New car Gaz Volga. "Volga" (car): model history, technical characteristics

11.05.2020

The new restyled Volga 5000 GL 2017 is a reliable car from the domestic auto concern GAZ. The car has a surprisingly beautiful and original futuristic appearance, suitable for city trips, but not for off-road.

Sports domestic novelty

The technical performance of the car will delight car owners, but it is known that the manufacturer only praises its products, but in reality it does not work out very well. At the moment, no one has seen the Volga yet, however, there is information that the concept will be made in a station wagon and equipped with four-wheel drive.

Exterior and exterior

Initially, the 2017 Gas Volga (new model, photo, price in the article) was supposed to become a prototype for the development of a new era in the domestic automotive industry. No matter how much our concerns develop various models, they do not provide pleasure and comfort to car owners. Compatriots are clearly tired of standard designs.

The car has a special and attractive body exterior, which is explained by the fact that the design was done by young specialists. The changes are as follows:

Sleek futuristic appearance.
The smooth lines of the body perfectly combine notes of aggressiveness, power and style.
At the back, the car looks like a Volvo sedan.
The high position of the headlights lends a sporty touch.
The dual exhaust looks great, which is similar to the Lexus models.
The roofline is somewhat cut, which visually makes the Volga sporty and austere at the same time.
The front part looks very unusual, the dimensions are narrower in comparison with the general stylistics of the elements.
Excellent aerodynamics. It was created on the highest level in order to achieve maximum clamping force.
The wings protrude somewhat from the side, it seems that the transport was invented for fast and dynamic movement.

The overall sporting style of the 2020 Gaz Volga is designed to complement the 21-inch titanium discs on oversized tires. Designers have found their own inspiration among the world's best cars, choosing the most beautiful elements for decoration.

The company did not officially announce the color palette, but from the available photographs one can judge about four colors: classic black, dark blue, gray, bright yellow.

Salon interior

Reliable information regarding the interior and interior decoration of the concept car Volga 5000 has not yet been presented. Rumor has it that the interior will have a chic look, versatility and customization. Despite the trimmed roofline, passengers and the driver will be able to feel as comfortable and free as possible.

If, according to external data, an overview can be made, then the salon is a mystery. According to the photographs, presumably, the stylistics in numerous elements repeats the famous GAZ 3101. From various sources, data sometimes emerge that the interior is completely copied from the WOLT model, but it is impossible to confirm its plausibility.

Specifications

Initially, the concern planned to equip the car power unit 3.2 liters and 300 hp. 6-speed gearbox Manual transmission. Volga should acquire an independent type of spring suspension for two drives. In fact, a complete SUV was meant, later they provided information about two modifications - for the Russian and Chinese markets.

According to updated data, the new Volga Gaz 5000 gl 2017 is an all-wheel drive sedan with a new power engine with a capacity of 296 horses and 6-speed. Checkpoint. The cylinder capacity is 3.2 liters. In appearance, the car will be similar to the Chevrolet Volt.

The maximum torque will be 420 Nm and will reach power at 1750 rpm. Fuel consumption in mixed mode is 3 liters. As for the dimensions, that exact data is not provided.

Configurations and prices Volga Gaz 5000 GL 2017 in a new body

The restyled Volga GAZ 5000 GL 2017 will be delivered in one configuration, which fans are now aware of. Its cost varies from 4 million rubles to 9 million rubles. At the same time, the engine is gasoline 3.2 liters, with a capacity of 296 forces, mechanical box gears, and the drive is full.

Concept capabilities

According to the reviews of those who were lucky enough to ride the first version of the updated Volga 5000, it is in no way inferior to its Western rivals, the only exception is the overpriced. This is exactly the amount you need to pay for a luxury Mercedes.

There are no parts in the car independent suspension and an on-board computer, which is designed to regulate the performance of the motor in different situations... The body is not considered a whole, this is the essence main drawback auto. The fenders and rear wheel arch liners are individually positioned, and the roof is attached to six struts, just like the front bodywork.

What is the badly divided body? The fact that streamlining is significantly reduced and has a negative impact on the overall design. Most likely, in the future, air intakes for purging the radiator or a hybrid power drive will be thought out. Gasoline unit is necessary in order to keep the battery voltage at optimum level.

Advantages and disadvantages

While it is difficult to judge the advantages and disadvantages of the new Volga GAZ 5000 GL, accurate data will be presented only on the manufacturer's official website. It is now known that the benefits are as follows:

The ability to install a hybrid engine option.
High power.
Excellent streamlining.

Among the disadvantages are:

Not a one-piece body.
Overpriced.
Not the best specifications.

Competitors

The new Volga GAZ 5000 GL has many competitors, given the parameters and characteristics. Among the main ones are:

(when compared with a complete set)
Cyber.

Each of them has its own characteristics and may well compete with the model in question.

Release date and start of sales in Russia

Undoubtedly, if the Volga 5000 GL ever leaves the manufacturer's factory, it will be considered a powerful custom car produced in our country. In all likelihood, it looks more attractive, for example, than the Lada X-Ray.

The domestic auto industry in this period is not undergoing the most Good times, because government funding has decreased several times. If the situation does not get better, that this restyled model may not be produced at all.

After the first information about the car was announced in 2012, no exact dates were specified. The first start of sales was planned for 2014, immediately after the demonstration. But it did not take place, and the development of the car was postponed. It is worth noting that Chinese developers took part in the design planning, who can do:

independent release of the concept;
acquisition of rights for the development of GAZ in the future;
creation of a similar vehicle visually and in technical equipment.

Fans only have to wait patiently for information on the new product and a possible release date on the Russian car market.

Photo

The Volga is a car that has become, without exaggeration, a symbol of an entire era. Millions dreamed of becoming the owner of the Volga, because for almost half a century the car personified advanced engineering thought and occupied the leading positions of the domestic car industry.

With the advent of Russian market numerous European and Asian brands, the popularity of the brainchild of the Gorky Automobile Plant plummeted. The future of the Volga, like the entire domestic auto industry, seemed vague and uncertain. But the best engineers and designers took up the revival of the brand, the result of whose work will be the new Volga 5000 GL, which they promise to present to the public by the end of 2018.

The first information that the Russian company GAZ Group plans to surprise the world with a powerful, stylish and completely different from all previous car models appeared back in 2011. Almost 7 years have passed since then. Several presentations of the prototype took place, but until 2018 it was not announced when the new model of the Volga car, the photos of which are of great interest, will still go into mass production.

We bring to your attention several interesting facts about the GL 5000 prototype:

The design of the car is unique and does not copy any previously produced car.
Specialists from large Chinese companies were involved in the creation of the new Volga.
The only real concept, the VolgaGL 5000, was flawed.

So what awaits the future owners of the novelty, the price of which, according to information leaked into the network, could soar to the cost of luxury models from companies such as Mercedes? What car is the largest Russian manufacturer planning to offer connoisseurs of fast and comfortable Western cars?

Exterior of the new Volga

From 2011 to 2018, the new Volga changed its appearance several times, as can be seen from the photos from the network, in which the 5000 GL model has a number of significant differences. After the presentation of the prototype, the situation became clear.

The 2018 Volga will have a sporty design with an aggressive masculine touch. Streamlined shape combined with large wheel rims gives some futurism to the image, hinting that the new car has nothing in common with its outdated predecessors.

At the first meeting, the main attention is paid to:

lack of angular elements;
massive front bumper;
low roof;
narrow elongated headlights;
effective solution to the design of the rear lights.

Externally, the design of the car turned out to be modern, which, as planned by the manufacturers, should emphasize the dynamism of the new car. But despite the sporty style and increased diameter wheel rims, Volga will remain a city car, not ready for realities Russian roads located outside of large metropolitan areas.

The interior of the novelty

Although the new Volga, expected in 2018 or 2019, already exists in the form of a prototype, it is still impossible to find a real photo of the salon. The pictures presented on some sites as the interior of the novelty cause great doubt. The external showiness and innovation of the car is in no way combined with the outdated models of radio tape recorders, wooden panels and analog devices presented on them.

Apparently, smooth lines will prevail in the interior design, as well as in the exterior of the model. There is information that when creating the interior for the new Volga, the designers started from the idea implemented in the Chevrolet Volt.

The 2018 Volga shown in the photo will be able to accommodate 5 people in the cabin. At the same time, judging by the design of the car, there will be enough space for both the driver and the person sitting next to him, and for the passengers of the second row. One of the indisputable advantages of the novelty should be a roomy trunk.

Since the expected novelty will be positioned as a premium car, you can expect luxurious leather upholstery, ergonomic seats with lateral support and a modern climate system.

Of the shortcomings of the model, obvious at first consideration, we can note the low visibility due to the small area of the side glazing and the small size of the rear-view mirrors. Although, it is quite possible that all these minor flaws can be fully replaced by a modern monitor and camera system, as on many cars, which are expected to be released in 2018.

Specifications

The fact that the design of the car was revised several times suggests that the declared equipment may turn out to be far from the final option.

At the moment it is known that the previously presented prototype of the Volga GL 5000 was equipped with gasoline engine with a volume of 3.2 liters and a capacity of up to 300 hp. According to experts, the most likely addition to such a power unit will be a 6-band manual gearbox or 4-speed automatic transmission.

Some sources contain information about independent suspension and all-wheel drive. But, in the presented prototype, there was nothing like this. And is all-wheel drive necessary in a city car? The question remains open.

For the rest, the novelty can please with such technical solutions as:

electric power steering with several operating modes;
disc brakes on all 4 wheels;
intelligent driver assistance systems;
sports suspension;
active and passive safety systems.

It can be assumed that if in the near future the Volga is not put into production in its current version, it will be able to combine classic gasoline and innovative electric motors.

The price of new items on the Russian market

Many sources emphasize that the new model shown in the photo Russian car The Volga, codenamed GL 5000, will be positioned as an elite car, which means its price will be appropriate.

Depending on the configuration and interior design, the cost of the new item can presumably vary from 4 to 7.5 million rubles. Of course, various factors can affect the final price of a car. It will be possible to speak more specifically about the final amount only after the car is put into production and the first serial Volga of the new generation rolls off the assembly line.

There are utilitarian cars for travel and transportation of passengers and goods. There are practical and economical cars that are specially designed for families. And there are cars for the soul... These are the ones that you dreamed about as a child or continue to dream about in the present. Or you already own it and take care of it as if it were your beloved. And it doesn't matter what kind of car it is and how much it costs - a Rolls-Royce for thirty million or a good old Volga for thirty thousand.

And even if you can buy a thousand of the second for the cost of the first car, the reverent attitude towards the car, care and use in the format of a "weekend" or for ceremonial trips remains unchanged. Moreover, the cars of the Gorky Automobile Plant were just produced for special occasions and special people. It is no coincidence that most of the GAZ models produced are cargo or cargo-passenger. This is the case today, when GAZ does not produce passenger cars... But it was about the same and always: the passenger segment made up a small part of the output.

But if the citizens of Nizhny Novgorod produced such, then luxurious "Volga" and premium "Seagulls" rolled off the assembly line. And even if some examples are more than 50 years old, these cars are still in high demand among motorists who know a lot about real classics. A striking example is the "Victory" lovingly restored throughout the country. However, GAZ still had to live to see Victory.

Thinking about names

They say what you call a ship - so it will float. What am I leading to. Look: all Russian automotive giants are located on or near the Volga: Nizhny Novgorod, Naberezhnye Chelny, Togliatti, Samara. The largest domestic car plant is called Volzhsky (VAZ). But the VAZ models were named mainly with numbers, although recently a whole host of Kalin, Grant and West have been added to the Niva and Lada-Samara.

And only residents of Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod had the idea to name cars in honor of the great Russian rivers - the Oka and the Volga. Strictly speaking, a river, if it is formed from several tributaries, is named after its longest part. At the confluence, the Oka has a large length, so, in an amicable way, the Volga should be called the Oka and flow into the latter, and not vice versa. But in this case, they proceeded from the high flow of rivers. Actually, this is also noticeable in the cars: the baby "Oka" and the barge "Volga".

Also, the GAZ plant, where Volga was produced until 2012, was lucky with the name, which appeared, like the concern itself, after the revolution. If it were not for Aleksey Maksimovich Peshkov, in whose honor Nizhny Novgorod was renamed Gorky, then we would have driven not to GAZ, but to NNAZ. And would you hear the dialogues: “I'm going to Nazelka, it's inconvenient to talk” ...

History of GAZ: the beginning and the war

The history of GAZ goes back to 1929, when, in the conditions of industrialization, the country's leadership decided to seek the help of American colleagues from Ford. I must say that American influence will affect external appearance and engineering solutions used in GAZ vehicles. And then, having as models the Ford models A and AA, the Volga designers realized that they needed to make a number of significant improvements, taking into account the less developed automobile network.

In 1932, when the GAZ plant was built in record time, work began on the modernization of donor vehicles. However, as well as today, Gorky residents focused primarily on the production of trucks, even in the name of which there was a continuity in relation to "Ford" - GAZ-AAA. At the same time, several copies of GAZ-A passenger cars were produced, which were sold to the garages of the first persons of the Soviet state. Even then, GAZ was associated with a prestigious car, whose owner is an important person.

Later, improved models GAZ-M1 (in honor of Molotov) and GAZ-11-73 appeared. For the first 5 years, the Gorky residents also improved the line of engines: instead of engines with a volume of 3.2 liters and a capacity of 40 Horse power they began to install 3.5-liter 76 hp.

However, the production of civilian vehicles in Gorky stopped relatively soon - in the first days of the Great Great Patriotic War... The car plant switched to military equipment... This is how the GAZ-64 SUV appeared (which later formed the basis for the UAZ-469), artillery tractor GAZ-67B and armored vehicles BA-64. But the main thing is that GAZ designers took part in the development of the T-60 and T-70 tanks and the legendary Katyusha. The result of the contribution of the Gorky Automobile Plant to the common cause was Victory!

Victory

"Victory"! It is under this name that the GAZ-M20 model is known. But today this proud word might not be associated with a GAZ passenger car. The thing is that its original name was "Rodina". But it was abandoned immediately after Stalin's question to the developers: "And how much are we going to sell our Motherland?" This is how the "victorious" name of the car was born, which was supposed to emphasize the victory of the Soviet people over the Nazi invaders.

GAZ Victory

Despite the fact that the country needed both air in trucks, the Soviet leadership ordered to create a passenger car. The first "Victory" left the gates of GAZ already in 1946. Under the hood, she had an engine with a volume of 2.1 liters and a power of 52 hp.

GAZ-12 ZIM

Next passenger model GAZ, also by order of the country's leadership, became the luxurious GAZ-12 "ZIM", which received a 6-cylinder 3.5-liter engine with a capacity of 90 hp. It rolled off the assembly line in 1950. By this time, the Gorky plant was also producing the GAZ-69 SUV. But GAZ could not offer a relatively affordable passenger car to a wide range of consumers. Therefore, the manufacturer was actively working on an updated version of "Pobeda", so the first "Volga" appeared.

The first "Volga" and "Seagulls"

In 1956, the Gorky Automobile Plant presented the GAZ-21 Volga to the public. A 2.5-liter power unit was installed on it, which developed up to 75 hp. In addition, - a perfect curiosity for a devastated post-war country - the car, in addition to mechanics, was installed automatic transmission gear. In total, more than 30 modifications were presented, including taxi, cargo-passenger, diesel and even "tropical" ones!

GAZ 21 "Volga"

And yet, we were a little deceitful about the "devastated" country. In the decade after the great victory, the state managed not only to get on its feet, but also to afford some luxuries. In terms of automobiles, they are "Seagulls" - premium executive cars with the factory index GAZ-13. The car was presented in 1959 and their future addressees - diplomats and the nomenklatura elite - were directly indicated.

GAZ-13 "Chaika"

In accordance with the importance of the persons for whom the "Chaika" was created, the first in the light Soviet automobile industry was developed an 8-cylinder 5.5 liter engine with a capacity of 195 to 215 hp.

GAZ-24

In the 1960s, GAZ updated its lines trucks stamps. They were GAZ-66 (the famous "shishiga"), GAZ-52 and GAZ-53 with six and eight cylinders, respectively. The models turned out to be so reliable, operational and maintainable that they were produced until the early 90s.

In the passenger car segment, the Gorky Automobile Plant presented a modernized Volga - GAZ-24, with an increased body and a low profile. A 2.4-liter engine was installed under the hood, which, depending on the fuel used, developed from 85 to 95 hp. But the most interesting equipment option was, of course, the engine from the "Chaika", which was installed on the GAZ-2424 model, created especially for the special services.

Actually, the V6 and V8 engines were planned to be installed on the Volga en masse, but the party leadership recognized such units as an excess for the representatives of the common Soviet people. Therefore, "Volga" with such engines were created only for export.

Together with the modernization of the Volga, the Chaika was also updated, resulting in the GAZ-14. True, the changes affected mainly appearance, which brought the car closer to the ZIL limousines.

Nevertheless, during this period, active work was carried out to introduce technical innovations. Moreover, the reflection of the new products used could be found not only on the pages of specialized automotive magazines, but even in children's literature.

This is what the children's almanac “All Year Round” reports about Volga cars, in which, in addition to stories, poems, fairy tales and riddles, scientific and technical notes were also published. Let me emphasize: the book was published by the publishing house "Children's Literature" in 1983. An entire article is devoted to the engineering innovations of the Volga - "The automatic machine does not make mistakes", signed by S. Bobrov (p. 132):

“In the eleventh five-year plan, our automobile transport... New factories are being built, roads are being laid. Cars equipped with the latest technical means leave the conveyor on flights.

... The driver turned on the engine, the Volga started to move. Everything is as usual. The unusual begins on the track. An invisible radio beam, sent by a special device (it is mounted under the right headlight), senses everything in front - a pedestrian, an oncoming vehicle, a pillar - any obstacle. If the distance is short and the obstacle could cause an accident, the reflected beam returns to our car. In it - where the receiver is usually located - the computer is located. "Having learned" from the beam about the danger, she commands the automatics: "Slow down!" Or: "Stop!"

"Fantastic!" - you say.

No. Already a reality. The device was created by scientists from the Moscow Automobile and Road Institute. It does not make mistakes, it notices the obstacle much faster than you and me.

The time is not far off when cars without chauffeurs will appear. Science fiction writers have long dreamed of them. And now the designers are thinking how to make this dream come true. "

From GAZ 3102 to 3111

In 1981, the first Volga with the factory index GAZ 3102 rolled off the assembly line. The power unit of the model was brought to 105 hp, with a significant increase in torque and a decrease harmful emissions... And if in the 80s such a car could only be afforded by party leaders of the middle and top level, then in the 90s - when it became possible not to get the Volga, but to buy it - the demand for GAZ 3102 increased enormously.

The plant's management even returned to the idea of installing V8 engines on Volga cars. This is how the concept of GAZ 3111 appeared. Today, advertisements for the sale of these cars can be found on many sites on the Internet. The "eleventh" ones are rarely sold and are expensive. Which is not surprising, because it never came to serial production.

But the result of the transition stage was the GAZ 3110 and 31105 models, which were produced until 2009 and still ply the vastness of our vast country.

About what followed after them Volga Siber I don’t feel like talking. Copied from the Chrysler Sebring, the Volga Cyber turned out to be unprofitable. The point, of course, is the financial crises that marked 2008 and subsequent years. But, once breaking away from its American roots, "Volga" and had to continue to sail in the future on its own, Russian channel. And there is something symbolic that the production of Volga cars was stopped at the Cyber.

With hope for the future "Volga"

However, what is it we say: "stopped." Let's put it better: "paused." It is clear that with the financial crises and sanctions, there is clearly no time for the production of cars. It is clear that GAZ focuses on a well-defined segment, as evidenced by the release of Gazelles, Sable, Valdaev, Gazelle Next and more. hoisting machines... But any crises come to an end at some point. This means that we can quite expect the appearance of a new passenger "Volga" in the near future!

There were messages on the Internet about the Nizhny Novgorod prototype under the 5000GL index. Not being competent to be responsible for such information, I will nevertheless express the opinion that GAZ has always had its own, completely original ideas about design. "Volga" has always been beautiful at all times. We can all expect that the new brainchild of the Gorky Automobile Plant, if it is only really planned for release, will be aesthetic, powerful and exciting!

Forward, GAZ!

GAZ: I did everything right!

And finally, there are several GAZ prototypes that were not launched into mass production, but they certainly look original.

- became the first light Soviet automobile of conveyor assembly.
In fact, this is a licensed copy Ford models A.
The model had a 40 hp four-cylinder eight-valve engine. based on the engine from Ford A.

GAZ-M-1

Year of issue 1936-1942
GAZ M-1 is a Soviet passenger car that replaced GAZ A.
The letter "M" stands for "Molotov".
The people called this car - "Emka".
It was equipped with an improved engine from the GAZ A model. With a power of 50 hp.

Years of issue 1940-1942, 1945-1948

GAZ 11-73 is a modified version of the GAZ M1 model. The first prototypes appeared in 1938, and serial production began in 1941.
It was equipped with a Dodge D5 engine with a capacity of 76 hp.

M-20 "Victory"

Year of issue 1946-1958
- was developed in the mid-1940s.
The conveyor production of the model began in 1946.
Equipped with a four-cylinder power unit with a capacity of 50 hp. Later, after modernization, the engine power was increased first to 52 hp, and later to 55.

Year of issue 1950-1960

GAZ 12 ZIM was already a luxury car intended mainly for government and party officials.
A modernized GAZ 11 power unit with an increased power of 90 hp was installed on the car.

GAZ-21 "Volga"

Year of issue 1956-1970
GAZ 21 Volga is a middle class car. The first experimental cars saw the light of day in 1955 and in 1956 the model went into mass production.
The first GAZ 21 cars were equipped with power units from the GAZ M20, with a capacity of 65 hp. Later it was released new engine(1957) with a capacity of 70 hp, which, after several upgrades, from the middle of 1960 increased the power to 75 hp.

GAZ-22 "Volga"

Year of issue 1962-1970
GAZ 22 is a station wagon based on the GAZ 21 model. The first display of the model took place at VDNKh in 1962.
This model had an upgraded version of the ZMZ-21A engine, with a capacity of 75 hp.

GAZ-23 "Volga"

Year of issue 1962-1970
GAZ-23 "Volga" - soviet car middle class, produced on the basis of the usual sedan GAZ-21.
The engine was installed from the "Chaika" GAZ-13, but with some adaptive differences, with a capacity of 195 hp.

GAZ-13 "Chaika"

Year of issue 1959-1981
GAZ 13 "Chaika" is a luxury car intended mainly for the Soviet nomenclature.
The first prototypes appeared in 1957, serial production began in 1959.
The model was equipped with a new 8-cylinder overhead valve engine with 195 hp.

GAZ-24 "Volga"

Year of issue 1967-1985
GAZ 24 Volga is a middle-class car that replaced the GAZ 21 and became the most massive model of the GAZ plant.
The car had an upgraded engine from the GAZ 21 ZMZ-24 with a capacity of 98 hp.

GAZ-24-02 "Volga"

Year of issue 1972-1986
GAZ 24-02 is a station wagon based on GAZ 24.
This model was equipped with an upgraded engine from GAZ 21 ZMZ-24, with a capacity of 95 hp.

GAZ-24-24 "Volga"

Year of issue 1971-1986
GAZ-24-24 "Volga" - Soviet middle-class car produced by Gorkovsky Automotive Factory, was produced on the basis of the usual GAZ-24 sedan. It was a more powerful version of the base vehicle for the KGB and other special services of the USSR.
Collected by hand.
It was equipped with a ZMZ-2424 engine with a power of 195 hp.

GAZ-14 "Chaika"

Year of issue 1977-1989
GAZ 14 "Chaika" is the second generation of the executive class car GAZ 13 "Chaika". It was assembled in small batches, practically by hand.
The car was equipped with an 8-cylinder ZMZ-14 engine, created on the basis of an engine from GAZ 13, with a capacity of 220 hp.

GAZ-24-10 "Volga"

Year of issue 1985-1992
GAZ-24-10 Volga is a middle-class car GAZ-24. In 1984 in Moscow, at the exhibition, the premiere of the first sample GAZ-24-10 took place.
The model was completed with two engines ZMZ-402.1 (AI-93)
ZMZ-4021.1 (A-76), 100 hp

GAZ-24-34 "Volga"

Year of issue 1986-1991
GAZ-24-34 "Volga" is a middle class passenger car produced in the USSR. This car was a more powerful version of the base car GAZ 24-10, modernized for the KGB and other special services.
It was equipped with a V-shaped 8-cylinder ZMZ-24-24 engine with a power of 195 hp.

GAZ-3102 "Volga"

Year of manufacture 1981-2009
GAZ 3102 is the model that replaced the GAZ 24. The first prototypes of this model appeared in 1976, and their development continued until 1980.
At the beginning, a new ZMZ 4022.10 engine with a capacity of 105 hp was installed on the car. Subsequently, due to its unreliability, the cars were re-equipped with ZMZ 402.10 engines, with a capacity of 100 hp.

GAZ-31029 "Volga"

Years of issue 1992-1998
GAZ-31029 "Volga" - further modernization of the GAZ-24-10 model with the use of body elements of the GAZ-3102 model.
Equipped with engines ZMZ-402.10, ZMZ-4021.10, ZMZ-4062.10

GAZ-31022 "Volga"

Years of issue 1992-1998
GAZ-31022 is a car of the second group of the middle class with a wagon-type cargo-passenger body. It was a logical continuation of the GAZ-24-12 model. The basic cars used were sedans GAZ-31029 and GAZ-3102.
It was equipped with a ZMZ-402 engine with a capacity of 98 l / s.

GAZ-3105 "Volga"

Years of issue 1992-1996
GAZ-3105 "Volga" - a large class car with increased level comfort.
The model was equipped with a GAZ-3105 engine with a capacity of 170 hp.

GAZ-3110 "Volga"

Year of issue 1997-2005
GAZ-3110 "Volga" - a middle-class car is a further modernization of the "Volga" model range, and replaced the GAZ-31029 car.
Equipped with engines ZMZ-402.10, ZMZ-4021.10, ZMZ-4062.10, GAZ-560, GAZ-5601

GAZ-310221 "Volga"

Year of issue 1997-2008
The GAZ 310221 station wagon model was developed and built on the basis of the GAZ 3110.
It had a 90 hp engine.

GAZ-3111 "Volga"

Years of manufacture 2001-2002, 2004
GAZ-3111 Volga is a Russian business class passenger car. Produced in small batches. In total, about 500 cars were produced.
It was mainly equipped with a ZMZ-4052.10 engine with a capacity of 155 liters. with.

GAZ-31105 "Volga"

Year of issue 2004-2009
GAZ-31105 "Volga" is a middle class car. In fact, an improved version of the GAZ-3110.
Equipped with engines ZMZ-4021, ZMZ-4062.10, ZMZ-40525, Chrysler DOHC 2.4L, GAZ-560

GAZ-311055 "Volga"

Year of issue 2005-2007
"Volga" GAZ-311055 with an extended wheelbase - new modification GAZ-31105, designed for use as a business executive car, or a VIP-taxi.
It was equipped with a ZMZ-4062.10 engine with a power of 131 hp.

Year of issue 2008-2010
Volga Siber (Volga Cyber) - a mid-size sedan, first presented as GAZ Siber at the exhibition "Interauto-2007" in Moscow on August 29, 2007. Later the trade name of the model was changed to Volga Siber.
Was completed Chrysler engines 2.0 and 2.4, respectively, 141 and 143 hp.

This happens in life: a child, in whom since childhood all soul mates doted, grows up to be not very successful and successful, or even gives ill-wishers reasons to talk about "the family is not without its black sheep", "black sheep", etc. In my opinion, this is the fate of the Nizhny Novgorod "Volga": for many years it was the favorite and pride of not only the native Gorky automobile plant, but the whole country, but in the twenty-first century somehow imperceptibly and ingloriously disappeared from the scene.

It so happened that for several years I had the opportunity to observe how she was "loved", not from the outside, but from the inside, being a GAZ employee and a rather biased person. Therefore, my story may differ somewhat from the official story.

In the photo: GAZ 21 "Volga" Pre-production

"Member carriers" and "catch-up"

The beginning of my career at GAZ came at a time when the Volga was quite adult by human standards: the 24th had been produced for almost two decades, and the relatively new model 3102 was in its eighth year. But for me both of them existed only in the form of semi-finished products for completely different cars, for I was lucky enough to work in the production of small series cars (PAMS), which, however, everyone called simply "The Seagull".

Alas, the last GAZ-14 assembled here left the shop a few months before my arrival - at the end of the eighties the Chaika fell victim to Gorbachev's campaign to fight privileges - and the inconspicuous building at the sixth entrance justified its popular name only with a car-monument on a pedestal and Challenger. That is what we called the broken-down gray "Seagull" -pickup truck used by suppliers and craftsmen to deliver components. In general, at GAZ, as, probably, at any other car plant, many funny cars of a unique design were made for "internal use": take at least "cuttlefish" with cabins and engines from cargo "lawns", but with a short base and tiny bodies. ..

But this is a completely different story, and we collected mainly "catch-up". They were called GAZ-24-34 and GAZ-31013, and it looked like this: the usual "Volga" model 24-10 or 3102, respectively, arrived from PLA (production of passenger cars) and equipped with everything that is supposed to, but without power units and more some trifles, was driven into an ordinary pit - and the process of rebirth began.

Not so much was required from us assemblers: to change the stabilizer lateral stability in the front suspension to a more powerful one, install a radiator with increased volume with shutters, power steering, a new exhaust system and something else. Then, using a beam crane, removing the hood, we shoved under it a power unit from the same "Seagull" (though not "14th": it was closer to what was previously installed on the GAZ-13), which consisted of an eight-cylinder engine with a capacity of about 200 liters. with. and a three-stage "machine".

But first it was necessary to crawl under the car with a sledgehammer and perform one more routine operation - thoroughly crush several internal body parts, otherwise the "Tchaikovsky" engine simply would not get into place. How this affected the rigidity of the body, history is silent, but we knew that the life of "catch-up" is usually short-lived. And one more detail speaks eloquently about the quality and technical level of that time: all assembled machines were run-in along a certain route, and according to its results, up to half of the power units and leading rear axles were rejected and subject to replacement. And when an order came for a batch of cars for President Yeltsin's motorcade (or so we were told), only one out of four or five copies was accepted from the first presentation.

However, another Volga, GAZ-3105, became an even more significant symbol of the era for us. As you know, they tried to replace the "Seagull" with it, and then the assembly of experimental samples of the second series began, with large dropping glasses in the doors instead of the original, but stupid additional windows (although such a copy was in our corner of the workshop, and in it with pleasure my colleagues dozed during downtime).

We no longer assembled this car in a pit, but on a conductor stock, where at first we mounted suspensions on stretchers, other chassis elements and a power unit, and then all this was covered with a body - now such a process is called marriage. I remember with what admiration we looked at the independent suspension levers, four-wheel drive, disc brakes on all wheels, electric drives and everything else that seemed then the latest technology, and at the finished cars - so progressive and fashionable.

Now we understand that in fact the "five" was pretty ugly, its design was secondary, and its construction was crude, and it was not possible to bring it to mind in almost ten years of torment, since 1987, when the first samples, until 1996, when the project was closed. And this happened primarily through the fault of the developers, who initially set the bar too high, insurmountable for the then GAZ.

Young reformers

We met the authors of the "five" at the end of 1994, when I came to work at the UKER (Department of Design and Experimental Work) as a designer. By that time, the leading designer of the already apparently failed 3105 project, Sergei Batyanov, became the chief designer of passenger cars, and his friend Igor Bezrodnykh, who was developing the style, de facto headed the design bureau.

The strange personnel decision was most likely explained by the then fashion to put forward young and progressive people in all spheres, with a well-worn tongue and an active life position, - let us recall at least the late Boris Nemtsov, the youngest Russian governor, and then Deputy Prime Minister, who promised to transfer all officials to the Volga. By the way, we must pay tribute to Boris Efimovich: he himself used the GAZ-3105 in the role of company car, but in the end he was still forced to abandon this exotic because of the very low reliability of the car.

So, in the nineties, professionalism was not honored - show-off was much more appreciated, as they said then, and it was for them that GAZ had to pay at the highest rate. After all, having buried the project of the initially small-scale model, young ideologists (although they were no longer youngsters at that time - everyone was under forty) paved the way for exactly the same rake, taking on the development of a mass model!

It was decided to prepare the replacement of the old Volga in 1995, exactly for the 25th anniversary of the 24-ki, and at the first stage, two concepts competed - the basic front-wheel drive with the possibility of a complete (I think, it is unnecessary to specify whose ideology it was) and an evolutionary version, while maintaining the usual classic layout. For the latter, representatives of the old guard of sane specialists spoke, but their voices were scattered, while Batyanov and his team presented their project in a winning light, preparing a presentation of a whole family of models: there was not only a sedan, but also a station wagon, and even something like crossover with three rows of seats. Again, the designers also fussed with cute illustrations - and as a result, our “young reformers” were again believed, oddly enough.

By the way, about the designers: they were a privileged caste at GAZ, despite the fact that their formal status did not differ from all other employees of the automotive body department. Theoretically, any designer not only could, but was obliged to take part in the "artistic development of bodies and interiors of promising cars", which was directly spelled out in the contract, and sometimes even design competitions were held. For example, the look of the updated GAZelle was being created at about the same time on an alternative basis, and there were as many as five different options - maybe this is partly why the Nizhny Novgorod lorry is still alive ...

But when it came to the future "Volga", the most that "alternatives" were allowed was to express themselves informally and outside working hours on small plasticine models at a scale of 1:10 in the corner of the "Greek hall", as the demonstration room was called. And if someone from the "court" team did not like something, these models could easily be sent for melting under the pretext of freeing up space or lack of plasticine. He, by the way, was not an ordinary child's, but a special sculptural one, and for full-size models, in the modeling of which the team of Igor Bezrodnykh was extremely successful, hundreds of kilograms were required.

Romantics and accountants

All jokes aside, our designers created very beautiful plasticine cars, and they worked really with love. The ideologues-designers cannot be blamed for inactivity or malice, however, they were so cut off from life, as if they were not sitting five hundred meters from the gas assembly line, but somewhere in Detroit or Stuttgart. And, what is most surprising, there was no one in the management of GAZ who would try to bring these romantics back to reality, which was demonstrated by another technical advice, where the timid objections of those who already understood that the plant could not handle it were not heard.

The result turned out to be logical and predictable: in 1997, after two years of serious design work, when almost all the technical documentation and the first samples of models 3103 and 3104 were ready (one body, but different types drive), we were suddenly announced that we were working practically "into the basket." Until now, no one knows what it cost the plant in monetary terms. By the way, cars with similar indices at one time already existed in the experimental rank, and they were simplified versions of the same Batyanovskaya "five" with a shortened base - otherwise the numbers turned out to be unlucky ...

What organizational conclusions would follow in Detroit, too? At the very least - the resignation of the entire merry company of ideologists, and even top managers of higher rank. But this is not our method, they decided at GAZ, - and the failed new Volgas were renamed into concept cars, and all the "prodigies" not only sat in their chairs, some were even "exiled" for an internship in Italy.

The rest were given a new task - to play the situation two years ago and sculpt in a fire brigade new model classic rear-wheel drive layout with an index of 3111. And then the most interesting thing happened: the "young reformers" took the rejection of their favorite ideology as a personal insult and secretly decided to "fill up" the project they did not like so that it would not be implemented either. Of course, no one will confirm this even now, when some of our heroes are already on their well-deserved rest, but this explains a lot: the style is beyond kitsch, and the complete disregard for manufacturability, and the wildly eclectic combination in the design of the progressive front suspension with the so-called high upper arm and ancient leaf springs at the rear.

There is one more interesting detail regarding the design. It would seem that it was logical to use the ready-made body of model 3103 to the maximum to speed up the process, simply by adapting it to the platform of the Volga GAZ-3110, but then our romantic masters could be left without an additional portion of fees. A very elegant solution was found: the plasticine model of the "troika" was divided in half lengthwise and one half was turned into the "eleventh" by means of minor alterations. Small in terms of plasticine consumption - and the bodybuilders had to re-measure and "digitize" the entire body, which, again, is very laborious, time-consuming and expensive.

By the way, the decision to send a half-sized model to the measuring complex, a subject of special pride for GAZ, was made contrary to the verdict of the technical council, which did not approve the project due to the numerous comments of sane engineers and managers - it seems that there was simply no other way out then. And the second miracle happened: Batyanov and the company themselves believed that they had created a masterpiece, and took for granted the praises and awards for their outstanding contribution to the Russian automotive industry. Moreover, thanks to the "eleventh", some romantics had the opportunity to go on another business trip abroad: the production of a plastic model-demonstrator, supposedly to speed up the process, was ordered in America.

Beauty did not save

The Volga GAZ-3111 in the form of that same demonstrator made its debut at the 1998 Moscow Motor Show in the company of the so-called concepts 3103 and 3104. We must pay tribute to our designers - it was accepted very favorably, since the car actually turned out to be noticeable and attractive in its own way ... Again, the bet on neoclassicism, historical heritage, traditions, etc. turned out to be a win-win, but those who happened to see the car not only from the outside immediately noted the unfinished ergonomics and disgusting visibility - although there was a hope that all this could be brought to mind to the beginning of serial production.

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Then the "eleventh" was seriously considered to be the heiress of the long-outdated "top ten", and special displays were even installed at the checkpoints of GAZ, which counted down the days until the start of production, scheduled for December 25, 1999. It was even possible to almost meet the deadline, but on December 28, only a ceremonial launch took place - the real production was established only a few months later.

However, this production could not be called mass production with all the desire. For the only full year of production of the model, 2001, it was possible to assemble a little more than 300 cars, and the total number of "eleventh" cars, taking into account all experimental samples, did not exceed 500 pieces. This is half what the GAZ-14 "Chaeks" made, not to mention the above-described "catch-ups", although Mr. Batyanov could celebrate a personal record: his "supervolga" 3105 did not even reach hundreds of copies in due time ...

In contrast, let's note in fairness, GAZ-3111 cars were for some time in the showrooms of individual gas dealers with bashful signs "Negotiated price", but there were very few people willing to negotiate. In short, instead of replacing the old Volga, we got another rarity, a toy to satisfy the ambitions of collectors and our own creators. True, the latter, most likely, do not blame themselves for this, but the financial crisis and a change in leadership in 2000, when GAZ was controlled by the structures of the oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

In the photo: "Volga" - GAZ-3111 "Firebird"

Let's say that fate was unfair to the gas dreamers and their "dissatisfaction". But did they deserve a different treatment? - let's try to figure it out. Beauty is a subjective concept, but the fact that it turned into great difficulties for production and service is a completely objective fact, indicating that the developers hardly imagined what a conveyor was. In mass automotive production, any part must fall into place, as they say, with a half-kick, and the only thing possible way and without any adjustment, but in this case everything was done exactly the opposite. To change a burned-out light bulb in a beautiful "turn signal", it was necessary to disassemble almost half of the "muzzle".

Concerning technical level in general, it is perfectly illustrated by the curb weight indicated by the manufacturer himself: 1690 kg is almost three centners more than that of the GAZ-3110 with the same power unit and practically the same dimensions ("11" is 3 cm longer at a two-centimeter increase in wheelbase), and almost as much as the same 3105 weighed with an eight-cylinder engine, four-wheel drive and a length of more than five meters.

Yes, and independent tests have shown that if this beauty took a step compared to its predecessor, then not forward, but rather to the side: despite the rack and pinion steering gear and stabilizer in rear suspension(recall spring), the improvements in handling hardly compensated for the loss of the trademark smoothness. That is, GAZ was asked to enter the twenty-first century with a new passenger car, which in all consumer qualities did not surpass the design of 1970, but beautiful - and thank God that the new leadership had the will not to succumb to his awkward charm.

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