Moskvitch

AZLK or Moskvitch is a Russian company of production Automobile. It bore several names such as: AZLK, MOSKVITCH, MZMA, KIM,…

History

In 1930, the KIM factory is built (AZLK means factory of cars of Communist youth). It is located at Moscow. At the beginning, KIM is only one factory of production of GAS, but separates some in 1939, with the exit of the `10'. Because of the launching period, few units were produced. In 1945, the Red Army which occupied Germany, recovered the plans and the tools of Opel, which was used as a basis for the first car of KIM carrying the mark " MOSKVITCH" : 400/420. Compared to Opel, the MOSKVITCH offered 4 doors. An engine of 1 100 cm ³ and box 3 reports/ratios enabled him to reach a maximum speed of 90 km/h. The 400/420 was produced with 240 000 specimens until 1956.

In 1947, the factory, which bore the name of KIM, changes its patronym into ZMA. 1956 see the appearance of the 402, first model of the mark to being exported. The factory benefits from it to change its name into MZMA. The 402 has an engine of 1 200 cm ³ of 35 ch with a box at three speeds. Its maximum speed is of 105 km/h. It is 4,05 meters long.

In 1957, the company launches station-wagon 423 and the 410, the version 4 X 4. 1958: launching of the 407, which keeps the same body as the 402, but with an engine a little less puffing: 1 360 cm ³, 45 ch with cylinder head out of aluminum and box 4 speed. The 407 was built until the middle of the Sixties. There were various versions including 423 (station-wagon), 410 (4 X 4 with raised suspension), 411 (station-wagon 4 X 4) and version 430 (station-wagon covered with sheet metal). In 1959, a MOSKVITCH on three is exported.

1964: launching of truck 408 with engine 1 360 cm ³ with Camshaft at the head pulled by a cascade of pinions, produced by UZAM, a factory of aeronautics. 1967: arrival of truck 412 and station-wagon 426. Even body but driving 1 500 cm ³ with camshaft at the head pulled by chain. This 412 starts to be produced by IZH, with Ijevsk. The 412 was exported in many countries such as: the Norway, the Finland, the Kuwait, the Ecuador… last 412 left the chains of MOSKVITCH in 1986.

The following version, arrival in 1975, are called the 2140. The 2140 is a somewhat modernized copy, rather cubic of the 412, but the frame, the engine, the box, etc, remain the same one. The 2137 is the version station-wagon, the 2734, the light van, the 2140 SSL, the version luxates, the 21406, the rural station-wagon, the 2138, the truck with engine 1 400 cm ³, 2136, the station-wagon with engine 1 400 cm ³ and 2733, the light van with the engine 1 400 cm ³. Its maximum speed is of 142 km/h.

Its replacing, the 2141, a Twin spool with forage ladder, was launched in 1986. It takes again elements of the Simca 1307, and big first for a Russian car, it is a front traction. The version Tricorps is called 21412, light van 2335. The engine of 1 600 cm ³ come from VAZ-LADA. Truck 21412 can receive the engine 1 500 cm ³ manufactured by UZAM.

The originators wanted engines more powerful than those manufactured by UZAM for their new car. But the means missed, UZAM and VAZ were the suppliers of already existing engines, more especially as VAZ could not deliver 200 000 additional engines per annum for AZLK-MOSKVITCH. AZLK wanted an engine more powerful for its 2141, UZAM trailed the leg, AZLK sought suppliers elsewhere, including in Bulgaria for the segmentation. It was envisaged an engine 1 800 cm ³ for 1991, project deferred for 1993, then finally abandoned. Two engines a gasoline and a diesel resulting from a block gasoline were studied, but the lack of means and the difficulty of implementation of the production definitively closed the problem. There was even some discussion about assembling a 1 600 cm ³ Argentinian of Renault 12, but this one did not pass any more the standards. Other tracks were followed: engines Ford 1 600 cm ³ and 2 000 cm ³, Hyundaï 1 800 cm ³, FIAT Turkey, 1 600 cm ³ Toyota.

At the end of the Nineties, an intergovernmental contract between France and Russia made that Renault was selected to mount an engine of two liters on the ALEKO . Brakes, tires, suspensions were re-examined. The financial crisis of 1998 largely slowed down the production, AZLK selling the cars less expensive than they cost him because of a foreign exchange rate become unfavourable for the Rouble. Again, engines VAZ 1 600 cm ³, UZAM two liters (new) had gone up.

At the beginning of 2000, UZAM had the possibility of manufacturing more modern engines, helped in that by the Austrian firm Aulus. 1 800 cm ³ to 2,3 L, with aluminum cylinder heads on blocks out of cast iron, although new, it are not enough compared to Western production: the Renault engines are lighter, consume less, discharge less pollutants,…

The 2141 is produced with a grill altered a little since 1998 under the name of SVIATOGOR , with engines 1 500 cm ³ UZAM, 1 600 cm ³ Lada, 1 700 cm ³ UZAM or Renault 2 L. The long version is called Yuri Dolgorukiy . In 1990 and 1991, the 1 800 cm ³ diesel of Ford developing 60 ch were assembled for export. The 2142 is a version 4 doors of the 2141 motorized by one 2 L Renault, 8 valves of 113 ch or 145 ch for the 16 valves and is called Prince Vladimir for the long version, Ivan Kalita for the luxurious version.

1997: launching of the station-wagon “2901”

DUET is a version crossed of KALITA .

Since 2002, AZLK is in bankruptcy and does not produce anything any more. The goods of the factory were spent on sale in May 2005.

March 2006: liquidation of MOSKVITCH.

Sources

Text resulting from the site http://www.molodoi.fr.fm/ (with the authorization of the author)

See too

the inland waterway vessel Moskvitch.

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