VAZ in Israel

VAZ (“AvtoVAZ”) is a Soviet and Russian automobile manufacturing company. The largest manufacturer of passenger cars in Eastern Europe. The headquarters is located in the city of Togliatti (Samara region). The birthday of VAZ (Volzhsky Automobile Plant) is July 20, 1966, when the USSR Government signed a decree on the construction of a plant to produce 600 thousand passenger cars per year in order to satisfy the need of its citizens for personal transport. The creation of the Soviet automobile industry is closely connected with the FIAT concern: the Italians helped build full-cycle enterprises, equipped them with equipment and trained personnel. The plant was built in record time. The first car to roll off the VAZ assembly line in 1970 was a slightly redesigned Fiat 124 sedan, adapted for Soviet operating conditions and named VAZ-2101 - the first Zhiguli model, popularly nicknamed the Kopeika (the smallest coin in the USSR), laid the foundation for the LADA export brand, and already in 1973 the millionth car was assembled, which became VAZ-2103. The demand for VAZ cars was such that sales were limited only by production volumes. In 1976, the second most popular model, the VAZ-2106, was released. Its serial production continued until 2006, in total more than 4 million “sixes” were produced. In 1977, the first all-terrain vehicle, the VAZ-2121 Niva, appeared (since 2006, LADA 4×4). By the end of the 80s, they launched production of the cheap minicar "Oka". Ideas and technical solutions were borrowed from the 1980 Daihatsu Cuore. In 1984, the production of cars of the LADA Samara family began, with which the era of front-wheel drive models began. After the collapse of the USSR, VAZ entered a period of complete restructuring of its activities. The crisis turned out to be protracted, but by the mid-90s AvtoVAZ managed to turn the situation around and gradually began to increase production. In 2004, we managed to launch the production of the LADA Kalina sedan, which Vladimir Putin drove in 2010; in 2007, the LADA Priora was released. A year later, a strategic partnership agreement was signed with Renault, which became the owner of a 25% stake in AvtoVAZ. In 2011, the LADA Granta was released, in 2012 the first LADA car, built on the basis of the Renault Logan, was released - the LADA Largus station wagon. In 2015, sales of the new generation LADA Vesta began, which significantly enhanced the brand’s image. In 2016, the compact crossover LADA XRAY was released. Currently, VAZ, without Renault, is organizing the production of new models and modernizing production. On December 12, 2024, the anniversary car, the new flagship of the company and a symbol of the revival of the enterprise, the LADA Aura business sedan, rolled off the assembly line.