GAS (undertaken)

Identity

Positioning

GAS was directed to be a manufacturer of vehicles of average range, because the USSR, then Russia (except foreign manufacturers established on its ground), had manufacturers of prestige already, like the manufacturer of limousines ZIL, then of line entry as from 1966 with AvtoVAZ. The term “average range” corresponds to the Western criteria, because in the socialist world, GAS was considée as the “Mercedes of the Eastern European countries”. The cars GAS are thus of a gauge and a power superior to the other Soviet cars, but its limousines is less prestigious than the ZIL.

It in particular produced famous the the Volga (in Russian: Волга), car of the Soviet Nomenklatura , of the name of the river which crosses Gorki, as well as the van and the Sobol van (in Russian: Собол) declined in multiple forms. GAS is also a manufacturer of trucks and bus.

GAS in the world

GAS is one of the rare manufacturers of the ex- Soviet Union to have survived the opening of the automobile market, the importation of Occident and of the Japan of the vehicles of occasion then to the establishment of the foreign companies on the Russian territory. A long time 2nd national manufacturer, it failed to pass from 2nd in the 3rd place, in competition with the manufacturer Ish, to confirm finally his row in front of UAZ this time, but while being weakened. The company with been able perdurer thanks to unbeatable prices for the categories of vehicles where it is present, and with a known robustness of the Russian purchasers. These two advantages compensated for and compensate for always the lack of technological change and the renewal of the models.

The whole of the automobile production (cars, trucks, bus, etc) of GAS Group rises with 244.287 units in 2006, figure in progression but which catches up with only the level of the year 2000. If the market share of the cars GAS in Russia is weak, that concerning the trucks is of 56% and that of the buses of 80%.

Indeed, just like the whole of the Russian die, the aggregate output is maintained thanks to the heavy trucks, but declines for the vehicles of tourism (except AvtoVAZ, passing 125.400 in 2000, with 70.188 cars in 2004, and 51.108 in 2006, illustrating its difficulties, whereas the market of the particular vehicles progresses from 10% in 2005. During the same period, 2000-2006, the worldwide production of German Porsche, who is however a small manufacturer, passed from 55.050 units to 102.602. The continuous decrease of its production on the one hand, and on the other hand the constant rise of cars assembled in Russia (thanks to the foreign industrialists primarily), make that GAS weighs only 4,3% of the production of private cars in Russia. The company thus tends to be marginalized on its domestic market.

They are the activities of light utilities, with 165.128 vans, and the whole of the heavy trucks, with 57.888 units, and to a lesser extent the engines, which compensate for the under-performance on the market of the private cars. The first enjoys an absence competes with on behalf of the other Russian assemblers and of a price two to three times inferiors compared to the foreign products. Whereas the second is most advantageous. These vehicles are those of GASES Group which are exported best: they are the spearhead of the company, on which the plans of growth and expansion rest in the medium term.

Any thing equalizes in addition, the unit GAS Group employs nearly 110.700 people, that is to say 14,5% of the labor of Russian auto industry (in 2004), which slices with its market share.

Structure of GAS Group

Since 2001, GAS becomes the property of the conglomerate SibAl, since RusPromAvto (in Russian: РусПромАвто), shareholder of the company of Nijni-Novgorod with 60%, is bought at the end of 2000 by the giant of aluminum. RusPromAvto becomes the automobile pole, gathering all the actors of the sectors had in the past by GAS on the one hand and SibAl on the other hand, as well the light vehicles as heavy. The holding is renamed GAS Group in 2005, and SibAl reinforces its weight actionnarial, changing it to 75% of the unit. 20% of the capital are side to Moscow Stock Exchange.

The manufacturer is included in Rousskye Makina (in Russian: РусскиеМакина), the mechanical pole of SibAl, at the sides of the units railway and aeronautical. It is thus in the middle of a group whose activities are complementary the ones with the others, so much for the raw material supply, which for the technological outlets and their multiple uses (for the motorization for example, between car and aeronautics).

The interest for SibAl to acquire this car manufacturer was, in addition to a possible diversification, to make sure an additional outlet for its production of aluminum, of which he is the world leader, in particular with its subsidiary company RusAl. Selling half of its aluminum in its country, SibAl hopes on the Russian automobile renewal to run out its matter, in particular on the market of the buses, that GAS holds to 80%. GAS, in difficulty thus, found a partner reliable to finance his development and its renewal.

GAS Group is at the same time the manufacturer of cars and trucks GAS, but also an automobile holding gathering 18 subsidiary companies integrated and operating sometimes as suppliers or subcontractors of the manufacturer GAS. They raise of the construction of light commercial vehicles, bus, engines, machines of construction, etc Before the repurchase by SibAl, the company GAS corresponded to the only car manufacturer, whom one distinguishes thanks to the addition from the AvtoGAZ prefix.

Activities

The GAS group carried out a turnover of 118,79 billion roubles in 2006, that is to say 3,4 billion Euro S, in rise from 25,6% compared to 2005. 80% of the turnover is carried out in Russia. Its profit is at 6 billion roubles in 2006, that is to say 172,9 million euros, in progression of 94,5% compared to the previous year.

Its clear margin compared to the turnover, according to countable standards IFRS, is of 6,1% in 2006. Compared other world actors of auto industry, this figure is high: in same time, the margin of French Renault is 2,56%, and that of PSA of 2%. By the activity, most advantageous is the manufacture of engines, with a gross margin into 2005 of 25,1%, followed division drunk with 21,2%, and the cars unit, vans, and trucks, 14%. This absence of distinction of the last whole in the presentation of the accounts lets suppose that the cars activity is financially definitely less dynamic than the vans and the trucks (what is the case for the production).

On the stock exchange level, GAS belongs to the RTS-2, the second Moscow Stock Exchange index of. It is located at the 18th place, after the group of Fesco transport, and in front of the agricultural group Razgulay, and weighs 1,75% of the whole of the index at it. Lastly, within the RTS-Industrial index, on 10 industrial values, GAS weighs 16,6% there and occupies the 2nd rank there, always behind AvtoVAZ, and in front of the airframe manufacturer Irkout.

The action GAS (code: GAZA) is with dimensions with 135 dollars at September 7th, 2007, which theoretically develops the company to 2,5 billion dollars, that is to say 1,8 billion euros. One year before, the action was worth 75 dollars, that is to say a rise of the course in one year of 80%! This increase in the GAS value is spectacular compared to RTSI, the index of reference of the Stock Exchange of Moscow which progressed in the same time of 19,5%, and with the RTS-2, to which the company belongs, which increased by 33,5%.

In addition, the establishment began to pour in 2007 a dividend of 42,3 roubles to its shareholders, that is to say 1,20 euro. In 2006, the amount of the dividend was of 38,4 roubles, that is to say 1,11 euro, which corresponds to a distribution of the benefit of 11,9% per action.

Lastly, the debt worsens, passing from 424,8 million euros in 2005, to 602 million in 2006, that is to say a rise in the debt of 41,7% in one year.

Nijni-Novgorod and GAS Group

Like the majority of the Soviet car manufacturers, the name GAS refers to its first letter in the name of the city where is the company or with a famous character, followed AZ (acronym of automobile factory, in Russian). Here, G corresponds to the Soviet writer Maxime Gorki and to the town of Nijni-Novgorod renamed Gorki in its honor in 1932, year of its death. When the city finds its name of origin in 1991, after the implosion of the Soviet Union, GAS being a well anchored mark, the factory is not renamed and the name of maintained Gorki. A name change could have seemed logical, since manufacturer ZIS was repabtisé ZIL during the Déstalinisation.

The bonds with the town of Nijni-Novgorod go well beyond the logo of the mark, identical to the city. Taking into consideration its importance, GAS is the true symbol of local industry, since the whole of the group (including its subsidiary companies) only constitutes with him 69% of the industrial activity of the city; knowing that 40% of the receipts come from the industry, which employs 35% of the local labor.

GAS is one of the principal importers and exporters of the city. Undertaken of foreground, it contributes to make 4th Russian city and its area the “capital” Russian of the production of bus and heavy trucks.

GAS requires heavy and specific infrastructures since among the 7 powerplants of the city, one, thermal, is held into clean by the manufacturer.

History of the company

Before the Second world war

Birth thanks to the political will and industrial

At the end of the years 1920, Stalin wishes to mechanize the Soviet Union, whose auto industry is embryonic, in terms of production, of human and material resources but especially of needs, to which a bad quality is added. It decides to found new industrial centers in the provincial towns, to reinforce the nation's economy, within the framework of Ier plan quiquennal (1928-1932): directed towards heavy industry, the creation of GAS seems an exception compared to the broad outlines of the plan, but the need for cars was to precisely contribute to the success of this industrial expansion.

The foundation of the company was supervised by Andreï Jdanov, a close relation of the Soviet leader. The choice of the town of Gorki is justified by its eases of transport: near (on a Soviet scale) to Moscow, at the edge of the large river the Volga and of its confluence the Oka, the city is also a great regional and national rail junction, with the Transsibérien.

Foundation of a factory very last thing

The factory was founded in 1932, thanks to the complete technical assistance of Ford (, supply assembly line of engines, organization, introduction of the Fordisme, co-operator sending, staff training, etc), three years after the signature of the agreement between the company of Detroit and the Soviet government. At the origin, the Ford factory was located at Berlin and was sold in the USSR.

The GAS has is it first car of the new business, retorts Ford has and the GAS AA, counterpart of Ford AA assembled its first truck, of which the lifespan will go beyond the Second world war. These models are licensed product Ford. The day before the world war, GAS holds 68% of market shares Soviet car.

The relations between Henry Ford and Serguei Dyakanov, first GAS director, were narrow and good, professional and personal. This friendship was worth with Soviet on behalf of the authorities of his country of the suspicions of intelligence with the foreigner and drift droitière (at the time of the Grandes purgings), and to be stopped, marked, considered and killed on July 18th, 1938 by NKVD for espionage with the profit of foreign governments.

During the Second world war

To take part in the Soviet effort of war, GAS starts the production of 4x4 on the model of the Jeep, thus intensifies that of the utility S. GAS also assembles firearms and ammunition. It assembles also trucks Chevrolet within the framework of alliance between the Soviet Union and the the United States against the Germany Nazi E. At that time, the Alliés materially support the USSR whose industrial capacity is occupied by the German troops.

This reconversion in time of war is all the more crucial for the Soviet Union that Soviet auto industry at that time is developed little. GAS serves as true base-back, since the town of Gorki is located as the crow flies at more than 400 kilometers at the east of Moscow, far from the face and of the line of ultimate projection of the troops of the Axe.

After the Second world war

Satisfaction of new needs

With leaving the war, GAS takes dimensions of a large manufacturer of heavy trucks, thanks to the role acquired during the second world war, but also thanks to IVe quiquennal plan (1946-1950). This one, always directed towards the development of heavy industry and the extraction, by fixing a priority for the production of trucks, GAS speciality. The production of bus enjoys strong needs as regards public transport, whereas individual transport is neither an industrial priority, nor political or social. GAS should have developed the assembly of cars more, rather than of trucks, because, initially, IVe was to support the consumer goods, but it was decided by it differently.

GAS multiplies the models thereafter and becomes a true manufacturer of mass of private cars. This turning is parallel to the arrival with the capacity of Nikita Khrouchtchev, which, to satisfy the population, privileged the production of consumer goods, absent from the priorities of the capacity including during the period of rebuilding. She answers from now on all the customers, private individuals like professionals (ambulances, firemen, etc), under multiple variations. She does not satisfy however the needs for the Soviet inhabitants, just like the whole of the industry of the consumer goods, since the priority of the authorities was the development of the Complexe militaro-industrialist. For this reason, GAS consolidates its activities developed during the war, by conceiving utility but also military machines of any kind. However, it loses its leadership when gouvernment Soviet decides to create a new manufacturer, AvtoVAZ, offering vehicles of line entry as from 1966.

Maintenance of the course of production

As the production of cars were planned, the production of GAS was constant, and did not undergo, as in the capitalist countries of evolutions depending on the market. Thus, the number of assembled units reached 100.000 during the years 1970, then 115.000 in 1979, and between 125 and 130.000 thereafter, until the end of the years 1990. The production being constant from one year to another, GAS lost “market shares” (non-existent concept in the USSR) compared to the die, whereas the demand for private cars being in continuous increase.

Just like Lada or Moskvitch, GAS exported its production in the world, certainly in low number (5% for the unit ED the die) whereas the delivery periods to the Soviet customers were interminable, between two and seven years of waiting, because of shortage. One primarily finds their vehicles in the old socialist camp: Cuba, Eastern Europe, Vietnam, but also in Turkey, with the Yemen of the south, in Egypt, in Iran, in Brazil, and marginally in Western Europe. This presence in the world was supported by the framework of the Council for Mutual Economic Aid (CMEA).

End of the USSR

economic Transition

GAS should have been restructured during the Perestroïka, just like the whole of the Soviet mechanical engineering industry. But the failure of the plan of Gorbatchev and the problems political relegated this priority to the second rank of the concerns. The goal was of amliorer the quality of the products and to renew them, because the last innovations dated from the years 1970, time when VIIIe and IXe quiquennaux plans had made car an industrial priority.

After the fall of the the USSR, and the introduction of the Capitalism in Russia, GAS, was privatisée in 1993. The company was yielded to the employees of the factory and to its leaders, whereas the other manufacturers were it with the profit of the cities, the areas, or the Russian Oligarque S. This passage to private was done in the storm, as it is often the case with the beginning of the year 1990, where the transfer of credits of the public to private is opaque and does not answer sectoral logics, nor of valorization of the credits. The first attempt at privatization was invalidated: the direction GAS wish to sell the 30% of its capital concerned with a group of industrialists partners by excluding any external shareholder, whereas the Office of the state-owned properties wanted to yield 50% with transfer of them to the public and while seeking to inflate the price of the actions. It is the intervention of the government, and Boris Nemtsov which solved the crisis.

Just like the remainder of auto industry post-Soviet, GAS spent time to recover upright from the consecutive economic crisis at the end of socialism to Russia (problems of provisioning, payment, strong Inflation, failure of companies, etc), and with the technological and commercial ditch with the Western products. Moreover, it spent time to start a Restructuration (disassembling of the organization economic and social of the company), which is still not completed besides considering its always important wage manpower.

It is difficult for a manufacturer like GAS to start a “therapy of shock”, for corporate names, because unemployment is very high in the years 1990, and political, because although it is not any more in the bosom of the State, it represents an inevitable actor of the local economic life.

Change of the range

GAS presented several Prototype S of remplaçantes of the the Volga and Chaika, and this since 1992, with the living room of Brussels. 2001 will have to be waited until so that the projects are concretized and appear a obvious failure. While waiting, the firm did not renew its offer. Just like its Russian competitors, it owes its transitory safety with the crisis of 1998 and the Dévaluation of the Rouble, which will make its models more competitive, without them knowing however technological change or commercial. This respite did not put an end to the slowness of the manufacturer to put on the market of new products. Thus, the 3105, with esthetics difficult and having to compensate the Volga, is a failure; it is used however basic for the 3103 and 3104, with the more pleasant lines and renovated inside, but these cars will remain with the state of prototype.

From 1998, GAS is driven its Volga by engines Rover and Toyota. Later, in fact engines DaimlerChrysler make roll the old woman. These technical changes compensate for just the obsolescence of the models GAS, vis-a-vis foreign competition, but do not allow the group to export its vehicles to counterbalance the decline of the sales in Russia. GAS diversifies however its suppliers into important parts of Western companies.

GAS Today

In December 2005, GAS decided to stop the production of the mythical Volga, which was restylée many times since the years 1970. The company decided to be centred on a more profitable activity, the production of trucks and vehicles heavy, as well as vans. But in 2006, GAS decides to continue the production of its model headlight, after nth a restylage, and without time limit.

In July 2006, GAS acquires of the British manufacturer of vans LDV, based in Birmingham. While maintaining the production of vans to the the United Kingdom, of the units will be also assembled in Russia. In 2006, LDV assembled 6.990 vans.

In the field of the structure, the Russian authorities planned to gather under a single holding the whole of the Russian automobile die, following the example Russian agency of export of armament, Rosoboronexport. However, the public shareholding of AvtoVAZ and KamAZ, and that private of GAS and UAZ, did not make it possible this project to lead for the moment. In the medium term, GAS maintains its development plan based on international cooperations, which enable him to be modernized, moults that its Russian competitors carried out only in a specific and circumscribed way.

Co-operation with FIAT

In 1998, FIAT and GASES make an agreement to produce with 150.000 specimens of the models Marea and Palio, for an investment of 800.000 €. The Russian economic crisis as from August 1998, and the failure of Palio, whose FIAT wanted to make a world model, put an end to the co-operation. Finally, the production of Palio started in 2007, but at the automobile subsidiary company of the giant of the iron and steel industry Severstal, Severstal-Avto.

The two companies work today with a co-operation for the utilities, with a line of assembly common to the Iveco and Gazelle lodged by UralAZ (subsidiary company of GAS), as well as heavy trucks.

GAS and Lancia had planned to produce under license the Thesis, like replacing the Volga, but the two manufacturers reflect fine with the in October 2005 project.

Co-operation with Renault

Fine 2004-beginning 2005, GAS was in talks with Renault for a co-operation having to make it possible Russian to renovate his mark, and French to be pressed on the production equipment of Russian. The negotiations failed. At the beginning of 2006, Renault Trucks (group AB Volvo) sign an agreement to produce with Iaroslavl engines of Renault trucks of old generation of 11 L. to equip the trucks GAS. The purchase of the license and the factory of Renault of Lyon cost to the Russian manufacturer 57 million euros.

Co-operation with Chrysler

Purchase of a tested model

GAS, without replacing the Volga, which had the gauge of a BMW series 7, lance a new model on the Russian market. In April 2006, the manufacturer of Nijni-Novgorod buys with Daimler-Chrysler for 150 million dollars two twin models: the Dodge Stratus and the Chrysler Sebring. These cars leaving to the retirement with the the United States and the Canada after a production 1 million specimens (2001-2006), GAS transfers in Russia the production equipments from the factory from Heights Sterling in the Michigan, to leave 65.000 units per annum, as from 2008. Its grill is redrawn, but the remainder of the car remains intact compared to the model of origin, in particular with regard to the motorizations, they also of Chrysler origin. Its new is from now on Siber.

This new vehicle, having to serve as new base of development, GAS envisaged to invest 250 million dollars lasting 5 years around its new model.

It is thus a second life for these models, since the German-American manufacturer renews them basic in roof. The parts will be provided by the Canadian subcontractor Magna International, with which the agreement was made, beyond the only license of manufacture acquired near Chrysler Corp.

It is revolving strategic for the manufacturer, whose President Alexeï Barantsev stated 4 years earlier than GAS could manage to only renew its offer. This co-operation is far from being new, since Soviet auto industry was born thanks to the Western firms, in particular with Ford in the years 1920, General Motors via Opel after the Second world war or with FIAT in the years 1960.

Parallel to this fundamental agreement for GAS, smaller was concluded at the same time between the two companies for the supply by DaimlerChrysler from engines for the Volga car and the GAZelle van. They will be imported of a Chrysler factory in Mexico.

Offensive vis-a-vis competition

This change of course is capital for GAS. On the one hand, the market share of the Russian manufacturers stagnates and those from abroad increases, on a constant growth market. In addition, which made the success of Russian, following the example GAS, they was weak prices and the robustness in spite of the obsolescence of the models suggested.

GAS is thus the first national manufacturer to renovate and radically modernize its range. It is also the first to propose a model charged to compete with, either the foreign vehicles of occasion, but the foreign cars with the international standards produced on the Russian ground. the foreign manufacturers generally touch easier customers, being able to offer a car costing between 15 and 20.000 dollars. It is this price range which GAS aims for its Sebring, while envisaging to market it 17.000 dollars, a price three times higher than the Volga.

Co-operation with Steyr

The Austrian motor mechanic is a partner of GAS long time. Time of the Soviet Union, Steyr provides a license to GAS for cross-country 67 B. Since 1996 it provides engines and assembles since 1998 of the diesel engines to Nijni-Novgorod for the whole of production of GAS: Gazelle, Sobol, the Volga for the civil vehicles, and Satko, Vodnik and Tigr for the military material.

Steyr is implied more and more with GAS, taking part, with Chrysler as supervisor, with the training of the workmen of the Russian industrialist for the assembly of the Siber news. Ajourd' today, the two companies collaborate in the manufacture of small diesel engines, 3 L. and 3-8 L., having to equip the particular vehicles. The amount of the transaction, without being revealed, at summer announced to several hundreds of million dollars. Beyond of a renewal of engines, up to now with gasoline, the goal of this partnership is to mitigate the dependence with regard to ZMZ, a subsidiary company of Severstal-Avto, which provided GAS until 2005.

Projects

GAS projects other partnerships of production of foreign vehicles, to compensate for the underutilization of its production equipment. These agreements were not signed for the moment.

Touched

The Indian Touched Motors, for an assembly in Russia of his models, plans to assemble 30.000 units in the factories GAS. It would be about Indigo Tata, version tri-body of Tata Indica, the gauge of a Renault Clio, whose parts would be delivered in kits coming from India.

French PSA wishes to sell at least 100.000 vehicles in Russia, including 20 to 30.000 units produced locally (the equivalent of its sales in 2006 in this country), hesitating to build his own factory or to assemble his cars at a partner. If the second option is confirmed, it would be in the GAS factories. In any case, the factory construction of PSA is not any more in doubt, since an agreement was signed with the Russian government. The French group did not specify yet which model it wishes to introduce, undoubtedly a car corresponding to a Citroen C4.

Models headlights designed by GAS

Presentation only of the models which make the GAS identity last and present, and which reflect the diversity of its activities.

Vehicles of tourism

Pobeda .

Produced of 1946 to 1958. It is the first model headlight of the mark. Also known under the name of M20. Russian Pobeda (: Победа, meaning “Victoire”) was copied on the Opel Captain (group General Motors), which was used as spoils of war after the capitulation of Germany in 1945. After the stop of its production, its license was taken again by the Polish manufacturer FSO which started the production in 1951 of it, and this during 23 years.

the Volga.

From 1956. It is inspired clearly by the style in vogue in the United States. It will be the symbol of the leading class. One finds it under various versions, with the liking of the restylages: M21, 3102 or M24 (news body in 1968), 3110,31105, and 3111 (new body in 2001). The 310221 is the alternative station-wagon of the 31105.

Chaika.

Appeared in the years 1960. As from 1977, the model 14 fact its appearance, until 1988. It is a large limousine copied from the American cars. Just like ZIL, Russian Chaika (: Чаика) was reserved for the first circle of the Soviet leading class. It inaugurates equipment hitherto new in the USSR: engine 8 cylinders out of V HP of 220, disc brakes, points to 175 km/h (the Soviet cars reached 130 km/h painfully at that time), suspensions with joint of kneecap, windshield wipers for the headlights, etc Like the whole of its competitors, the petrol consumption was relatively “weak”: 16 L. 100.

GASES 3111.

It was launched in 1998. It takes again the principal elements of prototype 3104, and the platform of the “antique” M24. Its design calls upon imported elements of Occident, and equips it with a whole whole of elements, like air-bags, ABS, or the air conditioning. However, its production is modest.

Cross-country vehicles

Ataman.

Accustomed to produce cross-country vehicles for the army, Ataman (in Russian: Атаман) is the first product of this type that GAS proposes with the general public. It is before all the civil and restylée adaption of the military version, déclinable in multiple forms, in particular in the van.

GAS 3106 or Ataman II.

Presented in 2000, it is true a 4x4 with the resolutely innovative design for the firm, comparable with a Mitsubishi Pajero. It is more to arrange in the category of SUV, which registers it in rupture with its predecessor of the same name (whose production continues), although it takes again the platform of it. Completed at the beginning of 2003, its entry in production is unceasingly deferred.

Tigr.

Russian 2975 or Tigr (: Тигр) is a copy of the Hummer of 1 {{Re}} generation, with a tilted cap. There exists a civil version, but its production is especially intended for the Russian army.

Tigr 2, or 3121, is a more modern version of Hummer, while being also a plagiarism of the Hummer H2.

Vans

Gazelle.

It summer launched to Russia in 1994, not having any competitor on this crenel. It was largely inspired by the Ford Transit, it remotely by the front face as well as the doors. Arranged for the transport of passengers, it names Bargouzin. It is also produced to a few thousands of specimens in several Ukrainian cities, in Iran, in the factories of Iran Khodro, like in the Sichuan, the most populated area popular China. The group projects to assemble its vehicle headlight in Tunisia.

Sobol.

Version minibus and shorter of the Gazelle.

Maxus

Van of mark British LDV, developed jointly with GM Daewoo, and assembled since 2005.

Trucks

GAS AA and MM

First truck of the manufacturer in 1932, it had a two decades life, knowing all the uses: transport, soldier, ambulance, fireman, gasoline, bucket, record player, etc It was produced to 1 million specimens, whose rise began with the day before from the second world war. It was used as a basis for the unit of the die trucks of GAS.

GAS 51

Small truck used like large record player, renouvelvé under the name of GAS 52. Started in 1946, it will leave the chains during thirty years.

GAS 66

First 3,5 T. produced by GAS, its production lasted of 1964 until the end of the years 1980.

UralAZ

It is especially this subsidiary company of GAS which produces the main part of the trucks of the group, especially of large gauge, up to 12 T. One notes in particular Ural 4320, produced since 1976.

Valdaï

Russian Valdaï (: Валдай) is a light truck which takes again the front face of van GAZelle.

Bus

The number of models of GAS Group bus is important, because it has 5 subsidiary companies dedicated to this production.

GAS 03-30

Bus produces as from 1942. It was useful for the routing of the troops on the face in the Crimea. It takes again the base of GAS AA.

LiAZ 5256

Urban bus of big size, launched in the years 1980, with three entries.

Military material

The Complexe militaro-industrialist Soviet, then Russian, is so important that a manufacturer autombile, like GAS, took part in it fully. So the majority of the civil vehicles had a military use, like the truck GAS 66. However, GAS developed products specifically for the army.

GAS 64

Convey cross-country assembled as from 1943. It was replaced by GAS 67, then GAS 69, this as a basis last version being used of launching for the Russian specialist in cross-country, UAZ.

GAS 05-193

Military bus of 1942 based on GAS 03-30 civilian. He is equipped with four wheels with back, one behind the other. He is sometimes assembled crawler-mounted, and some times armoured.

BTR-60

Amphibious freight vehicle of troops with 8 driving wheels. He will succeed the BTR-70 and BTR-80, this last being always marketed.

Tanks

GAS provides the engines and takes part in the design of the tanks T-60, T-70.

GAS 3937

Light armored vehicle, also called Russian Vodnik (: Водник), produced since 1999 by ArzamasMZ, subsidiary of GAS.

Others

Plant equipment

GAS produces excavators, bulldozers, excavators, cranes on trucks, of the trailers, the earthmovers, the carriages (work, lifting), of the graders, the machines for the cutting and the transport of wood, and the machines for the exploitation of mines.

Vehicle tracked

Haulage machines specifically for the snow-covered and frozen areas.

Ambulance

GAS 55 is a van. The Volga also knows a version ambulance.

Anecdotes

Political

The Russian President, Vladimir Poutine was owner of the Volga, in his first body, M21. It was its first car. He symbolically led some under the eye of the cameras and the photographers at the time of a meeting with George Bush in May 2005.

Video game

In version PC of the play Large Theft Car: San Andreas, certain amateurs developed models absent at the origin, and made rare, the most famous GASES introduced: cross-country GAS 69, the Pobeda in version record player, finally the M 24 in versions traditional and Russian police force (: Милиция, militziya , are “French militia”).

Cinema

The cars GAS were used logically in the majority of films carried out during the Cold war or whose scenario is in the countries of the socialist camp, like Octopussy (James Bond), the Fourth Protocol , or Twist again in Moscow , because they belonged to environment. The films locating the action in contemporary Russia also make use of it: the Volga 3110 is particularly development in Death in the skin where the hero, Jason Bourne, is with his flying at the time of a race-continuation in Moscow.

However, in a way more surprising, some recent films put it in scene out of the ex- the USSR. One can quote the Peacemaker , the Bicycle of Ghislain Lambert , or Hostel .

Appendices

Sources

Official site of French GAS Group
Official site GAS
Site of Russian Drunk, together of the subsidiary companies drunk of GAS Group
not-official Site
Organization international of the car manufacturers
Site of the group of study on the car of the university of Evry
CentreInvest Group, Report/ratio on GAS
Research center and of analysis of automobile industry, Report/ratio on GAS

References

To go further

List of the car manufacturers
Lada-AvtoVAZ, 1 {{Russian er}} manufacturer

External bonds

On GAS:

Modernization way " rétro" very succeeded of Pobeda
Article on the resumption in discussed GAS hand by Sibal
SibAl, GAS head office, buy 5% of the capital of General Motors
Ensemble of the models GAS

On the Russian car:

Information on the Russian automobile market
Site on Soviet and Russian auto industry

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