1965 Zaz Zaporozhets

The ZAZ Zaporozhets entered production in 1958 and would remain in production, in various forms, until 1994. They were built at the ZAZ factory in Soviet Ukraine and, like the Volkswagen Beetle, were destined to become a 'people's car.' It was the cheapest Soviet car and the most affordable to most individuals. They were well-built and suitable for Soviet roads.

The name Zaporozhets means a Cossack of the Zaporizhian Sich or а man from Zaporizhia or the Zaporizhia Oblast.

The first version, the ZAZ-965, was produced from 1960 to 1963. The minister in charge of Minavtroprom (the Soviet automotive ministry) Nicholas Strokin selected the new Fiat 600 as the model to follow. It had a similar design and mechanical components. It had a rear-engine configuration and was powered by air-cooled engines. The front doors opened like suicide doors, partly to make them more accessible to the disabled. Zaporozhets could also be fitted with equipment that allowed operating the car with a limited set of limbs or completely by hand.

The second generation, the ZAZ-966, was produced from 1966 through 1994.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2016