Today's guest post comes from our friend Joe D, who happens to own a Ford Fiesta ST. Thanks, Joe!
The Lada 1200 (VAZ 2101) is an Italian car much in the same way that the Ford Fiesta is a German car. In need of a durable people’s car to handle harsh Soviet roads, Russian officials tested the best of the west and found the Fiat 124 (Car of the year, 1967!) to be the most suitable choice. A deal was struck between the Soviets and Italians that resulted in a modified version of the 124 being engineered for the Soviet market. To produce it, Fiat would design and construct a massive new factory along the Volga River in the newly created city of Tolyatti. The new factory - the largest in Europe at the time - would go on to produce the facelifted version of the Soviet-Italian-mashup and contribute to the over 18 million vehicles sold (third only to the Volkswagen Beetle and Ford Model T) between the two generations' 40 year lifespan. This facelifted version retained the same underlying mechanicals and updated the styling to the now-iconic square headlamp look. The Soviets also gave back to the Italian auto industry ,supplying, as part of the deal, tons of recycled steel. As the legend goes, many Italian cars of the 70s and 80s were constructed using this poor-quality Russian steel….it is left as an exercise to the reader to conclude the long-term effects this had on corrosion resistance.
The Fiat 124 and its Soviet clone are nearly identical. Small visual cues like the bumper overriders, headlight bezels, and hubcaps distinguish the communist copy from its western original. Major changes included a massive rear axle, massive drum brakes, and thicker steel. The pushrod engine of the 124 was scrapped in favor of a more modern Fiat-engineered overhead camshaft unit, supposedly originally intended for a small Fiat off-roader that never saw the light of day.
Year: 1970
Model: Vaz Lada 2101
Engine: 1.2L 4-cyl
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Mileage: 75,000 mi
Price: $12,500 obo
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS: 1970 Vaz Lada 2101
While the little Lada became the butt (Hehe, butt - Ed.) of jokes and cheap transport this side of the iron curtain, in its time it was considered top-of-the-line transportation affordable by most anyone. This example comes in classic white with a red leather interior, and only 75k miles on the clock. At just $12,500, this classic Italian masterpiece by way of Russia is comparable to the German-American Fiesta in both its price and its multicultural origins. Too bad Ford never offered a bright red interior on the Fiesta!
-Joe