ZIL ZIL-114 History

The ZIL-114 replaced the ZIL-111 in 1967 as the Soviet Union's premier state limousine, designed to carry Politburo members in appropriately imposing fashion during the Brezhnev era. It was powered by a hand-built 7.0-liter pushrod V8 producing approximately 300 hp, paired with a two- or three-speed automatic transmission, and capable of around 190 km/h despite weighing over 3,000 kg.

Leonid Brezhnev — personally passionate about automobiles — was the ZIL-114's most prominent user and repeatedly requested updates and modifications to his personal examples. The car appeared in international state processions, Red Square parades, and summit meetings throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, becoming the definitive visual symbol of Soviet top leadership.

A shorter-wheelbase variant, the ZIL-117, was developed from the same platform from 1971 onward for senior officials who did not warrant the full-length limousine. Approximately 113 to 150 ZIL-114 examples were built across the production run before it was replaced by the ZIL-4104 in 1978.