Car Industry

Key Takeaways Italian Origins: The first Lada was a Fiat 124 with 800+ modifications to survive Soviet roads and Siberian winters. Designed to Break – and Be Fixed: In a country with no repair shops, Ladas came with 21-piece toolkits and interchangeable parts any owner could swap. Third Best-Selling Platform Ever: Only the VW Beetle and Ford Model T sold more units of a single-generation design. The Niva Pioneered SUVs: The 1977 Lada Niva was the world's first monocoque-bodied SUV – a concept copied for decades. Full Circle: After 20 years of Renault partnership and modernization, 2022 sanctions returned Lada to isolation, producing cars without airbags or ABS. The Lada brand occupies a unique and paradoxical space in automotive history. It is at once a symbol of Soviet industrial might, the subject of persistent Western derision, and an enduring icon of rugged simplicity. ...

Key Takeaways SUV Pioneer: The 1977 Lada Niva was the world's first monocoque-bodied SUV – a design copied for decades. Sales Giant: Despite being "terrible to drive," the Lada platform is the third best-selling single-generation design in history. Built to Break – and Fix: Ladas came with 21-piece toolkits because owners were expected to repair them themselves. Reverse Exports: After UK sales ended, British Ladas were bought up and shipped back to Russia as superior "export spec" models. Extreme Explorer: Nivas served in Antarctica and reached Everest base camp at 17,080 feet. For decades, the Lada has been the four-wheeled punchline of the Western world. To many, the name conjures images of shoddy Soviet engineering, questionable reliability, and a litany of jokes about its performance—or lack thereof. ...