UAZ or Ulyanovsky Avtomobilny Zavod (Russian: Ульяновский автомобильный завод, УАЗ, romanized:Ulyanovsky avtomobilny zavod, UAZ, lit.'Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant') is an automobile manufacturer based in Ulyanovsk, Russia, which manufactures off-road vehicles, buses and trucks. It has been part of the Sollers automotive group since 2000.[2]
UAZ is best known for the UAZ-469 utility vehicle, which has seen wide use as a military vehicle in the Eastern bloc and around the world. The UAZ factory started production in 1941 as part of the Soviet war effort. 51,706 UAZ vehicles were produced in 2016.[3]
History
War and postwar
The Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant was founded in 1941 as a direct result of the German invasion of the Soviet Union. In response to this threat, the government of Joseph Stalin ordered the evacuation of strategically crucial industrial centers to the East. By October 1941, the rapid German drive to Moscow, triggered the decision to relocate the Moscow automotive manufacturer ZIS to the Volga town of Ulyanovsk. The town, already a nascent industrial center with a sufficiently developed infrastructure and a good supply of skilled workers, would be an ideal location for the reconstituted factory. It was also safely out of reach of the German army. At that time of its founding, the plant was considered a subsidiary of ZIS. By 1942, the plant began production of artillery shells and automobiles. The first vehicle produced at the plant was the ZIS-5 three-ton truck.
In 1943, when the prospect of a German victory had become far less likely, it was decided the relocated plant would remain in Ulyanovsk and be separated administratively from ZIS, which would be rebuilt in Moscow from scratch. This was in line with the Soviet post-war policy regarding various relocated industrial operations. It was considered more efficient to leave the newly built plants as is, while the original plants, provided they survived the war were outfitted anew, frequently with captured German machinery. At the end of 1944, the production of the ZIS-5 was transferred to The Ural Automotive Plant in Miass, while the Ulyanovsk plant began producing the smaller GAZ-AA in 1947.[4] UAZ developed a prototype 1.5-tonne truck in 1948, using the ubiquitous 50hp (37kW; 51PS)2,112cc (129cuin)inline four of the Pobeda; this, the UAZ-300, was never built, due to a lack of production capacity.[4] In 1954, production was expanded to include the GAZ-69, and the first batches were assembled from GAZ parts.[5] Two years later, the factory was not just assembling GAZ-69s from parts delivered elsewhere, but manufacturing them in their entirety.
The connection with GAZ led UAZ to be the top Soviet manufacturer of four-wheel drive vehicles.[4]
Golden age
UAZ began its growth away from being a mere assembler in 1954, with the creation of its own design office.[6] It was this office, responding to a request from the Red Army, that in 1955 created a forward control van project, codenamed "Forty", on the GAZ-69 chassis.[6] This became the UAZ-450, the first Soviet "cabover" truck.[6] The prototype appeared in 1956, and was tested in both the Caucasus Mountains and the Crimea.[6] Its loaded weight was 2.7 tonnes, and it, like all the UAZ-450 series vehicles, was powered by a 62hp (46kW; 63PS) low-compression2,432cc (148.4cuin) inline-four (based on the ubiquitous Pobeda's, but with an 88mm (3.5in)bore, rather than 82mm (3.2in)), and the Pobeda's three-speed transmission, while the transfer case, drive axles, leaf springs, and drum brakes came from the GAZ-69.[6]
In 1958, UAZ began production of the UAZ-450 series of trucks and vans. The first model was the UAZ-450A ambulance; with room for two stretchers and four-wheel drive, it was arguably the best in the world for use in remote areas.[6] It was followed by the UAZ-450D drop-side pickup, which had an 800kg (1,800lb) payload; the UAZ-450 van, with a 750kg (1,650lb) payload; and the 11-seat UAZ-450V microbus.[6] All the UAZ-450 series were capable of disconnecting the front drive axle and of reaching 56mph (90km/h), achieving fuel economy of 14L/100km (17mpg‑US; 20mpg‑imp), and of towing an 850kg (1,870lb) trailer.[6]
A two-wheel drive variant of the UAZ-450 was announced on 12 December 1961, with the UAZ-450's 2,300mm (91in)wheelbase and engine, as the UAZ-451 (van), UAZ-451D (drop-side pickup), UAZ-451A (ambulance), and UAZ-451B (minibus).[7] The ambulance spawned a prototype UAZ-452GP with hydropneumatic suspension, to enable it to cross rough ground at high speed, following on the work done by Citroën on the DS19.[7] The system proved very successful on trials, but it was rejected by the Soviet Army as too complicated, and so never entered production.[8]
In 1966, the UAZ-451s were updated with a 70hp (52kW; 71PS)2,432cc (148.4cuin) inline-four (still based on the Pobeda's), four-speed gearbox, and minor detail changes, plus a stronger chassis (and so higher payload).[8] The models were a redesignated UAZ-451M (van, with an 800kg (1,800lb) payload) and a UAZ-451DM (pickup, with a 1,000kg (2,200lb) payload).[8] Maximum speed was 59mph (95km/h).[8]
In 1966, the four-wheel drives were renumbered UAZ-452 (van), UAZ-452D (pickup), UAZ-452V (minibus), UAZ-452A and UAZ-452G (both ambulances, with different patient capacities).[8] There was also the UAZ-452S ambulance, specially designed for Arctic conditions, with more heating capacity, double-glazed windows, and insulation; they proved able to keep a 30°C interior temperature in −60°C outside conditions.[9] The UAZ-452 was able to cross 50cm (20in) of snow and carry an 800kg (1,800lb) load.[10] The UAZ-452s would go on to become a workhorse of Soviet agriculture and police, with the pickup proving a popular commercial vehicle.[11] Export versions of the UAZ-452D were called Trekmaster when sold in Britain, but never in large numbers; there was also a version with a British-built dump body, the Tipmaster.[12]
The UAZ-451S was a snow-crossing variant with front skis and rear tracks; it was never produced in quantity, nor was the UAZ-451S2, which had tracks at front and rear.[12] The UAZ-452 also served as the basis for an articulated model, the UAZ-452P, that was never put into production.[10]
In 1972 the well-regarded, but outdated, GAZ-69 was replaced by the more modern UAZ-469. This was developed from the UAZ-471 of 1958 (with four-wheel independent suspension, which proved too complex)[13] and the UAZ-460.[14] The UAZ-469 was a sturdy, but not-so-comfortable vehicle with the ability to overcome virtually any terrain, while also providing ease of maintenance. The UAZ-469 was not made available to the civilian market until the late 1980s, before which time it was built exclusively for police and military use, as well as heads of agricultural enterprises (kolhozes and sovkhozes). A commercially available variant was produced by the Lutzk Automotive Works.
Later years
UAZ headquarters buildingUAZ-469 stella at UAZ plant in Ulyanovsk
On 5 August 1997, the new UAZ-3160 went into production and received a gold medal at an international fair in Yekaterinburg. The car was used as the basis for the later Simbir and UAZ-3163.[15]
In March 2003, UAZ opened an assembly line in Vietnam. On 20 November, the company produced the last UAZ-31512 and the first UAZ Hunter.[15]
On 17 August 2005, the first UAZ Patriots rolled off the assembly line. They had new suspension, transmission and steering control and became the first brand new models of UAZ since the fall of the Soviet Union. The same year the assembly line had undergone a large-scale modernization. The company signed contracts with foreign suppliers and used a significant number of foreign components in its newest vehicles.[15]
In the following years UAZ introduced a number of additional options and improvements in its vehicles, such as the better heating and ventilation of the passenger compartment, engine cooling system, together with Lukoil introduced a new line of motor oils for its cars, offered Ivecodiesel engines and launched the UAZ Cargo, a light commercial truck based on the UAZ Patriot.[15]
In 2012, the Patriot and the Pickup received a new engine, ZMZ Euro-4 with European on-board diagnostics, which became the first Russian diesel engine to meet the Euro-4 Standard published in 1998. 2013 was the banner year for UAZ, with export sales increasing by 37% since 2012. The next year the sales of the Patriot rose by 10%, and the company was visited by Premier Dmitry Medvedev.[15]
During a test drive in 2014, a UAZ Patriot crossed winter roads and frozen tundra of the Sakha Republic and reached one of the northernmost Russian ports at Tiksi, being the first car to cross the 73rd parallel north moving under its own power.[15]
In January 2015, the sales increased by 3%. A UAZ Patriot support vehicle took part in the 2015 Dakar Rally, crossing the route of 9,295km through Bolivia, Chile and Peru. The company finished the production of special series of UAZ Hunters, which were to be replaced by newer models; these Hunters were a limited edition and had airbrushed artistic paintings on them commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory in World War II. In August the UAZ Patriot received new upgrades, including new paint colors, 18-inch wheels, interiors, frameless wiper blades, etc. The same year UAZ trucks were present at the Moscow Off-Road Show 2015, Interpolitech-2015 and ComTrans-2015 exhibitions.[15]
In May 2023, Izvestia reported that UAZ would shortly launch knock down production of vehicles in Cuba, as a result of negotiations between Russian and Cuban enterprises.[17][18] Service centers for the repair and maintenance of these vehicles would also be set up in the country. The Cuban side of the delegation was reportedly the most interested in UAZ Profi delivery vehicles, as well as ambulances based on the UAZ Classic. The first batch of machine kits will go to Cuba in July–August 2023. UAZ further stated that vehicle production would increase by 2,000 units, as well as increase employee wages by 12%.[19]
In June 2023, UAZ announced plans to launch a limited anniversary edition of the UAZ Classic.[20][21]
GAZ or Gorkovsky avtomobilny zavod is a Russian automotive manufacturer located in Nizhny Novgorod, formerly known as Gorky (Горький) (1932–1990). It is the core subsidiary of GAZ Group Holding, which is itself part of Basic Element industrial group. JSC Russian Machines is the controlling shareholder in OAO GAZ.
The Riga Autobus Factory was a factory in Jelgava, Latvia, making vans and minibuses under the brand name Latvija.
The GAZ-51 was a Soviet truck manufactured by GAZ. Its first prototypes were produced before the end of World War II, and the truck ended up using a heavily modified version of the Studebaker US6 cab, which was supplied to the Soviet Union in large quantities with the Lend-Lease agreement, although the chassis was completely new.
The GAZelle is a series of light commercial vehicle—pickup trucks, vans and minibuses—made by Russian car manufacturer GAZ. At the time of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and transition to a market economy, the Russian automobile industry had not produced a much-demanded LCV similar to the Ford Transit or VW T4 class. The GAZelle shares many parts with the company's passenger cars ; in fact, models produced until 1998 had the same grille. Riga Autobus Factory, which formerly manufactured minibuses for the whole USSR, remained in Latvia, and now required its vehicles be sold to the now-foreign Russian market for hard currency. Responding to this market opportunity, GAZ swiftly developed its own LCV called GAZelle, which, taken together with its lighter version, Sobol, now account for the majority of the Russian van and light truck market and have strong positions in the markets of other CIS countries, ranking as GAZ's most popular and successful products.
The GAZ-69 is a Soviet four-wheel drive off-road vehicle produced by GAZ between 1953 and 1956 and then by UAZ between 1956 and 1972, though all of these light truck class vehicles were known as GAZ-69s. It was also produced in Romania until 1975.
The GAZ-M20 "Pobeda" is a passenger car produced in the Soviet Union by GAZ from 1946 until 1958. It was also licensed to the Polish Passenger Automobile Factory and produced there as the FSO Warszawa; it may still produced in Cambodia. Although usually known as the GAZ-M20, an original car's designation at that time was just M-20: M for "Molotovets".
The ZIM-12 was a Soviet full-size luxury car produced by the Gorky Automotive Plant (GAZ) from 1950 until 1960. It was the first executive car produced by GAZ and the first one to have the famous leaping gazelle hood ornament. The car was built to serve high and medium rank Soviet nomenklatura, but was also readily available as a taxi and ambulance. Unlike its successors, ZIM was the only Soviet executive class full-size car that was actually made available for private ownership. A total of 21,527 examples were built.
LuAZ was a Ukrainian automobile manufacturer in the city of Lutsk built in the Soviet Union. Since 2009 it has been known as Bogdan Motors Automobile Assembly Plant No. 1.
The automotive industry in the Soviet Union spanned the history of the state from 1929 to 1991. It started with the establishment of large car manufacturing plants and reorganisation of the AMO Factory in Moscow in the late 1920s–early 1930s, during the first five-year plan, and continued until the Soviet Union's dissolution in 1991.
The UAZ-469 is an off-road military light utility vehicle manufactured by UAZ since 1971. It was used by Soviet and other Warsaw Pact armed forces, as well as paramilitary units in Eastern Bloc countries. In the Soviet Union, it also saw widespread service in state organizations that needed a robust and durable off-road vehicle. Standard military versions included seating for seven personnel.
The UAZ Patriot is a mid-size body-on-frame SUV produced by the UAZ division of SeverstalAvto in Ulyanovsk, Russia. It was introduced in 2005 and replaced the older UAZ Simbir (UAZ-3162). Extensive use of newer parts, large carrying capacity, good off-road capabilities and an affordable price predicted good sales in Russia. 12,011 units were sold in the year 2007.
The GAZ M21 Volga is an automobile produced in the Soviet Union by GAZ from 1956 to 1970. The first car to carry the Volga name, it was developed in the early 1950s. Volgas were built with high ground clearance, rugged suspension, strong and forgiving engine, and rustproofing on a scale unheard of in the 1950s.
The ZIS-5 was a 4x2 Soviet truck produced by Moscow ZIS factory from 1932 to 1948.
The UAZ-452 is a family of four wheel drive off-road vans and light trucks with body-on-frame construction and cab over engine design, built by the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant (UAZ) since 1965. Originally designed for the Soviet military, since 1985 the vans received updates: more modern engines and internationally compliant lighting, as well as new model numbers, UAZ-3741 for the standard van, while (crew-cab) trucks mostly starting with UAZ-3303, often with one or two extra digits specifying the version. From 1997, bigger UAZ-33036 truck variants with a 25 cm (10 in) longer wheelbase, and taller soft-top roof bows and drop-sides were added.
The Krasnodar mechanical plant of non-standard equipment, commonly known as AvtoKuban, was a Soviet/Russian company that manufactured buses based on truck chassis.
The UAZ Simbir, or UAZ-3162, is a model of off-road vehicle produced by the Russian company UAZ between 2000 and 2005. This car is a completely new model in relation to the UAZ-469 and modifications based on it. It is essentially a rebodied extended wheelbase UAZ-3160. On August 5, 1997 the first prototype of the UAZ-3160 was rolled off the assembly line. April 27, 2000 saw the first production sample UAZ-3162 Simbir featuring a long wheelbase and new Spicer axles from the UAZ-3160.
The UAZ Simba is a UAZ designed 4×2 or 4×4 wheel drive minivan concept. The Simba has a wheelbase of 3,000 mm (120 in) and is a combination of a 7-9-person van and an SUV. It shares many common components with UAZ-3162 SUV. Simba family prototypes were shown at the Moscow Auto Salon from 1999 to 2005, but did not reach production for financial reasons.
The GAZ-AA is a truck produced at the Gorky Auto Plant in the Soviet Union from 1932 to 1938, and was the factory's first truck produced under the GAZ brand. Russian-speakers often refer to it as a polutorka (полуторка) - meaning "one-and-a halfer", with reference to its carrying capacity of 1.5 tonnes.
The GAZ-A is a passenger car that was mass-produced by GAZ from 1932 until 1936. It was the first passenger car to be produced in the Soviet Union and is a near-exact copy of the Ford Model A from 1930. To the local population, the car was nicknamed "Gazik".
The UralZIS-355M is a truck that was produced by Ural from 1957 or 1958 to 1965. The truck replaced several versions of the ZIS-5 that were produced by the manufacturer after World War II. It was replaced because the Ural-plant specialized in the production of heavy all-wheel-drive trucks like the Ural-375. From 1961 to 1965 the truck was named Ural-355M due to De-Stalinization.
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