Lada Samara
The VAZ-2108, known as the Lada Samara in much of Western Europe, is a series of small family cars produced by Soviet/Russian vehicle manufacturer AvtoVAZ under the Lada brand between 1984 and 2013.
The model name Samara originally was used only for exported models, in the Soviet Union the same model was called Sputnik until 1991, when the sedan version of the Samara entered in production, using the export name.
It was the first front-wheel drive serial car built in the Soviet Union since the LuAZ-969V. The Samara was repeatedly modified and restyled during the years of production before it was finally discontinued in December 2013.
VAZ-2108 (1984)
The Samara was a car that combined a robust build and ease of maintenance with a modern style. It was produced in various three, four and five-door designs with 1.1, 1.3 and 1.5-litre petrol engines. VAZ had hoped that the Samara would enable it to compete for sales in the mainstream European car market, where the company's traditional Fiat 124-based "Zhiguli" models were looked upon as increasingly outmoded and out of date. It was the second autonomous design from VAZ, and the first model not based on the Fiat 124 mechanicals.Development
VAZ had made their first front-wheel drive prototype, the VAZ-1101, in the early 1970s. The engine from the Fiat 127 was used. Further development of this project led to the Ladoga three-door hatchback prototype in 1976. The decision to build the Samara was taken on 16 September 1978, the intention being to build a car with strong potential sales in Western European export markets. Proposals for a distinctive saloon, four-door, and both three- and five-door hatchback were considered; it was decided instead the saloon should share the three-door hatchback's sheetmetal forward of the C-pillar. During its development, VAZ designers paid careful attention to the contemporary Renault 9, Volkswagen Golf, Ford Escort Mark III, Opel Kadett, and Volvo 340, which would be the new VAZ-2108's main competitors. Front suspension was MacPherson struts, rear by torsion bar. It also had rack and pinion steering, another Soviet first.On 31 December 1979, the first VAZ-2108 prototype was completed. It strongly resembled the earlier Ladoga, and the VAZ-1106 saloon. While named Sputnik at home, it was more commonly known as the Vos'merka after the last digit in the model code. The export version was named after the Samara River, a tributary to the Volga. The first cars left the production line on 18 December 1984. These, the three-door hatchbacks, were powered by a belt-driven SOHC 1,288 cc inline-four with, and were fitted with a four-speed gearbox. The three-door was joined by a five-door, and by models with 1,099 cc or 1,499 cc engines.
In 1987, the model range was joined by the 21083, with a 1,499 cc engine and five-speed gearbox, and the 21081, with a, 1,099 cc engine. The 1.1 was an export-only variant. Top speeds were , and ; fuel economy was , , or . VAZ also debuted the 2109 five-door hatchback that year, also available with the 1.1, 1.3, and 1.5-litre engines. In 1989, the 21099 saloon followed, which had a new bonnet, grille, wings, and -longer rear overhang, as well as an improved dashboard. The 21099's front-end styling was adopted on the 2109 in 1992 and the 2108 in 1994.
A number of other minor alterations followed, including fuel-injected engines to meet emissions regulations in export markets. On the earlier Samaras the front clip had been a separate piece, surrounding the headlights. On the sedan version, the fenders go all the way up to the headlights and the lip of the bonnet dips between the headlights and meets the slimmer grille. Full production of the 21099 began in December 1990, with models 210993, 21099. The saloon, intended as a premium model compared to the hatchback, was given a distinctive branding in some export markets: Diva, Sagona, Forma. Belgium also offered a locally built convertible. The 1.1 and 1.3 were eventually taken out of production, having already been withdrawn from export markets, while the 1.5's power increased to.
Special models
A Wankel engined Samara three-door hatchback, the 2108–91, powered by a two-rotor VAZ-415 was sold in Russia only, and only in very small numbers. With a five-speed gearbox, it was priced at 56,000 rubles. Due to severe reliability problems, this remained rare, most commonly bought by police and other agencies to use as a pursuit vehicle, for which its top speed was ideal; it was capable of in eight seconds. The subsequent 2109-91 five-door hatchback had the same VAZ-415 and gearbox.There was also a rear-engined Samara 4x4 rally car, also known as the NAMI 0290, built for the 1985 Soyuz Rally; it had permanent four-wheel drive and a 1,568 cc Zhiguli-based engine, over the rear axle. It was nicknamed Appelsin, and used ZAZ-1102 doors and still using factory Samara wheels.
The 1987 mid-engined Samara-EVA had a turbocharged 16-valve 1,860 cc engine of ; a naturally-aspirated version produced. The only component left untouched was the original Zhuguli 2106 block.
An even more powerful Samara S-Proto appeared in 1989, putting out. Most notably, the Samara T3 came seventh in class in the 1990 Paris-Dakar Rally and fifth in 1991, piloted by Jacky Ickx. The T3 did not contain many Samara parts however, using the Porsche 959's four-wheel drive system and a 3.6-litre Porsche flat-six. It was developed by French concessionaire Lada-Poch together with NAMI and the Tupolev aircraft factory. In the mid-1980s Lada developed its first ever convertible car on its own, then actually entering production and quickly exported to most European countries, called the Lada Natasha Cabriolet, a four-seater convertible that was based on the popular Samara 1300/1500 models with a manual opening and closing canvas roof. Also in some European car markets the LADA Niva 4X4 1600 cc engine was also available for both the Lada Natasha and Lada Samara cars during the 1990s.
The AvtoVAZ division VIS-AVTO produced special commercial vans and refrigerated trucks for various purposes on the VAZ 2108 platform.
Exports
The Samara was sold all across the world, from Australia to Canada, in most European countries, and throughout the COMECON sphere. The build quality of the Samara was better than that of most Eastern European models. In most nations, versions and equipments were decided on and installed by the dealers themselves. These local varieties ranged from decals and badges to the convertible conversions offered in Belgium and Germany. The Samara was often sold under other names as well, in particular the VAZ 21099, which was sold as the Sagona, Diva, Forma and Sable.It was engineered in right-hand drive for the UK market, where it was sold from November 1987. It was sold there until VAZ withdrew from the UK market in July 1997, and was the most popular Lada model sold in the UK during the 23 years that the brand was sold there.
In certain markets where the tax structure benefited diesels, the Samara was available with a 1.5-litre Peugeot diesel engine in 1995–97.
With VAZ facing financial hardships in 1996–1997, exports began coming to a halt. The Lada Samara disappeared from Canada after the 1997 model year, leaving the Niva as the only Lada sold in Canada for the 1998 model year. Exports to Australia and Great Britain ended around the same time. The biggest problem was GM's reluctance to sell the fuel-injection kits necessary for exports, as they doubted VAZ's ability to pay. Faced with parts shortages, tax problems, and the chaos and criminality of Russia in the mid-nineties, export efforts languished and RHD production was no longer feasible.
As a partial response to this situation, a higher-quality version for the European market, the Lada EuroSamara or Samara Baltic in some markets, was assembled in Finland at the Valmet Automotive plant in Uusikaupunki. Production started in mid-1996 and ended in July 1998, with 14,000 cars made from 85 per cent Russian parts.
Lada Samara was also sold in Singapore in the 1990s. However, Lada withdrew from the Singapore market shortly after due to the COE system that made car ownership very expensive. Lada cars were proven impractical for Singapore. Furthermore, it was often criticised for low quality.
British market
The United Kingdom had to wait nearly three years for the Samara to go on sale, after its launch in the USSR, but sales were reasonably strong when the first versions of the car left forecourts, in November 1987.In a road test conducted by The Motor magazine, it scored more than 5 points out of 10 in most aspects and was praised for having a remarkably extensive list of standard equipment, "impressive" engine, good visibility and performance for its price segment, lowered fuel consumption, being good at cornering and "tolerably quiet", but also received criticism for having a cheap-looking interior and plastic mouldings and being "very turbulent" on poor roads.
The £4,795 price at introduction "was much less expensive" than the competing Peugeot 309 or Ford Escort 1300. The Samara remained on sale in the United Kingdom right up to 4 July 1997, when the decision was made to withdraw from Great Britain and most other export markets.
In countries where ruggedness was more important, it was more successful, selling reasonably well in Canada, Australia, and Finland for instance.
The attempt to appeal to a wider clientele failed; while an improvement over previous Ladas, the Samara's higher price pitched it against stiffer West European competition.
By the time of the Samara's launch, the British small family car market was effectively split into two segments: The large mainstream market was dominated by mass-market manufacturers, such as Ford, Vauxhall, and Volkswagen. The budget market consisted of Eastern European and Far Eastern brands, such as Škoda, FSO, Hyundai, and Proton.
The aging Samara came bottom of the annual 1996 and 1997 JD Power and Top Gear surveys in Great Britain.