GAZ Model History

Russia · founded 1932

Russia's historic Gorky Automobile Plant — maker of the iconic Volga, the opulent Chaika, and the ubiquitous GAZelle van since 1932.

Models

GAZ-A

The Gorky plant's first passenger car — a Soviet-built Ford Model A derivative that inaugurated GAZ in 1932.

Sedan · 1932–1936
GAZ-M1

The 'Emka' — the Soviet Union's standard government and staff car of the late 1930s and World War II era.

Sedan · 1936–1943
GAZ-M20 Pobeda

The 'Victory' sedan — the Soviet Union's first fully indigenous, modern post-war passenger car, and a milestone of Soviet engineering.

Sedan · 1946–1958
GAZ Volga

The Volga — the Soviet Union's most iconic executive sedan, produced across multiple generations from 1956 to 2010.

Executive car · 1956–2010
GAZ Chaika

The 'Seagull' — GAZ's opulent government limousine, one step below the ZIL, reserved for senior Soviet officials.

Luxury car · 1959–1988
GAZ-69

The Soviet Jeep — a rugged 4×4 military utility vehicle that became standard issue across the Eastern Bloc.

Off-road vehicle · 1953–1956
GAZelle

The GAZelle van — Russia's answer to the Ford Transit, launched in 1994 and still the country's dominant light commercial vehicle.

Light commercial vehicle · 1994–present
Volga Siber

GAZ's last-ever passenger car — a Chrysler Sebring-based sedan that lasted only three model years before the 2008 financial crisis killed it.

Mid-size car · 2008–2010

Other makes