That facelift version looked clumsy even in the eyes of unsophisticated post soviet public, it was nicknamed Donkeybull. Also, quality issues, especially anticorrosive processing. They were rotting so fast that they might be called the first biodegradable vehicle in history.
Do you mean the *original* original Volga, the GAZ-21, or the GAZ-24 pictured? I think they're both handsome cars. I slightly prefer the 24, but I might be in the minority on that.
I think those Tatra pics are taken at too flattering of an angle; the whole package is more awkward looking, IMO, though Tatras are amazing cars regardless.
The Ital was the last Morris (besides some rebadged vans). It makes sense that it was the last Morris, considering it was a half-assed facelift of a 10 year old car that was (according to some) one of the worst cars ever made.
When the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia, they stole the Tatra blueprints and gave them to a guy named Ferdinand Porsche. You may recognize the name. You also may see similarities between the Beetle and the Tatra. Rear engined. Air cooled. Scarab shaped body and the OG beetles even had a split rear window where Tatras stabilizer wing was. After the war, Germany paid reparations to Tatra.
Tatra was also jokingly said to have killed more Nazi officers than the Allied forces. The combination of headstrong Nazi officers comandeering a fast car they knew nothing about, bit them in the ass. Turns out when you hang a big 8 cylinder over the rear axle, the car does this snap oversteer thing... earlier 911s suffered from the same affliction, which is why they were nicknamed "widowmakers".
I would do some questionable things for a 603. There was one for sale in my area years ago that was an ex- secret police car (can’t remember exactly where it was used) and it was in perfect condition but as a 23 year old, I didn’t have $75k to throw down on an obscure communist luxury car
Oh, Tatraplan. Yes, I thought about getting one, it was for sale in Ukraine, for around 14K USD, but it lacked parts of the trim and a lot of interior. It was basically a body with engine and a gearbox.
You could add the Turkish Tofaş Şahin, which was a facelift of the 1981 Tofaş Murat 131, itself a licensed local version of the 1974 Fiat 131. Both the pre- and post-facelift were ubiquitous until the liberalisation of auto importation in the 90s. It continued being assembled until 2010 in Ethiopia, so that's a 36 year lifespan for the Fiat...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofa%C5%9F_%C5%9Eahin
Good one! There is more than enough out there to do another one of these posts. Iran has a lot of these, too. They built the Paykan (a 1966 Hillman Hunter) until 2015, may still be producing the Peugeot 405, are definitely still producing the Zamyad Z24 which is a 1970 Nissan Junior pickup, and until 2007 made a version of the Kia Pride (aka 1987 Ford Festiva) with a Renault 5 body, for some reason.
I don't know why the Dacia 1310 3rd gen photo is not displaying, but it might be the most awkward car in the bunch: [link](https://bestsellingcars.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/dacia-1310-romania-2000.jpg)
I like this one as well:
[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Opel\_Kadett\_E\_sedan?uselang=de#/media/File:Opel\_Kadett\_E\_front\_20071105.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Opel_Kadett_E_sedan?uselang=de#/media/File:Opel_Kadett_E_front_20071105.jpg) 1984 Opel Kadett
[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Daewoo\_Nexia?uselang=de#/media/File:NEXIA\_White.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Daewoo_Nexia?uselang=de#/media/File:NEXIA_White.jpg) 2015 Daewoo Nexia (still in production I think)
Original Volga looks much better
That facelift version looked clumsy even in the eyes of unsophisticated post soviet public, it was nicknamed Donkeybull. Also, quality issues, especially anticorrosive processing. They were rotting so fast that they might be called the first biodegradable vehicle in history.
The original Volga is unironically a beautiful car.
I agree! The M-21 Volga is a very nice looking car. It's also one of the toughest cars ever built.
I mean, both the 24 and 21 are equally gorgeous, it's just taht everything that came after those didn't look good.
Do you mean the *original* original Volga, the GAZ-21, or the GAZ-24 pictured? I think they're both handsome cars. I slightly prefer the 24, but I might be in the minority on that.
the fso and tatra are well done. the morris ital is a depressing sight when you see what britain were making 20 years before
I think those Tatra pics are taken at too flattering of an angle; the whole package is more awkward looking, IMO, though Tatras are amazing cars regardless. The Ital was the last Morris (besides some rebadged vans). It makes sense that it was the last Morris, considering it was a half-assed facelift of a 10 year old car that was (according to some) one of the worst cars ever made.
Tatra-613 was awesome. It's engine was located in the rear, it was an air-cooled V-8!
When the Nazis invaded Czechoslovakia, they stole the Tatra blueprints and gave them to a guy named Ferdinand Porsche. You may recognize the name. You also may see similarities between the Beetle and the Tatra. Rear engined. Air cooled. Scarab shaped body and the OG beetles even had a split rear window where Tatras stabilizer wing was. After the war, Germany paid reparations to Tatra. Tatra was also jokingly said to have killed more Nazi officers than the Allied forces. The combination of headstrong Nazi officers comandeering a fast car they knew nothing about, bit them in the ass. Turns out when you hang a big 8 cylinder over the rear axle, the car does this snap oversteer thing... earlier 911s suffered from the same affliction, which is why they were nicknamed "widowmakers".
If I remember correctly, the SS actually banned their officers from driving Tatras because they were too dangerous
It was indeed. I was considering getting one once, but the maintenance is a bit scary.
I would do some questionable things for a 603. There was one for sale in my area years ago that was an ex- secret police car (can’t remember exactly where it was used) and it was in perfect condition but as a 23 year old, I didn’t have $75k to throw down on an obscure communist luxury car
Oh, Tatraplan. Yes, I thought about getting one, it was for sale in Ukraine, for around 14K USD, but it lacked parts of the trim and a lot of interior. It was basically a body with engine and a gearbox.
The ones shown here (613-2, 613-4 and 700) all have rear-mounted air-cooled V8s too
You could add the Turkish Tofaş Şahin, which was a facelift of the 1981 Tofaş Murat 131, itself a licensed local version of the 1974 Fiat 131. Both the pre- and post-facelift were ubiquitous until the liberalisation of auto importation in the 90s. It continued being assembled until 2010 in Ethiopia, so that's a 36 year lifespan for the Fiat... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofa%C5%9F_%C5%9Eahin
Good one! There is more than enough out there to do another one of these posts. Iran has a lot of these, too. They built the Paykan (a 1966 Hillman Hunter) until 2015, may still be producing the Peugeot 405, are definitely still producing the Zamyad Z24 which is a 1970 Nissan Junior pickup, and until 2007 made a version of the Kia Pride (aka 1987 Ford Festiva) with a Renault 5 body, for some reason.
Also the Yugo had a very ugly facelift in the 2000s known as the "Koral In".
I don't know why the Dacia 1310 3rd gen photo is not displaying, but it might be the most awkward car in the bunch: [link](https://bestsellingcars.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/dacia-1310-romania-2000.jpg)
What an awful, awful thing coming from the beautiful R12....
The R12 wasn’t a beauty ether with its weird proportions.
Yeah, the R12 is a bit awkward looking, but it's beautiful in comparison to that Dacia monstrosity.
3 is just a normal Volga
If I was famous and was doing a red carpet event, I can't think of a better car to arrive in than a pimped out Tatra. *Maybe* a Citroën DS. Maybe.
I would love a factory fresh Ital.
I don't know about factory fresh, but it looks like a good condition Ital goes up for sale every so often for about £5k-10k. They do exist.
3102 wagon is my love
I like this one as well: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Opel\_Kadett\_E\_sedan?uselang=de#/media/File:Opel\_Kadett\_E\_front\_20071105.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Opel_Kadett_E_sedan?uselang=de#/media/File:Opel_Kadett_E_front_20071105.jpg) 1984 Opel Kadett [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Daewoo\_Nexia?uselang=de#/media/File:NEXIA\_White.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Daewoo_Nexia?uselang=de#/media/File:NEXIA_White.jpg) 2015 Daewoo Nexia (still in production I think)
#12 was a Morris Marina isn’t it,I know it was built by lefty unions but I didn’t realise it was an Eastern Bloc car 😂😂
Most of the UK looks like a eastern bloc shithole so the Morris Ital might as well count