Other fixed-profile convertibles include the 1957 Autobianchi Bianchina Trasformabile , 1957 Vespa 400 , 1950 Nash Rambler Landau Convertible Coupe,

7347-554: The same VAZ-415 and gearbox. There was also a rear-engined Samara 4x4 rally car, also known as the NAMI 0290, built for the 1985 Soyuz Rally; it had permanent four-wheel drive and a 150 hp (110 kW) 1,568 cc Zhiguli -based engine, over the rear axle. It was nicknamed Appelsin ("orange", for its paint), and used ZAZ-1102 doors (though the body was mostly fiberglass, weighing only 960 kg (2,116 lb)) and still using factory Samara wheels. The 1987 mid-engined Samara-EVA had

7440-427: The same as the five-door hatchback, with the exception of the fog lights that have appeared in version Norma. There were two levels of equipment: Norma and Luxe. The Norma grade included steel wheels, immobilizer, central locking, tweed seat upholstery and door, height adjustable steering column, front electric windows, front head restraints, tailgate spoiler / tailgate, moldings on the doors. Luxe trim different caps on

7533-587: The shell of VAZ-2107 (Riva), and it continues in 2012. At Salone dell'Automobile of Torino in 1966, Carrozzeria Touring presented a convertible version of Fiat 124 saloon. It was the last car built by Touring. Only one example was made. Reactions were positive, but the Fiat CEO terminated this project in favour of the Pininfarina -styled 124 Sport Spider . The ESV 2500 is an Experimental Safety Vehicle that Fiat developed in 1972 based on its 124 model. It had

7626-584: The shins. For 2003, there were three levels trims: Standard (the notation (standing after the index model) 00, models with distributed injection of fuel 20, such as the VAZ-21083-00), Norma (the notation 01 and 21) and Luxe (the notation 02 and 22) that vehicles with different bodies differed. In the version with body three-door hatchback Standard grade includes the onboard control system, tweed seat upholstery, metallic color, luggage rack, front head restraints; in version 20 were also microprocessor ignition system,

7719-798: The vehicle when not in use, requiring a garage or other storage facility. Some open cars continue to offer it as an option. For example, the Mazda MX-5 has an accessory hardtop, which is compulsory for some auto racing series. A retractable hardtop — also known as "coupé convertible" or "coupé cabriolet" — is a car with an automatically operated, self-storing hardtop (as opposed to the textile-based roof used by traditional convertibles). The benefits of improved climate control and security are traded off against increased mechanical complexity, cost, weight, and often reduced luggage capacity. Folding textile convertible tops often fail to completely hide their internal mechanism or can expose their vulnerable underside to sun exposure and fading. A tonneau cover provides

7812-537: The wheels, trip computer, velvet upholstery seats and doors, athermal glass windows, rear headrests, a mirror in the sun visor of the passenger and heated front seats. Citations Bibliography Fiat 124 The Fiat 124 is a small family car manufactured and marketed by Italian company Fiat between 1966 and 1974. The saloon superseded the Fiat 1300 and spawned station wagon, four-seater coupé ( 124 Sport Coupé ), and two-seater convertible ( 124 Sport Spider ) variants. Fiat licensed numerous variants of

7905-540: Was GM's reluctance to sell the fuel-injection kits necessary for exports, as they doubted VAZ's ability to pay. Faced with parts shortages, tax problems, and the chaos and criminality of Russia in the mid-nineties, export efforts languished and RHD production was no longer feasible. As a partial response to this situation, a higher-quality version for the European market, the Lada EuroSamara or Samara Baltic in some markets,

7998-417: Was a popular addition for the 1930s Ford convertibles or roadsters because it turned these models into an almost instant hardtop. The design mimicked a convertible top, but lacking the bulky folding mechanisms enabled the removable hardtop to have a much lower and more rakish profile. Improvements in canvas tops have rendered the detachable hard roof less common in part because the top cannot be stored inside

8091-556: Was also built at the Kilang Pembena Kereta-Kereta (KPKK) factory in Tampoi, Johor , since the latter half of 1967. The cars were distributed by Sharikat Fiat Distributors. Originally only available with the 1.2-liter engine with 60 hp (44 kW), in late 1969 the sportier 124 Special joined the lineup. This version has twin headlamps, and the larger, pushrod 1.4-liter engine with 70 hp (51 kW). In late 1971, about

8184-618: Was assembled in Finland at the Valmet Automotive plant in Uusikaupunki . Production started in mid-1996 and ended in July 1998, with 14,000 cars made from 85 per cent Russian parts. The United Kingdom had to wait nearly three years for the Samara to go on sale, after its launch in the USSR, but sales were reasonably strong when the first versions of the car left forecourts, in November 1987. In

8277-567: Was based on the popular Samara 1300/1500 models with a manual opening and closing canvas roof. Also in some European car markets the LADA Niva 4X4 1600 cc engine was also available for both the Lada Natasha and Lada Samara cars during the 1990s. The Samara was sold all across the world, from Australia to Canada , in most European countries, and throughout the COMECON sphere. The build quality of

8370-400: Was given a distinctive branding in some export markets: Diva (Belgium), Sagona (France), Forma (Germany). Belgium also offered a locally built convertible . The 1.1 and 1.3 were eventually taken out of production, having already been withdrawn from export markets, while the 1.5's power increased to 75 hp (55 kW). A Wankel engined Samara three-door hatchback, the 2108–91, powered by

8463-568: Was more commonly known as the Vos'merka ("Eighth") after the last digit in the model code. The export version was named after the Samara River , a tributary to the Volga . The first cars left the production line on 18 December 1984. These, the three-door hatchbacks (the only model available at first), were powered by a belt-driven SOHC 1,288 cc inline-four with 65 hp (48 kW), and were fitted with

8556-547: Was not at that moment a historic artifact, "Though it might well be in three generations ... or at the Tricentennial." After the last Cadillac Eldorado convertible was made in 1976, the only factory convertibles sold in the United States were imported. Making convertibles on the assembly line was both expensive and time-consuming, thus not worth the problems needed to sell the limited number of cars. Specialized coachbuilders were contracted to make dealer-available cars such as

8649-519: Was the second autonomous design from VAZ (the first was the Niva SUV ), and the first model not based on the Fiat 124 mechanicals. VAZ had made their first front-wheel drive prototype, the VAZ-1101, in the early 1970s. The engine from the Fiat 127 was used. Further development of this project led to the 900 cc (55 cu in) Ladoga three-door hatchback prototype in 1976. The decision to build

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