ZAZ Zaporozhets History

The Zaporozhets was born of a Soviet directive to provide a truly affordable vehicle for ordinary citizens. Development began in the late 1950s by NAMI, drawing inspiration from the Fiat 600 and the Volkswagen Beetle's rear-engine layout. The first production car, the ZAZ-965, rolled off the Kommunar plant's line on 25 October 1960, powered by a 746 cc air-cooled MeMZ V4 producing 23 hp. Its rounded 'humpbacked' bodywork and diminutive size made it instantly recognizable — and the subject of endless Soviet-era jokes — but it genuinely mobilised millions of families who could not afford the larger Moskvitch or Volga.

The second generation, the ZAZ-966, arrived in late 1966 with a completely restyled body that contemporaries compared to the Chevrolet Corvair and NSU Prinz — its distinctive twin side-mounted air scoops feeding the relocated rear engine. A more powerful 1,197 cc MeMZ-968 V4 delivering 40 PS was added in the ZAZ-966B. The final evolution, the ZAZ-968M ('Modernised'), entered production in 1979 and deleted the side scoops for a simpler boxier look; it remained in production until 1 June 1994. In total, approximately 3.4 million Zaporozhets cars were manufactured across all variants between 1960 and 1994.

The Zaporozhets held a notable social role in the USSR: it was one of the few cars available at a reduced price — or free — to disabled veterans and people with disabilities, many of whom could operate hand-controlled versions. This gave the car a dual cultural identity as both a butt of jokes and a genuine lifeline for its most vulnerable owners.