The SOK Group ( Russian : Группа «СОК» ) was a Russian holding company established in 1994 and based in Samara , Russia. Yuri Kachmazov was the group's president.
108-500: The name SOK was originally an acronym for 'Samara Window Company'. The SOK Group started in 1994 as an AvtoVAZ dealership, growing to become one of the main automotive companies in Russia. SOK managed to gain control of RosLada , an automotive plant that had been established in 1998 on the grounds of the former Luch Design Bureau in Syzran , and used it to produce old AvtoVAZ models. In 1999
216-449: A Citroën GS which more than doubled the power. In one scene, the ultra-light 2CV tips over and is quickly righted by hand. Citroën launched a special edition 2CV "007" to coincide with the film, it was fitted with the standard engine and painted yellow with "007" on the front doors and fake bullet hole stickers. In 1982, all 2CV models got inboard front disc brakes which also used LHM fluid instead of conventional brake fluid—the same as
324-538: A US$ 1 billion deal, with Rostec retaining most of the remaining 75%. The deal was agreed at a time when the Russian car market was booming. The onset of the Great Recession caused considerable problems to the company. By April 2009, AvtoVAZ was on the verge of bankruptcy, which was only avoided because of a $ 600 million bailout from the Russian government. As an anticrisis measure, the Russian government introduced
432-564: A car scrappage scheme in March 2010. Avtovaz sales doubled in the second quarter of 2010 as a result, and the company returned to profit. By the end of 2010, automotive production in Russia had returned to precrisis levels. In 2011, production of the classic Fiat 124-based 2105 and 2107 series models was completely moved from the Togliatti plant to the IzhAvto plant near Izhevsk , to make space for
540-621: A basic functional form of transport. This renewed popularity was encouraged by the Citroën "Raid" intercontinental endurance rallies of the 1970s where customers could participate by buying a new 2CV, fitted with a "P.O." kit (Pays d'Outre-mer—overseas countries), to cope with thousands of kilometres of very poor or off-road routes. The Paris to Persepolis rally was the most famous. The Citroën "2CV Cross" circuit/off-road races were very popular in Europe. Because of new emission standards, in 1975, power
648-439: A buyback option for Renault within six years after the sale. In November 2022, the controlling shareholder of AvtoVAZ, NAMI, acquired Nissan's Saint Petersburg facilities (including its assembly plant) for a "symbolic price" with a six-year buyback option. In February 2023, NAMI sold 99% of them in turn to AvtoVAZ for €1 . AvtoVAZ plans to use the plant to assemble C and D-segment vehicle kits from other manufacturers, under
756-521: A car manufacturing plant within the Tolyatti complex, formerly owned by GM-AvtoVAZ . As of July 2021 , its production has been halted. Lada Izhevsk , a company established in 1965 and that adopted its present name in 2017, has one assembly line and produced 96,000 cars in 2016. VIS-AVTO is a company established in 1991. It converts AvtoVAZ cars into commercial vehicles and produces Bronto -badged Nivas. It assembled 4,146 vehicles in 2015. Lada Sport
864-453: A designer who has kissed the lash of austerity with almost masochistic fervour". One American motoring journalist quipped, "Does it come with a can opener?" Despite critics, Citroën was flooded with customer orders at the show. The car had a great impact on the lives of the low-income segment of the population in France. The 2CV was a commercial success: within months of it going on sale, there
972-499: A four-speed for the same space at little extra cost. At this time small French cars like the Renault Juvaquatre and Peugeot 202 usually featured three-speed transmissions, as did Citroën's own mid-size Traction Avant – but the 1936 Italian Fiat 500 "Topolino" "people's car" did have a four-speed gearbox. Becchia persuaded Boulanger that the fourth gear was an overdrive. The increased number of gear ratios also helped to pull
1080-473: A freshly ploughed field with a basket full of eggs on the passenger's seat without breaking them, because of the great lack of paved roads in France at the time; with a long-travel suspension system, that connects front and rear wheels, giving a very soft ride. Often called "an umbrella on wheels", the fixed-profile convertible bodywork featured a full-width, canvas, roll-back sunroof , which accommodated oversized loads, and until 1955 even stretched to cover
1188-684: A going concern". In 2014, the Largus got a new modification, the Lada Largus Cross. In the fall of 2014 AvtoVAZ began production of a new Kalina model, the Lada Kalina Cross. Production of the Lada Vesta , based on a new b\C platform developed by AvtoVAZ in cooperation with Renault-Nissan Alliance, started on September 25, 2015, at Lada Izhevsk manufacturing site. For the first time in Lada history, only
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#17330848958851296-486: A joint venture with General Motors , was established. Increased competition from foreign car manufacturers had the company's share of the Russian market fall to 49% in 2002, compared to 56% four years earlier. In 2003, VAZ presented the concept car Lada Revolution , an open single-seater sports car powered by a 1.6-L engine producing 215 hp (160 kW). Production of the Wankel engine used on some Lada models (mostly
1404-655: A letter of intent to raise its stake in Avtovaz to 51.01%. On 12 December 2012, the Renault–Nissan Alliance formed a joint venture with Roste (Alliance Rostec Auto BV) with the aim of becoming the long-term controlling shareholder of AvtoVAZ. In the same year, it was announced that Avtovaz and Sollers planned to jointly produce vehicles in Kazakhstan. The plant was set to open in 2016 and built in Ust-Kamenogorsk , in
1512-498: A long period. Unproductive and antiquated management techniques also contributed to the decline, as did the absence of market competition. The first privately owned AvtoVAZ dealership was established by Boris Berezovsky in 1989. Dealerships quickly turned into criminal rackets that at times simply stole cars from the factory. In June 1991, Bear Stearns was hired by the Soviet government to conduct an appraisal of AvtoVAZ and negotiate
1620-623: A low- and high-range selector lever. The VAZ-2105 , based on the Fiat 124 mechanicals, but modernised and restyled, was introduced in 1979 and marketed outside the Soviet Union under the Riva or Laika trade names, depending on the country. Square headlights and new body panels distinguish this car from the earlier models. The 2105 was third-best selling automobile platform after the Volkswagen Beetle and
1728-420: A market survey, conducted by Jacques Duclos. France at that time had a large rural population which could not yet afford cars; Citroën used the survey results to prepare a design brief for a low-priced, rugged "umbrella on four wheels" that would enable four people to transport 50 kg (110 lb) of farm goods to market at 50 km/h (30 mph), if necessary across muddy, unpaved roads. In fuel economy,
1836-454: A reverse rake rear window: the Citroën Ami . In 1962, the engine power was increased to 10 kW (14 hp) and top speed to 85 km/h (53 mph). A sunroof was installed. In 1963, the engine power was increased to 13 kW (18 hp). An electric wiper motor replaced the drive on the speedometer. The ammeter was replaced by a charging indicator light. The speedometer was moved from
1944-513: A series of mass strikes at the Togliatti plant involving hundreds of thousands of workers was reported by the western press. Based on the success of the Niva, the design department prepared a new family of front-wheel drive models by 1984, which was of a completely domestic design. Production started with the VAZ-2108 Sputnik three-door hatchback, the series was commercially known as Samara . It
2052-500: A single-rotor Lada appearing in 1978; the first 250 of these went on sale in the summer of 1980. After having built a number of prototypes and experimental vehicles, AvtoVAZ designers launched the first car entirely of their own design, the VAZ-2121 Niva , in 1977. This highly popular and innovative sport utility vehicle (SUV) was made with off-road use in mind, featuring a gearbox with a central differential lock lever, as well as
2160-441: A venture with a Western partner, in preparation for the privatization of the company. An independent trade union was started during the same year, as workers deemed the traditional trade union to be too close to the interests of management. In January 1993, AvtoVAZ was re-established as a joint-stock company under Russian law. The company came to be controlled by the management, including Vladimir Kadannikov , head of AvtoVAZ. It
2268-437: A year had passed between concept car and start of production. Lada XRAY was the first compact city crossover in company's history. Starts of sales was held on February 14, 2016. Total Lada sales in 2015 amounted to 269,096 cars, of which 207,389 were built by AvtoVAZ in Tolyatti, while the rest were made by Lada Izhevsk, giving the company a 17.9% share of the Russian automotive market. In March 2016, Nicolas Maure became
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#17330848958852376-544: Is Auto Finance Bank . The first financial affiliate for AvtoVAZ was AvtoVAZbank , which operated as such from 1988 to 1996. In 1997, it was replaced by Lada-Credit (originally named Automotive Banking House). Exports of AvtoVAZ vehicles to the West began in 1974; Ladas were sold as in several Western nations during the 1970s and 1980s, though trade sanctions banned their export to the United States . Economic instability in
2484-503: Is AvtoVAZ's motorsport and performance subsidiary which produced 3,153 cars in 2015. AvtoVAZ also controls Lada Saint Petersburg , the Saint Petersburg plant operated by Nissan until 2022. Apart from its own facilities, AvtoVAZ has associated companies for production. CJSC Super-Avto, a company associated to AvtoVAZ and established in 1997, is focused on the modification of Lada cars. In 2015, it converted 569 of them. In June 2016,
2592-452: Is indirectly owned by Russian state enterprises through Lada Auto Holding. The VAZ plant was established in 1966 by the Soviet government in cooperation with the Italian car manufacturer Fiat . Viktor Nikolaevich Polyakov (later Minister of Automobile Industry ) was named as director, and Vladimir Solovyov as chief designer. The plant intended to produce popular economy cars that would meet
2700-461: Is undoubtedly the most original since the Model T Ford ". In 2011, The Globe and Mail called it a "car like no other". The motoring writer L. J. K. Setright described the 2CV as "the most intelligent application of minimalism ever to succeed as a car", and a car of "remorseless rationality". Both the design and the history of the 2CV mirror the Volkswagen Beetle in significant ways. Conceived in
2808-613: The Citroën 2CV or the VW Type 1 . Production was intended to be 220,000 units a year, beginning in 1971 (other sources listed 300,000 in 1971 ); car production actually began before the plant was finished in 1970. The VAZ trademark, at first, was a silver Volga boat on a red pentagonal background, with "Togliatti" superimposed in Cyrillic (Тольятти); the first badges, manufactured in Turin , mistakenly had
2916-789: The Ford Model T , and one of the longest production run platforms alongside the Volkswagen Beetle, the Hindustan Ambassador , and the Volkswagen Type 2 . In 1993, TTS, signed a contract with AvtoVAZ. In 1995, the first full—fledged LADA car center was opened in the city of Naberezhnye Chelny and started direct deliveries from the automobile plant. In 1995, an office was opened in Kazan. Until 1997, cars were driven from Naberezhnye Chelny. After that, they were transported by rail. In May 1980,
3024-673: The United Automotive Technologies group. In 2010 the president of the group, wanted over allegations of fraudulent conveyance during the IzhAvto bankruptcy of 2009, escaped to the United Arab Emirates. The group's last assets were sold in January 2013. Car models produced by the group: AvtoVAZ AvtoVAZ (Russian: АвтоВАЗ , IPA: [ɐftɐˈvas] ) is a Russian automobile manufacturing company owned by
3132-562: The VAZ-2101 (a slightly modified and rebadged Fiat 124 ), was produced on 22 April 1970, the 100th anniversary of Lenin's birth. About 22,000 VAZ-2101s were built in 1970, with capacity at the end of 1973 reaching 660,000 a year; 21 December, the one-millionth 2101 was built. A third production line was added in October 1974, boosting output to 2,230 cars a day. The same year, total VAZ production reached 1.5 million. The VAZ plant trialled many of
3240-445: The Visa available which launched in 1978. Peak annual production for 2CVs reached 163,143 cars in 1974 but by 1980 this had dropped to 89,994 and by 1983 would stand at just 59,673. Nonetheless, the car remained profitable for PSA to produce on account of its tooling and set-up costs being amortised many years before and it could share major parts with more popular or profitable models such as
3348-494: The pull cord starter. The canvas roof could be rolled completely open. The Type A had one stop light , and was available only in grey. The fuel level was checked with a dipstick/measuring rod, and the speedometer was attached to the windscreen pillar. The only other instrument was an ammeter . In 1949, the first delivered 2CV type A was 375 cc, 6.6 kW (9 hp), with a 65 km/h (40 mph) top speed, only one tail light and windscreen wiper with speed shaft drive;
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3456-425: The 1930s, to make motorcars affordable to regular people for the first time in their countries, both went into large scale production in the late 1940s, featuring air-cooled boxer engines at the same end as their driven axle, omitting a length-wise drive shaft , riding on exactly the same 2,400 mm (94.5 in) wheelbase, and using a platform chassis to facilitate the production of derivative models. Just like
3564-400: The 1990s and replaced by Lada for the Russian market. From December 2019 to August 2020, AvtoVAZ sold Niva cars with Chevrolet branding. AvtoVAZ was established in 1966 by the Soviet government as a state-run car manufacturer. It was privatized in the 1990s and was a subsidiary of Renault from October 2016 to May 2022. In May 2022, it was re-acquired by the Russian government. The company
3672-519: The 2CV outlived the Dyane by seven years. Citroën also developed the Méhari off-roader . From 1965, the car was offered in some countries, at extra cost, with the flat-2 engine size increased to 602 cc (36.7 cu in), although for many years the smaller 425 cc (25.9 cu in) engine continued to be available in France and export markets where engine size determined car tax levels. This
3780-437: The 2CV was a "highly interesting" ("hochinteressantes") car. In 1950, Pierre-Jules Boulanger was killed in a car crash on the main road from Clermont-Ferrand (the home of Michelin) to Paris. In 1951, the 2CV received an ignition lock and a lockable driver's door. Production reached 100 cars a week. By the end of 1951 production totalled 16,288. Citroën introduced the 2CV Fourgonnette panel van. The "Weekend" version of
3888-735: The 2CV was abandoned. During the German occupation of France in World War II Boulanger personally refused to collaborate with German authorities to the point where the Gestapo listed him as an "enemy of the Reich", under constant threat of arrest and deportation to Germany. Michelin (Citroën's main shareholder) and Citroën managers decided to hide the TPV project from the Nazis, fearing some military application as in
3996-450: The Ami's improved chassis. This version was manufactured until October 1967 and was also exported to certain continental markets although it was never offered in its native France. In 1967, Citroën launched the new Dyane model , a direct derivative, based on the 2CV chassis, with an updated but similar, utilitarian body, distinguished by a hatchback that boosted practicality; (a hatchback kit
4104-465: The Beetle, the 2CV became not only a million seller but also one of the few cars in history to continue a single generation in production for over four decades. A prototype was developed in the late 1990s under the name "Citroën 2CV 2000". However, it did not go into production. In 1934, family-owned Michelin , as the largest creditor, took over the bankrupt Citroën company. The new management commissioned
4212-528: The Cyrillic "Я" rendered "R", instead (Тольʀтти), making them collector's items. The company was not as vertically integrated as other Soviet enterprises; for example, it purchased components from a variety of suppliers over which it exerted little control; in the early years of the company certain parts and subassemblies were imported from Fiat's suppliers in Italy until they could be locally sourced. The first car,
4320-524: The Dyane and H-Van but the Spécial had a much smaller square speedometer also incorporating the fuel gauge, originally fitted to the 2CV in the mid-1960s and then discontinued. The model also had a revised (and cheaper-to-make) plastic version of the 1960s two-spoke steering wheel instead of the one-spoke item from the Dyane, as found on the Club. From the 1978 Paris Motor Show the Spécial regained third side windows and
4428-727: The French company Citroën from 1948 to 1990. Introduced at the 1948 Paris Salon de l'Automobile , it has an air-cooled engine that is mounted in the front and drives the front wheels . Conceived by Citroën Vice-President Pierre Boulanger to help motorise the large number of farmers still using horses and carts in 1930s France, the 2CV has a combination of innovative engineering and straightforward, utilitarian bodywork. The 2CV featured overall low cost of ownership , simplicity of maintenance, an easily serviced air-cooled engine (originally offering 6.6 kW, 9 hp), and minimal fuel consumption. In addition, it had been designed to cross
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4536-493: The Lada badging. After its re-establishment as a joint stock company in January 1993, the ownership structure of AvtoVAZ became opaque, with two different management groups controlling the majority of the shares, one led by company chairman Kadannikov, holding 33.2% through the AVVA company, while another group held 19.2% through the AFC company. AvtoVAZ, in turn, owned over 80% of AVVA, which
4644-613: The Moscow International Automobile Salon. The XRAY was designed by chief designer Steve Mattin , formerly of Volvo and Mercedes-Benz . The second generation of the Lada Kalina, basically a facelifted first generation, was also revealed at the 2012 Moscow International Motor Show. The Kalina was also produced with a more powerful version named Lada Kalina Sport. On 3 May 2012, the Renault-Nissan alliance signed
4752-602: The Netherlands-registered Alliance Rostec to the Russia-registered Lada Auto Holding. The new holding kept the same Renault-Rostec shareholding ratio as its Dutch predecessor. In March 2022, following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and international pressure to doing so, Renault said it was "assessing" its AvtoVAZ ownership. In December 2019, AvtoVAZ acquired General Motors' stake in their GM-AvtoVAZ joint venture. As part of
4860-416: The Russian manufacturer. In 2014, AvtoVAZ sold 448,114 vehicles, down 16.3% comparing to the previous year, due to the overall market slowdown in Russia. The total production capacity of the Togliatti factory is 910,000 vehicles. By 2014, the company's liabilities exceeded assets by 68 billion rubles, for UK-based Ernst & Young to express "significant doubt" about the company's "ability to continue as
4968-423: The Spécial model. In 1971, the front bench seat was replaced with two individual seats. In 1972, 2CVs were fitted with standard three-point seat belts. In 1973, new seat covers, a padded single-spoke steering wheel and ashtrays were introduced. The highest annual production was in 1974. Sales of the 2CV were reinvigorated by the 1974 oil crisis . The 2CV after this time became as much a youth lifestyle statement as
5076-548: The TPV post-war would not be economically viable, given the projected further increasing cost of aluminium. Boulanger decided to redesign the car to use mostly steel with flat panels, instead of aluminium. The Nazis had attempted to loot Citroën's press tools; this was frustrated after Boulanger got the French Resistance to relabel the rail cars containing them in the Paris marshalling yard. They ended up all over Europe, and Citroën
5184-496: The TPV project. Lefèbvre had designed and raced Grand Prix cars; his speciality was chassis design and he was particularly interested in maintaining contact between tyres and the road surface. The first prototypes were bare chassis with rudimentary controls, seating and roof; test drivers wore leather flying suits, of the type used in contemporary open biplanes. By the end of 1937 20 TPV experimental prototypes had been built and tested. The prototypes had only one headlight, all that
5292-597: The UK. France was now the third-largest market for 2CVs, taking 7045 cars that year. It was estimated that Citroën was now selling the 2CV at a loss in the French market, but that it was still profitable in other European countries. The peak of 2CV sales in the United Kingdom would be reached in 1986, thanks to the introduction of the popular Dolly special edition (see below)—7520 new 2CVs were registered in Britain that year. This year saw
5400-459: The Visa and Acadiane . As part of this rationalisation in 1981, the Spécial was fitted as standard with the 602 cc engine, although the 435 cc version remained available to special order in some European countries until stocks were used up. Also in 1981, a yellow 2CV6 was driven by James Bond ( Roger Moore ) in the film For Your Eyes Only . The car in the film was fitted with the flat-4 engine from
5508-431: The beginning of production was Michelin 's new radial tyre , first commercialised with the introduction of the 2CV. This radial design is an integral part of the design of the 2CV chassis. On 3 September 1939, France declared war on Germany following their invasion of Poland. An atmosphere of impending disaster led to the cancellation of the 1939 motor show less than a month before it was scheduled to open. The launch of
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#17330848958855616-448: The car would use no more than 3 L/100 km (95 mpg ‑imp ; 80 mpg ‑US ). One design parameter required that customers be able to transport eggs across a freshly ploughed field without breakage. In 1936, Pierre-Jules Boulanger , vice-president of Citroën and chief of engineering and design, sent the brief to his design team at the engineering department. The TPV (Toute Petite Voiture – "Very Small Car")
5724-421: The car's trunk, reaching almost down to the car's rear bumper. Michelin introduced and first commercialised the revolutionary new radial tyre design with the introduction of the 2CV. Between 1948 and 1990, more than 3.8 million 2CVs were produced, making it the world's first front-wheel drive car to become a million seller after Citroën's own earlier model, the more upscale Traction Avant , which had become
5832-541: The case of the future Volkswagen Beetle , manufactured during the war as the military Kübelwagen . Several TPVs were buried at secret locations; one was disguised as a pickup, the others were destroyed, and Boulanger spent the next six years thinking about further improvements. Until 1994, when three TPVs were discovered in a barn, it was believed that only two prototypes had survived. As of 2003, there were five known TPVs. By 1941, after an increase in aluminium prices of 40%, an internal report at Citroën showed that producing
5940-660: The company a subsidiary of the French group. In September 2017, Nissan sold its AvtoVAZ stake to Renault for €45 million. In December 2018, Renault and Rostec completed the acquisition of all AvtoVAZ shares through their Alliance Rostec venture. The company then delisted from the Moscow Exchange. In 2018, AvtoVAZ posted a net profit of $ 90.5 million, its first positive result in a decade. In June 2019, Rostec announced it would eventually reduce its stake in AvtoVAZ to 25%. In December 2021, Renault and Rostec transferred its shares from
6048-806: The company filed for bankruptcy, but it resumed business by late 2016. ChechenAvto , a state-owned enterprise based in Argun , produced 6,700 cars in 2016. AvtoVAZ has had overseas partners for assembly in Egypt, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other countries. As of December 2020 , other relevant AvtoVAZ subsidiaries include JSC Lada-Service (a holding of the AvtoVAZ-controlled dealerships which exists in its present form since 2007), JSC Lada-Image (official spare parts distributor in Russia, established in 2003), PPPO LLC, ZAK LLC, LIN LLC, Sockultbilt-AvtoVAZ LLC, and Lada International Ltd. AvtoVAZ financial affiliate
6156-432: The company's CEO. In April 2016, Carlos Ghosn , Renault-Nissan Chairman, ceded his AvtoVAZ chairmanship position to Sergey Skvortsov, Deputy General Director of Rostec, the minority shareholder in Avtovaz. Despite massive layoffs since 2008, in 2016, the company remained unprofitable. In October 2016, Renault invested $ 1.33 billion in another recapitalization of AvtoVAZ, this time without involvement from Nissan, making
6264-567: The company's forthcoming 2016 model. In April 2012, AvtoVAZ confirmed the end of the model 2107 ( Lada Riva or Lada Nova ), after more than 40 years. Sales of the Lada Granta , a subcompact car developed in collaboration with Renault, started in December 2011. The Lada Largus was launched in the Russian market in the middle of July 2012. In August 2012, the Lada XRAY concept car was launched at
6372-479: The company's market position, by improving the effectiveness of export sales and making imported cars too expensive for most Russians. The VAZ-2120 Nadezhda , a minivan based on the Lada Niva, was introduced in 1998. In the second half of the 1990s, some efforts were made to improve the quality of production, but in 1999, nearly 50,000 cases of cars were still being assembled with missing parts. In 2001, GM-AvtoVAZ ,
6480-456: The company, which had until then been exercised by subsidiaries of AvtoVAZ connected to Kadannikov, was transferred to Rosoboronexport . March 2007 had the start of production of Lada Priora , a restyled and modernised 110-series model. In 2005 it was estimated in a documentary created by Channel One Russia that about 500 people were killed between 1990 and 2005 during conflicts between police and criminals related to AvtoVAZ. The Documentary
6588-453: The corrugated Citroën H Van style "ripple bonnet" of convex swages was replaced (except for the Sahara), with one using six larger concave swages and looked similar until the end of production. The 2CV had suicide doors in front from 1948 to 1964, replaced with front hinged doors from 1965 to 1990. In 1961, Citroën launched a new model based on the 2CV chassis, with a four-door sedan body and
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#17330848958856696-454: The deal, AvtoVAZ used Chevrolet branding for the Niva models until August 2020, before replacing it with Lada. In January 2021, following a company revamp, Renault said it would integrate Lada and sister Dacia brands into a new business unit. AvtoVAZ was made part of the business unit structure. In 2021, the company's revenue amounted to 301 billion rubles. On 3 March 2022 AvtoVAZ announced
6804-502: The discontinuation of the Club which was by then the only 2CV model to retain the rectangular headlamps. This left the Spécial as the only regular 2CV model, alongside the more fashion-orientated Dolly, Charleston and the other special editions. In 1988, production ended in France after 40 years. The factory at Levallois-Perret had been the global centre for 2CV production since 1948 but was outdated, inefficient and widely criticised for its poor working conditions. The last French-built 2CV
6912-446: The distribution network led the company to accumulate massive debts. The 110-series sedan was introduced in 1995, two years after its original 1993 deadline. Development costs for the car were estimated at $ 2 billion. The 2111 station wagon followed in 1998 and the 2112 hatchback completed the range in 2001. By 1995, car sales, distribution, and spare parts at AvtoVAZ were all controlled by criminal organizations. This situation
7020-400: The earlier round headlights, last fitted in 1974. In order to keep the price as low as possible, Citroën removed the third side window, the ashtray and virtually all trim from the car, while that which remained was greatly simplified, such as simple vinyl-clad door cards and exposed door catches rather than the plastic moulded trims found on the 2CV Club. Other 2CVs shared their instruments with
7128-647: The eastern part of the country, to produce around 120,000 cars a year. In November 2013, Bo Andersson joined AvtoVAZ as CEO, the first non-Russian to head the company. He became involved in conflicts with local suppliers, which he accused of supplying low-quality products. The takeover of AvtoVAZ was completed in June 2014, and the two companies of the Renault-Nissan Alliance took a combined 67.1% stake of Alliance Rostec, which in turn acquired 74.5% of AvtoVAZ, thereby giving Renault and Nissan indirect control over
7236-482: The economy car market, US Marshall Plan aid, US production equipment and supplies of steel, to newly nationalised Renault to produce its Renault 4CV . The "Plan Pons" came to an end in 1949. Postwar French roads were very different from pre-war ones. Horse-drawn vehicles had re-appeared in large numbers. The few internal combustion-engined vehicles present often ran on town gas stored in gasbags on roofs or wood/charcoal gas from gasifiers on trailers. Only 100,000 of
7344-516: The extra weight of changing from light alloys to steel for the body and chassis. Other changes included seats with tubular steel frames with rubber band springing and a restyling of the body by the Italian Flaminio Bertoni . Also, in 1944 the first studies of the Citroën hydro-pneumatic suspension were conducted using the TPV/2CV. The development and production of what was to become the 2CV
7452-790: The first front-wheel drive car to sell in similar six-figure numbers. The 2CV platform spawned many variants; the 2CV and its variants are collectively known as the A-Series. Notably these include the 2CV-based delivery vans known as fourgonnettes , the Ami , the Dyane , the Acadiane , and the Mehari . In total, Citroën manufactured over 9 million of the 2CVs and its derivative models. A 1953 technical review in Autocar described "the extraordinary ingenuity of this design, which
7560-414: The former Soviet Union in the 1990s, combined with tightening emissions regulations and increasing stringency of safety legislation, triggered the withdrawal of AvtoVAZ from most Western markets by late 1997. Citro%C3%ABn 2CV The Citroën 2CV (French: deux chevaux , pronounced [dø ʃ(ə)vo] , lit. "two horses", meaning "two taxable horsepower ") is an economy car produced by
7668-413: The front and one in the rear, to support the extra load of a fourth passenger and fifty kilograms of luggage. In mid-1939 a pilot run of 250 cars was produced and on 28 August 1939 the car received approval for the French market. Brochures were printed and preparations made to present the car, renamed the Citroën 2CV, at the forthcoming Paris Motor Show in October 1939. One innovation included from
7776-458: The front seats. The filler neck sat in the front doors. Both engines (and hence axles) could be operated independently. The spare wheel was mounted on the bonnet. The car had ample off-road capability, but at twice the price of the standard 2CV. 694 were produced until 1968 and one more in 1971. Many were used by the Swiss Post as a delivery vehicle. Today they are highly collectible. Also in 1960,
7884-414: The group. By 2004 the group had $ 2 billion in revenues and supplied 37%-50% of all AvtoVAZ accessories; AvtoVAZ could not withdraw from such cooperation agreements without paying SOK $ 492 million in penalties. In October 2005 SOK reportedly owned over 60% of AvtoVAZ shares, and ousted Vladimir Kadannikov , the company's chairman. SOK group attempted to gain control of AvtoVAZ, which was instead gained by
7992-506: The growing demand for personal transport. It was built on the banks of the Volga in 1966. A new town , Tolyatti , named after Italian Communist Party leader Palmiro Togliatti , was built around the plant The cost of the VAZ plant was estimated at $ 800 million in 1970 (equivalent to $ 4.8 billion in 2023). The cars to be produced (designated as " Zhiguli ") was envisaged as a "people's car" like
8100-623: The legal deadline of July 1992. This forced the 2CV's withdrawal from sale in Austria , Denmark , Italy , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland and the Netherlands , the latter one of the car's largest remaining markets. That year, the three leading markets for the 2CV were West Germany (7866), France (5231) and the UK (3200). The last 2CV, a specially-prepared Charleston model, was built at Mangualde on 27 July 1990. Only 42,365 2CVs were built in Portugal in
8208-544: The new automation systems that Fiat was planning to introduce in its own factories, and was described as "ultra-modern" by the Chicago Tribune in a 1973 article. Production reached 750,000 cars a year in 1975, making the Tolyatti plant the third-most productive in the world. Between 1977 and 1981, AvtoVAZ acquired 30 welding robots from Japanese firms. In 1974, VAZ was given permission to begin producing Wankel engines under licence from NSU . Work began in 1976, with
8316-657: The ownership of the Izhmash-Avto plant in Izhevsk , which produced old AvtoVAZ models under the Izh brand, was transferred to the group. SOK also included over 40 other factories, mostly in the automotive component business, and employed over 100,000 workers. Revenues grew from $ 19 million in 1999 to close to $ 200 million in 2002. It was the second largest passenger car producer in Russia after AvtoVAZ, with production totaling 121,172 cars in 2002. In August 2003 VAZInterService became part of
8424-434: The police versions) stopped in 2004. The introduction of the new Kalina B-segment lineup to the market occurred in 2005. AutoVAZ built a new modern plant for this model and was hoping to sell some 200,000 cars annually. The Kalina had been originally designed in the early 1990s, and its launch was repeatedly delayed, exemplifying the company's difficulty in bringing products to market in time. In October 2005, control of
8532-500: The production of the 375 cc engine ended. The corrugated metal bonnet was replaced by a five-rib glossy cover. Simultaneously, the grille was slightly modified (flatter shape with a curved top edge). Rectangular turn signals were integrated to the front wings on the AZAM export model; these became round on post-1970 cars when indicators were fitted to the rear of the car too. As a result the flashers disappeared from their traditional home high on
8640-434: The rear three quarter panel. The 2 CV 4 × 4 2CV Sahara appeared in December 1960. This had an additional engine-transmission unit in the rear, mounted the other way around and driving the rear wheels. For the second engine there was a separate push-button starter and choke. With a gearstick between the front seats, both transmissions were operated simultaneously. For the two engines, there were separate petrol tanks under
8748-431: The roof by wires. The suspension system, designed by Alphonse Forceau, used front leading arms and rear trailing arms, connected to eight torsion bars beneath the rear seat: a bar for the front axle, one for the rear axle, an intermediate bar for each side, and an overload bar for each side. The front axle was connected to its torsion bars by cable. The overload bar came into play when the car had three people on board, two in
8856-421: The speedometer got a light for night driving. In 1955, the 2CV side repeaters were added above and behind the rear doors. It was now also available with 425 cc (AZ), 9.2 kW (12.5 hp) and a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). In 1957, a heating and ventilation system was installed. The colour of the steering wheel changed from black to grey. The mirrors and the rear window were enlarged. The bonnet
8964-439: The state-owned Rostec corporation. The Rostec-appointed AvtoVAZ management began to phase out or rescind supply contracts between SOK and AvtoVAZ. In 2008, SOK began negotiations to sell the IzhAvto plant to AvtoVAZ. In 2009 the group was forced to sell its automotive components holdings to AvtoVAZ, after SOK had disrupted the schedule of deliveries to the company. The components business ultimately came under control of Rostec as
9072-406: The state. It was formerly named as VAZ (Russian: ВАЗ ), an acronym for Volga Automotive Plant in Russian (Russian: Во́лжский автомоби́льный заво́д , romanized: Vólzhskiy avtomobíl'nyy zavód ). AvtoVAZ is best known for its flagship series of Lada vehicles. In the Soviet Union, its products used various names, including Zhiguli , Oka , and Sputnik , which were phased out in
9180-464: The suspension of the assembly of cars in Tolyatti and Izhevsk from 5 March. The company issued a press release blaming 'the ongoing crisis in the supply of electronic components.' On 16 May 2022, Renault said it had sold its controlling stake in AvtoVAZ to the Central Research and Development Automobile and Engine Institute (NAMI), a state-owned research center, for one rouble. The agreement has
9288-509: The two million pre-war cars were still on the road. The time was known as "Les années grises" or "the grey years" in France. Citroën unveiled the car at the Paris Salon on 7 October 1948. The car on display was nearly identical to the 2CV type A that would be sold the next year, but it lacked an electric starter, the addition of which was decided the day before the opening of the Salon, replacing
9396-574: The two years following the end of French production. Portuguese-built cars, especially those from when production was winding down, have a reputation in the UK for being much less well-made and more prone to corrosion than those made in France. According to Citroën, the Portuguese plant was more up-to-date than the one in Levallois near Paris and Portuguese 2CV manufacturing was to higher-quality standards. As of October 2016, 3,025 remained in service in
9504-447: The use of "Tin-Tin", and the slogan "More than just a car—a way of life". A range of colours was introduced, starting with Glacier Blue in 1959, then yellow in 1960. In the 1960s, 2CV production caught up with demand. In 1966, the 2CV got a third side window, this window made them look slightly bigger in size. In February 1965, Citroën Belgium introduced the 3CV AZAM6 which featured the 602 cc, 17 kW (23 hp) Ami 6 engine and
9612-582: The van had collapsible, removable rear seating and rear side windows, enabling a tradesman to use it as a family vehicle on the weekend as well as for business in the week. By 1952, production had reached more than 21,000 with export markets earning foreign currency taking precedence. Boulanger's policy, which continued after his death, was: "Priority is given to those who have to travel by car because of their work and for whom ordinary cars are too expensive to buy." Cars were sold preferentially to country vets, doctors, midwives, priests and small farmers. In 1954,
9720-473: The window frame into the dash. Instead of a dipstick/measuring rod, a fuel gauge was introduced. Director of publicity Claude Puech came up with humorous and inventive marketing campaigns. Robert Delpire of the Delpire Agency was responsible for the brochures. Ad copy came from Jacques Wolgensinger Director of PR at Citroën. Wolgensinger was responsible for the youth oriented "Raids", 2CV Cross, rallies,
9828-401: The wiper speed was dependent on the driving speed. There was no fuel gauge; Citroën provided a dipstick below the petrol filler cap. The 2CV was the first car designed around and released with radial tires . The car was heavily criticised by the motoring press and became the butt of French comedians for a short while. The British Autocar correspondent wrote that the 2CV "...is the work of
9936-553: Was a three-year waiting list, which soon increased to five years. At the time a second-hand 2CV was more expensive than a new one because the buyer did not have to wait. Production was increased from 876 units in 1949 to 6,196 units in 1950. Grudging respect began to emanate from the international press: towards the end of 1951 the opinion appeared in Germany's recently launched Auto, Motor und Sport magazine that, despite its "ugliness and primitiveness" ("Häßlichkeit und Primitivität") ,
10044-560: Was also delayed by the incoming 1944 Socialist French government, after the liberation by the Allies from the Germans. The five-year "Plan Pons" to ration car production and husband scarce resources, named after economist and former French motor industry executive Paul-Marie Pons , only allowed Citroën the upper middle range of the car market, with the Traction Avant. The French government allocated
10152-482: Was available from Citroën dealers for the 2CV and aftermarket kits were available). This was in response to competition by the Renault 4 . The exterior is more modern and distinguished by the integrated lights in the wings and bodywork. Between 1967 and 1983, about 1.4 million Dyanes were built. The Dyane was a more sophisticated 2CV and originally planned to supersede it, but 2CV production continued by its side and ultimately
10260-477: Was available in red and white. Beginning in mid-1979 the 602 cc engine was installed. In June 1981, the Spécial E arrived. This model had a standard centrifugal clutch and particularly low urban fuel consumption. By 1980, the boost to 2CV sales across Europe delivered by the 1973 Energy Crisis had begun to wear off and there was a whole new generation of superminis and economy cars available from European and Japanese manufacturers. Citroën itself now had
10368-404: Was by no means sure they would all be returned after the war. In early 1944 Boulanger made the decision to abandon the water-cooled two-cylinder engine developed for the car and installed in the 1939 versions. Walter Becchia was now briefed to design an air-cooled unit, still of two cylinders, and still of 375 cc. Becchia was also supposed to design a three-speed gearbox, but managed to design
10476-423: Was decorated with a longitudinal strip of aluminium (AZL). In September 1957, the model AZLP (P for porte de malle , "boot lid"), appeared with a boot lid panel; previously the soft top had to be opened at the bottom to get to the boot. In 1958, a Belgian Citroën plant produced a higher quality version of the car (AZL3). It had a third side window, not available in the normal version and improved details. In 1960,
10584-460: Was found in the larger Citroën models with hydropneumatic suspension . In late 1986, Citroën introduced the Visa's replacement, the AX . This was widely regarded as a superior car to the Visa and took many of the remaining 2CV sales in France following its introduction. From 1986 to 1987 2CV production fell by 20 per cent to just 43,255 cars. Of that total over 12,500 went to West Germany and 7212 went to
10692-496: Was listed on the Moscow Exchange . As with many other privatized post-Soviet companies, the financial situation at AvtoVAZ was dire, with workers being unpaid for months at a time. In 1994, Boris Berezovsky 's dealership company, called Logovaz , accounted for nearly 10% of the domestic sales of AvtoVAZ. Despite the state of the Russian economy at the time, demand for AvtoVAZ cars remained buoyant, but widespread corruption in
10800-413: Was made on February 25. In recognition of the event, the last 2CV built at Levallois was a basic Spécial in a non-standard grey colour—the same shade as worn by the very first 2CVs. Production of the 2CV would continue at the smaller-capacity but more modern Mangualde plant in Portugal until 1990. In 1989, a number of European nations voluntarily introduced the first European emission standards ahead of
10908-636: Was made possible by the close relationship that existed between the criminals and part of the management. Additionally, gangsters were used to control the workers and break strikes. By late 1996, AvtoVAZ had become the country's largest tax debtor, owing $ 2.4 billion in unpaid taxes. In 1997, the Ministry of Internal Affairs launched Operation Cyclone, an investigation that ultimately uncovered evidence that gangsters connected to AvtoVAZ had carried out at least 65 murders of company managers, dealers, and business rivals. The 1998 Russian financial crisis improved
11016-529: Was reduced from 21 to 18 kW (28 to 25 hp). The round headlights were replaced by square ones, adjustable in height. A new plastic grille was fitted. In July 1975, a base model called the 2CV Spécial was introduced with the 435 cc engine. Between 1975 and 1990 under the name of AZKB "2CV Spécial" a drastically reduced trim basic version was sold, at first only in yellow and with an untreated black roof. Slimmer bumpers with stick-on tape rather than plastic strips and no overriders were fitted. It also had
11124-424: Was released same year when Rosoboronexport took over AvtoVAZ with the support of 300 police officers during the extraordinary general meeting. Though Rosoboronexport was not listed as company shareholder at the time, no objections were raised by other parties, such as official shareholders. Rosoboronexport action was supported by Vladimir Putin publicly. In March 2008, Renault purchased a 25% stake in AvtoVAZ in
11232-462: Was replaced by an updated 435 cc (26.5 cu in) engine in February 1970. In 1970, the car gained rear light units from the Citroën Ami 6. (602 cc) models. From then on, only two series were produced: the 2CV 4 (AZKB) with 435 cc and the 2CV 6 (AZKA) with 602 cc displacement. All 2CVs from this date can run on unleaded fuel. 1970s cars featured rectangular headlights from 1975, except
11340-448: Was required by French law at the time. On 29 December 1937, Pierre Michelin was killed in a car crash; Boulanger became president of Citroën. By 1939 the TPV was deemed ready, after 47 technically different and incrementally improved experimental prototypes had been built and tested. These prototypes used aluminium and magnesium parts and had water-cooled flat twin engines with front-wheel drive. The seats were hammocks hung from
11448-401: Was said to be under the influence of Boris Berezovsky. As of May 2022 , AvtoVAZ's owner is Lada Auto Holding, which is a joint venture between two state enterprises, NAMI and Rostec. Various AvtoVAZ's subsidiaries and affiliates produce vehicles within Russia. The main plant is the one in Tolyatti, with three assembly lines, which assembled 312,000 cars in 2016. Lada West Togliatti is
11556-513: Was the first front-wheel drive serial car built in the Soviet Union after the LuAZ- 969V. A white 2108 became the nine-millionth Lada built, on 24 May 1985, with the ten-millionth, on 9 October 1986, also a 2108. The twelve-millionth, a right-hand drive 2109, was produced 6 July 1989. By the late 1980s, AvtoVAZ was suffering from the deterioration of its capital goods , such as tools and machinery, resulting from insufficient levels of investment over
11664-492: Was to be developed in secrecy at Michelin facilities at Clermont-Ferrand and at Citroën in Paris, by the design team who had created the Traction Avant . Boulanger closely monitored all decisions relating to the TPV, proposing strictly reduced target weights. He created a department to weigh and redesign each component, to lighten the TPV without compromising function. Boulanger placed engineer André Lefèbvre in charge of
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