[eye30]

Lada, the car that spawned a thousand playground jokes, could be returning to UK showrooms. But will British motorists take the Russian marque to their hearts?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8672464.stm

[Shambles]

NO!

"The Lada showed how poor the Soviet Union was at producing consumer goods," he says.
"They may have been able to launch Sputnik into space but they couldn't manufacture a decent car to drive back on Earth."

Let it lie. Please.

[bumpkin]

 

The reason that the UK was one of the few markets where Lada were a success was because compared to British Leyland you got the same quality for half the price, I feel we just might have moved on from that.

They want to price at £5000 in two years time, you can get a lot of car for £5000 these days and in two years time there will be a variety of second hand i10 and i20's floating around for that kind of money and still with some warranty remaining

[hipposniper]

laugh we may, but look what they are unveiling,






Yeap its a Lada.,..  

[Shambles]

But what, I wonder, is under the pea-green coat?

[penak]

AFAIK the Fiat 124 based original Lada has been out of production for a long time. There will be no comeback for it just for that reason.

It's export (and production little later) was terminated because there seemed to be no way of making the aged engine to conform to the emission regulations.

The new model FWD Lada Samara was exported for some time, and it was not a bad design. Just dull, ugly, and with normal Lada's quality control (or more correctly lack of it). It was a car in the same size class as Corolla or Golf.

There was saying here in Finland (where Lada's were imported up toi the bitter end) that the Samara was at it's best as a one year old used car, because then all the electrical faults and results of sloppy workmanship had been rectified under guarantee. But original owner had given up just when the car was finally finished into reliable condition.

There is even more recent Lada, smaller b-segment (like Fiesta or Polo) Lada Kalina. It's import was tried to Finland, but it's handling safety, especially brakes, got so murderous evaluations from the press that the import did not continue for long.
Of course it did not help, that "Kalina" in finnish is the name of the sound you get if you shake small rocks in a plate bucket

Only Lada that STILL is somewhat intresting is the small 4x4 Lada Niva. It is one of the very few reasonably priced REAL off road vehicles still made. But even it needs a modern engine, preferably a good diesel.

[Lorian]

But what, I wonder, is under the pea-green coat?

Dust.

Why not, Skoda the other playground joke has made a successful comeback.

[bumpkin]

Interesting thought Stuart, though I am not convinced Skoda ever actually disappeared and for those in the know at the time the rally Skoda Estelle Rapide in the hands of John Haugland of Norway was as reliable as the day was long, class winner in the RAC, the most gruelling forest event all through the '80's was testament to the little Czech box and VW knew they were onto a winner buying the Skoda group as the foundations were already there to bring the manufacturer to the front............

[hipposniper]

But what, I wonder, is under the pea-green coat?

Dust.

did you say RUST

[Lorian]

That too.

[hipposniper]

apart from the flat tyres, a full MOT.. unlike this poor chap....Buhahahaha

[eye30]

My dad had a LADA and it was like driving a tank.

Steering was heavy.
You needed muscle just to turn the ignition key on 
Body was solid - a car ran into him and the other car was a write off. All his had was a scratch on the bumper.
Inside was cosy
Seat had those springs that toss you up and you would hit your head on the roof going over a small pimple in the road.

[penak]

That too.

Except that is not a Lada. That is the worst of soviet cars, the Moskwich Elite.

Moskwich is a very strong contender to the title of "world's worst car". If Vauxhall Viva had not been made, the Moskwich would be the supreme holder of the title.

The Moskwich was a real deathtrap, it had a relatively powerful (copied from BMW...) 1.5 liter engine with 85 hp, not much of barakes and really precarious handling. All that combined with NO safety features whatsoever...

[hipposniper]

NO safety features whatsoever...

Brakes was an anchor dropped from a hole in the floor

[penak]

NO safety features whatsoever...

Brakes was an anchor dropped from a hole in the floor

Or leaving the end of your tie between the front door as a "safety belt"

But that would not exactly help, as Moskwich had one of those steering axles that effectively speared the driver in frontal collision. Nicely thought out from a soviet designer, they made sure that the poor victim dies instantly instead of long suffering.

[hipposniper]

or sueing the company, Buhahahaha

[MRH130]

Except that is not a Lada. That is the worst of soviet cars, the Moskwich Elite.

Moskwich is a very strong contender to the title of "world's worst car". If Vauxhall Viva had not been made, the Moskwich would be the supreme holder of the title.

The Moskwich was a real deathtrap, it had a relatively powerful (copied from BMW...) 1.5 liter engine with 85 hp, not much of barakes and really precarious handling. All that combined with NO safety features whatsoever...

It MUST have been a bad car, that looks like a Cuban number plate and we all know how desperate a car has to be before the Cubans take it off the road...

[bumpkin]

It MUST have been a bad car, that looks like a Cuban number plate and we all know how desperate a car has to be before the Cubans take it off the road...

It's not quite off the road yet, the Cuban owner is just away to look for his footpump

[MRH130]

It's not quite off the road yet, the Cuban owner is just away to look for his footpump

aah, that makes sense - I was going to make a comment about how wasteful some people are abandoning a vehicle that clearly has so much life left in it...