The end of Volgas

Although GAZ was developing a "spiritual successor" to the 3111, the front-wheel drive Volga 3115, in December 2005 RusPromAvto, the parent company of GAZ, announced that production of Volga passenger cars would be phased out over a 2-year period, with production to end in 2007. GAZ stated that they would instead concentrate on their more profitable truck, bus, and commercial vehicle businesses. At the same time the announcement was made, GAZ also introduced the Volga 311055, a long wheelbase derivative of the 31105. However, in the summer of 2006, GAZ reversed its earlier decision, announcing that further investments would be made in upgrading the styling and technology of the Volga saloons, keeping them in production as "retro" or "historical" vehicles. In early 2006, GAZ signed a deal with DaimlerChrysler to acquire the tooling and intellectual property rights for the Chrysler Sebring mid-size car design. GAZ stated that the new car would not carry the Volga brand.

CURRENT STATUS

The current four-model Volga range, based on the 1967 GAZ M24, consists of the top-range 3102 (since 1982), the 310221 Universal estate (since 1997), the most modern, yet lowest-priced 31105 (since 2004), and the long wheelbase 311055 (since 2005). The Volga Siber is the newest to join the group.

The convertible model has also been seen again in very limited production, mostly aimed at official procession cars; the roof is replaced with a soft top and the rear doors deleted; front doors are the same size as on the four-door model.

production

Volga production peaked at well over 100,000 units per year during the early-to-mid 1990s, then fell sharply due to Russia's worsening economic crises[citation needed], reaching just 56,000 cars in 2000. With a gradually reviving export network, the Volga has made progress on the road to recovery, with nearly 70,000 cars produced in 2004.

GAZ-24-10

In 1982 GAZ introduced the third generation of the Volga the GAZ-3102. However this car was limited to the public and production of the old series continued, lacking a suitable replacement GAZ undertook a deep upgrade of the -24, utilising many of the -3102 features. This resulted in an entirely new car, which was produced right up to the early 1990s.

Externally the changes affected the new model losing nearly all of its chromed detail via a new plastic grill, new "sunken" door handles. The front door windows no longer had corner leafs, whilst new plastic wing mirrors were now featured on both driver and passenger sides. Inside the old ZMZ-24 was replaced with a derived ZMZ-402 engine, which introduced a new carburator and cooling mechanism allowing a 98 hp output (from 85 hp on the -24). The 24-10 received a new suspension which allowed for larger wheels, with a new rim as standard and also had a new set of vacuum amplified brakes. Some of the cars were fitted with disk brakes from the -3102. Inside the car received a completely new interior, based on the foreign models of the 1980s, including dashboard controls and headrests on seats. Like the base -24 the car had several modifications including an estate GAZ-24-12 introduced in 1987, and a low-production V8 powered GAZ-24-34.

The most significant impact of the car was that unlike the -3102 which was sold primarily for state institutions and corporations, the GAZ-24-10 was exactly opposite, which meant that many private owners wishing for a mid-size car could now acquire one with relative ease. However on the whole, even at its introduction the car was very out of date compared with its western rivals and production ceased in 1992. According to GAZ 1,481,561 cars of the -24 series were produced from 1970 until 1992 making it the highest in history of the plant.

GAZ-24

Development of the replacement for GAZ-21 began as early as 1961, the new car would have to include a modernised 4-cylinder engine of the old Volga along with a six-cylinder, and an automatic transmission. The latter two plans were canceled and by 1965 GAZ finalised the design with a standard 2.5 litre I4 and a 5.5 litre V8 for the government authorities. In 1966 the first prototypes were demonstrated, and in 1967 the concept car was demonstrated on foreign and domestic Auto show. The first batch of 24 vehicles were assembled in 1968, 215 more followed in 1969 and the main conveyor in Gorky was launched in 1970.

The car can be broken down into three generations. The first years (1970—1975) saw changes to many early design faults, bonnet-mounted mirrors were removed, changes to leaf spring suspension, and new ignition and boot locks. One unique feature that the early series featured was a belt-speedometer, which proved too complicated and was removed. In 1977 the car saw the first serious modernization, this introduced "teeth" on the bumpers, retractable seat belts, front fog lights and new dashboard. The interior of the car saw the front bench seat replaced by two individual adjustable seats. The third generation was introduced in 1985 (see below).

Like its predecessor the car had several modifications. GAZ-24-01, introduced in 1971 was built to serve as a Taxi changes included an artificial leather interior as well as slightly modified engine as the usual taxi equipment. Following the 1977 modernisation, the 24-01 was replaced by GAZ-24-07, which likewise contained taxi equipment. GAZ-24-02 introduced in 1972 was the estate version, production of which lasted right up to 1987, when it was replaced by the GAZ-24-12. An ambulance version with GAZ-24-03 was also built on the estate's version.

The most serious modification however was the GAZ-24-24 which was powered by a 5.53 litre, 195 hp V8 engine borrowed from GAZ-13 Chaika. On top of that it featured a three-gear automatic gearbox, power-assisted steering and reinforced chassis and suspension. This car was never available for private ownership and was used by the KGB services. (This fact may have contributed to the development of the urban legend of the Black Volga that was popular in the People's Republic of Poland in the 1970s.)

GAZ-M-21, GAZ-21

The first Volga model was originally developed as a replacement for the very successful GAZ-M20 Pobeda mid-size car which was produced since 1946. However despite its design in form of chassis and body styling, the rapid evolution of the latter in the 1950s already caused Soviet designers in 1951 to put forward a project for its eventual replacement. In 1952 two parallel projects were set up by GAZ: Zvezda ("Star"), which was a futuristic fastback with panoramic windows and large tailfins, and Volga with more conventional styling, which was more realistically suited for the production realities of the 1950s.

By the spring of 1954 the Volga prototypes were being actively tested. The new car introduced a range of additions and advantages over the Pobeda; in addition to being bigger, it had single panoramic forward and rear windscreens, a larger four-cylinder overhead-valve engine, central lubrication of the main chassis elements, hypoidal rear axle and automatic hydromechanical gearbox.

The car's external design was made by Lev Yeremeev and largely influenced by Western vehicles of the same period, American in particular. Internal design, however, was mostly independent, with an exception for the automatic transmission that was developed from the 3-speed Ford-O-Matic.

After thorough testings of the car, which lasted for a further two years, in which several changes were accommodated for, GAZ finally launched the first pre-production batch left GAZ on 10 October 1956. These were used in much publicised promotion drives across the whole Soviet Union where they notched up to 29 thousand kilometres. In 1957 more larger batches were produced and the conveyor came operational in late 1957.

There were three different models of this generation:

'56 Volga - now usually referred to as the "first series" - came into serial production in 1957 and initially had modified Pobeda's flathead 65 hp engine, as the planned overhead-valve 70 hp ZMZ-21 was prepared for serial production only in summer of 1957. The first series of the M-21 Volga was produced right up to November 1958 during which across 30 thousand such cars were assembled. Today they remain the rarest version of the car, and are highly desirable for car collectors.

'58 Volga - the so called "second series" - was introduced in the fall of 1958, the most visible change was the front grille where horizontal chromed bars with a star were replaced by a 16-slit vertical grille, thus earning it the nickname akula ("shark"). Front styling of the "second series" almost mimicked 1954 and 1955 prototypes. Other changes included the shape of the front fenders with raised wheel arches, parking and tail lights. In 1959-1960 minor changes were made to the car's underbody and equipment.

'62 Volga - the so called "third series" - was introduced in 1962 and incorporated many external changes, as well as interior and technical improvements. This model was produced with minor modernizations up to July 15, 1970. After 1965 the model was officially named GAZ-21, instead of GAZ-M-21.