Read more:
- Quirky and Interesting Eastern Bloc Cars — Part 1: (1950-1975)
- Quirky and Interesting Eastern Bloc Cars — Part 2: (1975-2000)
There’s hardly a car enthusiast that hasn’t pondered about the Eastern Bloc vehicles at least once. While often considered subpar and outdated compared to their western counterparts (and rightfully so in most cases), cars from the communist bloc are still remembered fondly by their former owners—even after giving them nothing but headaches for years or even decades.
The reasons for such discrepancy between the auto industries of the East and West were numerous. Shortages of materials, state-run manufacturing facilities (with the state having more pressing concerns than developing competitive cars), and even ideological discrepancies were significant differentiating factors.
Even though it took eastern European countries years to recover from the devastation left by WWII, some initial Eastern Bloc post-war car products weren’t that far behind their western counterparts. A few of them were even more advanced in some ways. One of the reasons is that Western-European and American cars weren’t that more advanced after what was effectively a production restart in 1945 (we’ve already covered quirky and interesting Eastern Bloc cars from 1950 to 1975 here).
As the years progressed, the pitfalls of the communist industry model started becoming more and more evident. The auto industry, as you might have guessed, wasn’t spared. Cars in the Soviet Union and its satellite states became increasingly outdated with each passing year, with little to no improvements conducted on their respective platforms for years at a time.
This time we’re looking at quirky and interesting Eastern Bloc cars produced roughly between 1975 and 2000—well after the dissolution of the Eastern Bloc itself.
Lada 2101 (1970-1988)
USSR
By the time 1970s came knocking, the Soviet government was looking for a foreign partner for a joint venture on the next-gen people’s car. In a bid between Ford and Fiat, the choice fell on the latter. Hence, the 1967 European Car of the Year-winning Fiat 124 sedan became the basis for the venture. The factory on the bank of the Volga river called VAZ (Vólzhskiy avtomobíl’nyy zavód – Volga Automotive Plant) was completed by 1970, and production of the VAZ-2101—the first iteration of the rebadged Fiat 124, had commenced.
Although the VAZ-2101 closely resembled its Fiat 124 donor, the Soviet version of the car featured a more robust, raised suspension, aluminum rear brake drums instead of discs, and thicker body panels, among other things.
Most notably, it came with an engine configuration never used by Fiat. A 1.2 L overhead camshaft inline-four producing 59 hp was capable of maxing out at 87 mph. Later on, Lada introduced 67-hp 1.3 L and 75-hp 1.5 L engines. At the same time, the VAZ-2102 wagon version and a more luxurious VAZ-2103 sedan arrived on the market. The latter was supplanted by the 1.6 L-powered VAZ-2106. The Russians even experimented with the Wankel rotary engines specifically built for the police and KGB.
Since both the numbered nomenclature and its official name Zhiguli weren’t exactly exportable, the Soviets decided to rebrand all the export cars under the Lada badge. At the height of their popularity, Lada’s were touted for their sturdiness and affordability and had made their way to numerous western markets, including Finland, Holland, Belgium, and the UK.
Although as many as 2,710,930 VAZ-2101 units alone were produced until 1982, people of the USSR initially had to wait as much as nine years to get their hands on one.
Polski Fiat 126p (1973-2000)
Poland
Based on the Fiat 500, whom it supplanted, the Fiat 126 proved to be another popular petite car whose Italian sales peaked at 1,352,912 units between 1972 and 1980.
Despite a length of only 120 inches and weight of around 1,300 pounds, the Fiat 126 became an immensely popular family car in Italy and abroad. Especially abroad, as FSM (Fabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych) in Poland, managed to assemble an additional 3,318,674 units of the mini car between 1973 and 2000, bringing its total production to an impressive figure of 4,673,655 units.
One of the reasons for its popularity in Poland, where it was colloquially known as Maluch (the small one), is that it was actually the first affordable and readily available car ever offered there.
Initially powered by an air-cooled 594 cc straight-twin engine, the Polski Fiat 126p didn’t have much to offer in terms of power. In 1977, FSM introduced a larger 652 cc engine, but power only rose from 23 hp to 24 hp. Finally, a water-cooled 704 cc engine with 26 horsepower on tap made its debut in 1987. The mini car would also receive numerous non-powertrain-related upgrades over the years, including an electronic ignition system and a catalytic converter.
By the time everything was said and done, the Maluch had become an inseparable part of the Polish national identity. What’s more, its prices are steadily rising as more and more people are vying to buy and restore/preserve this car of a small frame yet immense character.
Lada Niva (1977-present)
USSR/Russia
Behind this barely inspiring predecessor of the modern-day crossover lurks arguably one of the best off-road vehicles ever made. It’s the first SUV to combine a unibody frame and an independent front suspension in a car whose slab-sided appearance had barely changed over an almost five-decade-long run. It’s currently the longest-running all-wheel drive vehicle in its original form.
Based on the VAZ-2101 mentioned above and Fiat 124, the Niva started with the 1.6 L engine, then available in the VAZ-2106. The 76-horsepower unit was joined by a slightly larger 1.7 L mill developing four additional ponies in 1993. The same year the transmission got its fifth gear. Finally, the current 1.8 L engine with 85 ponies made its debut in 1995. The Niva even came with the PSA group’s 1.9 L diesel engine between 1999 and 2007.
The Lada Niva isn’t only the most successful Soviet/Russian car industry’s export, but a vehicle that’s inspired countless more prolific models over the years. If not for the entire generation of crossovers dominating the roads today, then it’s at least had some direct influences on the Suzuki Samurai and the likes. Not to mention that it’s outlived the Land Rover Defender. It’s a living testament to the fact that the Eastern Bloc engineers could produce a gem even with outdated tooling and limited resources. The only issue being the rarity of such occurrences.
FSO Polonez (1978-2002)
Poland
Developed in collaboration with Fiat (who else), designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and Walter De Silva, and produced by the FSO (Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych), the Polonez represented a step forward in Eastern Bloc’s car manufacturing. Or, at least it was supposed to. While it never achieved the global fame it was projected to, the Polonez still stands out as the only Eastern Bloc car built to pass the U.S. crash tests.
Although initially projected to be paired with Fiat’s 2.0 L engine, the lack of funding cut that idea in its roots. Instead, the Polonez relied on its predecessor’s (Polski Fiat 125p) anemic 1.3 L and 1.5 L inline-fours. In 1987, an 86-hp 1.6 L 4-cylinder provided some grunt, but that was all there was to it. At least from the Polonez for the general population.
A 110-hp 2.0 L twin-cam Fiat engine did make it to the Polonez, albeit in one of the rare early Polonez 2000 rally cars that appeared at the Rallye Monte Carlo. However, the most powerful version of the family car sported a 1.5 L turbocharged engine and generated 188 horsepower. Needless to say, this 1988 iteration was a rally exclusive as well.
Despite the world passing it by and the Eastern Bloc itself being but a distant memory by then, the FSO Polonez somehow soldiered on until 2002 (pickup version survived until 2003). Exported to the UK, France, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and New Zealand, among other countries, the Polonez has to be considered a success despite its lackluster performance and typical Eastern Bloc build quality.
Zastava Koral / Yugo (1980-2008)
Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro/Serbia
In its 30 years of production, the Yugo had seen the breakup of socialist Yugoslavia, renaming of the successor state to Serbia and Montenegro, and finally secession of the latter entity in 2006. Meanwhile, it’s been ridiculed as one of the worst cars ever made, but the truth is much different. Zastava has produced 794,428 units of the affordable compact car, of which around a quarter of a million for export—141,651 of them to the U.S. under the waking eye of Malcolm Bricklin.
Yugo’s arguably biggest issue was its affordable sticker of under $4,000 during the late 1980s. It was so cheap that its owners often regarded it as disposable and proceeded to treat it like one, often failing to perform even the most basic of maintenances.
Over the years, the powertrain lineup included a 903 cc 4-cylinder with 45 horsepower, a 1.1 L engine with anything between 54 and 62 ponies, and a 1.3 L 4-cylinder with 65 horses in carburetted or 67 ponies in fuel-injected form beginning from 2003.
Regardless of its reputation for unreliability and poor build quality, the fact that many Yugo’s survive to this day proves that the compact had succeeded in fulfilling its purpose—providing cheap transportation available to the masses.
Dacia 1410 Sport (1983-1992)
Romania
The Dacia 1410 Sport represents the most coveted iteration of the Dacia 1300/1310 Series that remained in production for 35 years. The 2-door coupe version of, what was otherwise a Renault 12-based sedan, boasted a somewhat sportier appearance and more appealing aesthetics. Initially, it came with the same set of doors as its 4-door counterparts. However, in 1986, Dacia made these at the expense of the rear side window.
As its name suggests, the 1410 Sport boasted a 1.4 L 4-cylinder engine with 64 horsepower paired to a then-new 5-speed manual transmission. It instantly became popular among domestic rally drivers, but that was pretty much the extent of its fame.
The coupe would disappear in the early nineties, but not before receiving a slightly larger 71-horsepower 1.6 L engine. The Dacia 1310 Series would soldier on until 2004 before finally being put to pasture and replaced by the Dacia Logan.
Škoda Rapid (1984-1990)
Czechoslovakia
The Škoda Rapid (not to be confused with the 1930s and 2012 models with the same name) was a quirky fastback coupe introduced during the waning years of the Eastern Block Czechoslovakia. Using a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive platform typical for Škoda’s of the time, the Rapid would have been fun to drive if it had a bit more grunt under that rear hatch.
Speaking of power, the Rapid initially came with 54 hp, courtesy of its 1.2 L 4-cylinder engine. Paired with a 4-speed manual and known for unreliability, it was soon supplanted by 58-hp units that leveraged 1.3 L engines and 5-speed sticks. Finally, in 1987, the final iteration of the Rapid switched to an all-aluminum 1.3 L engine that generated 62 ponies.
Škoda even offered a convertible, albeit exclusively in the UK. The conventional coupes were imported and converted by Ludgate Design & Development in Kent before being offered as the cheapest drop-tops in the U.K. at the time.
Moskvitch Aleko (1986-1997)
USSR/Russia
The Moskvitch-2141, better known as Aleko, was an intermediate hatchback produced until 1997 before being replaced by the Moskvitch-2142 sedan. As such, it turned out to be the penultimate iteration of the Moskvitch line and the last one to feature domestic powertrains.
The Aleko represented a step forward in the Soviet auto industry’s development, although that step came too little too late. It boasted a MacPherson strut front suspension and a rack-and-pinion steering. It was also only the second Soviet front-wheel-drive car after the Lada Samara. Finally, with a drag coefficient of only 0.35, the Aleko was the most aerodynamic Soviet car to date back in the day.
Power came from a myriad of 4-cylinder engines, including some sourced from Ford, Peugeot, and Renault, but never reached commendable heights. Like most Eastern Bloc cars, it suffered from a lack of power and not precisely stellar build quality. Furthermore, the dissolution of the Soviet Union put additional strain on the company’s finances that would eventually lead to its bankruptcy a few short years after Aleko’s discontinuation.
Škoda Favorit (1987-1995)
Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic
Built during the years of communist Czechoslovakia and the succeeding Czech Republic, the Favorit represents a transition between the old and new eras for the famous car manufacturer. It’s a predecessor to the Škoda Felicia, which, in turn, predates the Fabia that’s still being produced today.
Unlike most of Škoda’s preceding cars, the Favorit boasted a contemporary front-engined front-wheel-drive layout. Power came from a 1.3 L 4-cylinder engine with 58 hp initially and 63 ponies later on. The initial engines were carburetted, while 1993 saw the introduction of fuel injection.
Although modest in its appearance, the Favorit quickly captured the crowds with its affordability and reliability. It even boasted a successful rallying campaign at the 1993 Monte Carlo Rally, winning a 1-2 finish in the under 1,300 cc class. Ultimately, it also won the 2 L manufacturers championship the following year despite only sporting a 1.3 L engine.
The Favorit was the last Czech-made Škoda before the Volkswagen Group bought the company.
Tatra 700 (1996-1999)
Czech Republic
The Tatra 700 was the last passenger car the famous carmaker ever made and one of the last air-cooled cars to boot. The luxury rear-engined rear-wheel-drive sedan was an attempt to get back into the passenger car game after years of forcible truck manufacturing on the government’s part. After three years and only 75 units produced, it’s safe to say that the project had failed.
However, the Tatra 700 itself wasn’t a failure. Sure, it was an old-timer in a young men’s world, but the T700 was a fine example of the Eastern Bloc engineering considering the circumstances. I’m saying Eastern Bloc since, below the facade, the T700 was nothing other than a heavily modified T613 from 1975.
Powered by 3.5 L V8’s initially and 4.3 L V8 later on, Tatra’s last full-size cars generated 198 hp and 231 hp, respectively. This was more than most Eastern Bloc cars had ever made. Dignified and morose—much like the communist officials it was intended to transport had it arrived a decade or so earlier—the Tatra 700 is arguably the last example of the awkward Eastern Bloc luxury we’ve never grown accustomed to.
Last Words
The Eastern Bloc’s waning years were riddled with all kinds of shortcomings on many fronts, and the car industry wasn’t spared either. Even though it was evident that communism was fighting a losing battle, some of the cars that came out of the controversial system were quirky and interesting at the very least. Some were even, dare I say, competitive with their western counterparts, but it’s not my job to judge.
My job was to make the case.
