One announcement that has flown beneath the radar recently is Renault’s purchase of a 25 percent chunk of AutoVAZ, the Russian parent company of Lada. The French have already parachuted their design guru, Anthony Grade, as head of AutoVAZ’s design department to give some future style to the children of its billion euro investment.
In return, the Russian company is paying Renault millions of euros to use modern platforms and emission-friendly engines from the French company’s cut-price Dacia brand.
The much-satirized Russian brand has produced some of the world’s most utilitarian models over the years and, surprisingly, European buyers can still buy a Lada Niva, new, from 12,480 euros in Europe.
Of all the Lada jokes told throughout western Europe, though, the favorite has always been that it was actually an acronym for “Lacks Any Design Aptitude.” This one may have to change with Grade in charge.
Words by Michael Taylor.
10/21, 5:24 PM
posted by:
edgeguy
yay Renault
10/21, 5:38 PM
posted by:
AnonymousCoward
that car rocks! built like a tank and dirt cheap!
10/21, 5:52 PM
posted by:
C6Racer
That car is just oozing style!
10/21, 6:42 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
Style? From Renault?!? ROFL…I swear a pig with a lipstick looks *better* than their ugly piece of sh!t cars.
10/21, 9:15 PM
posted by:
autonut
Perekupka, the owner of AutoVAZ is probably the largest shareholder of GM. Renault is investing into his subsidiary. It is a strange world.
10/22, 8:48 AM
posted by:
Thunder Chicken
I remember Ladas – they were sold here in eastern Canada for years, and a hunting buddy had one of those Nivas in lime green. He ended up shooting it full of holes when it broke down on him 10 miles into the woods, on a cold, rainy November day. They were cheap and sold fairly well, but they sure didn’t last. you don’t see many around at all anymore, except as junkers. In fact I drive by a rusted out Niva every time I go to the post office. What they lacked in style they certainly made up for in… um… well, no, they didn’t really make up for anything. They still used tube-type tires into the late 80’s (and possibly beyond). They also sold the Signet (the little Fiat-looking four-door) and Samara (kind of looked like a Hyundai Excel, but without the luxury or reliability of the Excel).
10/22, 4:21 PM
posted by:
pavlindrom
Lada is probably the worst you can go in a car industry. They haven’t changed almost anything since Soviet times…
10/22, 10:15 PM
posted by:
Bimmer
Thunder Chicken,
that Niva/Riva was quite capable off road with locking differentials. You can laugh all you want about tube-type tires, but if you’ve got a flat tire or two in the middle of nowhere good luck getting air compressor or tire repair shop. With tubs you just change it (doubt that you even can do that) and be on your way.
As for design it wasn’t developed to look pretty but to be capable off road. Design dates to 1979, same as Merc Gelendwagen (G-Class), yet they’re morons out there who still pays a good chunk of cash for that military ‘brick’ on wheels.
And Samara was the easiest car to work on. At 16 I could change clutch on it by myself and put everything back together.
P.S. What was soooo luxurious about Excel, enlighten me, please?