Aleko
Encyclopedia
The Moskvitch 2141, commonly referred to as simply Aleko (Russian
: "АЛЕКО", derivative from factory name "Автомобильный завод имени Ленинского Комсомола", Aftomobilnyi zavod imeni Leninskogo Komsomola, meaning "Automotive Factory of Lenin's Komsomol
"), is a Russia
n small class, third group hatchback
car
that was first announced in 1985 and manufactured to mostly the Eastern Bloc
countries between 1986 and 2000 (gradually replaced in 2001 by its sedan body version, Moskvitch 2142
, which never was produced in large guantities and which worldwide sales wasn't even started) by the now bankrupt Moskvitch Stock Company
, based in Moscow
, Russia.
Aleko was a huge improvement over previous Moskvitch models, which were dependable but old-fashioned saloons and station wagon
s (estates) with rear-wheel drive and a solid rear axle. In fact, Aleko had no common parts with previous models apart from the engine and some other minor details and parts.
For Moskvitch, Aleko was innovative, having front-wheel drive
, a hatchback
body style, McPherson strut front suspension and torsion-crank rear suspension. The wheelbase
went up almost 20 centimetres (7.9 in), the body got 14 centimetres (5.5 in) wider, the wheel size went up one inch (14 inches). The car became more spacious, comfortable and safe. For the first time in the history of Russian car making, the car's profile was optimized for aerodynamics, with the help of Russian and French
aircraft
and space engineer
s. The officially reported by factory drag coefficient
is 0.35.
The car originated as a front-wheel drive "proof of concept", based on foreign models. In the late 1970s Moskvitch bought about two dozen compact cars built by different manufacturers, and thoroughly tested them. French and Swedish
cars were favored for their utility and reliability. The final decision was made by the Minister of Automobile Industry, who surprisingly for the factory chose the French Simca 1307
as the best candidate for the Russian market.
Engineers modified an existing Moskvitch engine for front-wheel drive layout and fitted the drivetrain into the Simca. For this an Audi 100 as a model car was used (http://www.my-azlk.ru/m2141xr.php). After the tests were successfully completed, it was decided by the rights to copy the Simca 1307 bodyshell almost entirely, starting from the A-pillar. While this decision helped to cut the development costs, it came as an insult to engineers and designers, who had their own mock-ups of future car ready. The morale of the staff had been damaged, and Aleko never became a beloved project among Moskvitch engineers (testimony by the Chief Designer of the Moskvitch Stock Company at the time, Igor Zaitsev. Autoreview, 2002, #5, in Russian)
The existing engine was too long for transverse placement, so it was placed longitudinally, like on the Audi 80
/100
series. Many ideas and design decisions were borrowed from Audi cars (which ones were bought into factory also), including torsion-crank rear suspension, McPherson strut front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and a collapsible steering column. The spare tyre was located underneath the boot and was accessible from outside, in the tradition of French cars. As with Audis, zinc
coating of doors and body floor was also planned, but it was actually done only for small quantity of the cars.
Despite "second-hand" styling and design, the Aleko turned out to be quite a breakthrough for the Russian automotive industry. Its body design was modern compared to the obsolete looking "angular" Lada Samara
. It almost became the first production front-wheel drive car of Russia, but after development it took a further two years for Moskvitch to setup the manufacturing, and the Lada Samara arrived first.
Despite the better and more comfortable design from Samara the very low assembling quality of Aleko (one particular car, for example, had horn switches in the steering wheel completely missing) resulted to a low reputation of this car in the markets.
The positive features of this car were robustness of construction, handiness in repairing works. Aleko has high "off-road" driving capabilities also.
Aleko was sold mostly on the domestic market, but in the late 1980s it was exported too. In some export markets, including France & Germany, the cars were advertised as the Lada
Aleko, and diesel engines from Ford
and Indenor could be delivered in addition to the standard petrol engines. The Aleko was also assembled in Bulgaria under licence for a brief period in the late 1980's.
Some of the last Moskvitch models to be built were the somewhat upgraded Aleko which was renamed to Svjatogor (models M-214122, M-214100, M-214145) and the M-2142, Dolgorukij, (1997–2002), were also based on the design of M-2141.
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
: "АЛЕКО", derivative from factory name "Автомобильный завод имени Ленинского Комсомола", Aftomobilnyi zavod imeni Leninskogo Komsomola, meaning "Automotive Factory of Lenin's Komsomol
Komsomol
The Communist Union of Youth , usually known as Komsomol , was the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Komsomol in its earliest form was established in urban centers in 1918. During the early years, it was a Russian organization, known as the Russian Communist Union of...
"), is a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n small class, third group hatchback
Hatchback
A Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...
car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
that was first announced in 1985 and manufactured to mostly the Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
countries between 1986 and 2000 (gradually replaced in 2001 by its sedan body version, Moskvitch 2142
Moskvitch 2142
The Moskvitch 2142 was a line of cars produced by AZLK's Moskvitch division from 1998-2002.Three versions of the 2142 were marketed: the Knjaz Vladimir, Ivan Kalita, and the Duet, which was introduced several years later. The Knjaz Vladimir was less-expensive than the more upscale Ivan Kalita, both...
, which never was produced in large guantities and which worldwide sales wasn't even started) by the now bankrupt Moskvitch Stock Company
Moskvitch
Moskvitch was an automobile brand from Russia produced by AZLK from 1945 to 1991 and by OAO Moskvitch from 1991 to 2002...
, based in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia.
Aleko was a huge improvement over previous Moskvitch models, which were dependable but old-fashioned saloons and station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
s (estates) with rear-wheel drive and a solid rear axle. In fact, Aleko had no common parts with previous models apart from the engine and some other minor details and parts.
For Moskvitch, Aleko was innovative, having front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive is a form of engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel drive and...
, a hatchback
Hatchback
A Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...
body style, McPherson strut front suspension and torsion-crank rear suspension. The wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
went up almost 20 centimetres (7.9 in), the body got 14 centimetres (5.5 in) wider, the wheel size went up one inch (14 inches). The car became more spacious, comfortable and safe. For the first time in the history of Russian car making, the car's profile was optimized for aerodynamics, with the help of Russian and French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
and space engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
s. The officially reported by factory drag coefficient
Drag coefficient
In fluid dynamics, the drag coefficient is a dimensionless quantity that is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment such as air or water. It is used in the drag equation, where a lower drag coefficient indicates the object will have less aerodynamic or...
is 0.35.
The car originated as a front-wheel drive "proof of concept", based on foreign models. In the late 1970s Moskvitch bought about two dozen compact cars built by different manufacturers, and thoroughly tested them. French and Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
cars were favored for their utility and reliability. The final decision was made by the Minister of Automobile Industry, who surprisingly for the factory chose the French Simca 1307
Simca 1307
The Simca 1307 was the name under which Chrysler Europe launched its new large family car in July 1975.A modern, front-wheel drive hatchback, it was one of the first such cars in that class, along with the Volkswagen Passat, and became the 1976 European Car of the Year...
as the best candidate for the Russian market.
Engineers modified an existing Moskvitch engine for front-wheel drive layout and fitted the drivetrain into the Simca. For this an Audi 100 as a model car was used (http://www.my-azlk.ru/m2141xr.php). After the tests were successfully completed, it was decided by the rights to copy the Simca 1307 bodyshell almost entirely, starting from the A-pillar. While this decision helped to cut the development costs, it came as an insult to engineers and designers, who had their own mock-ups of future car ready. The morale of the staff had been damaged, and Aleko never became a beloved project among Moskvitch engineers (testimony by the Chief Designer of the Moskvitch Stock Company at the time, Igor Zaitsev. Autoreview, 2002, #5, in Russian)
The existing engine was too long for transverse placement, so it was placed longitudinally, like on the Audi 80
Audi 80
The Audi 80 is a compact executive car produced by the German car manufacturer Audi, from 1966 to 1996. It shared its platform with the Volkswagen Passat from 1973 to 1986 and was available as a saloon car/sedan, and an Avant...
/100
Audi 100
The restyled C2 Audi 100 was launched in 1976, with an in-line five-cylinder engine...
series. Many ideas and design decisions were borrowed from Audi cars (which ones were bought into factory also), including torsion-crank rear suspension, McPherson strut front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and a collapsible steering column. The spare tyre was located underneath the boot and was accessible from outside, in the tradition of French cars. As with Audis, zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
coating of doors and body floor was also planned, but it was actually done only for small quantity of the cars.
Lada Samara
The Lada Samara or VAZ-2108 is an economy car produced by Soviet/Russian vehicle manufacturer AvtoVAZ's Lada brand, from 1984 until 2004. The brand name Samara originally was used only for exported models, in Russia the same model was called "Sputnik" , until 1991, when the sedan version of Samara...
. It almost became the first production front-wheel drive car of Russia, but after development it took a further two years for Moskvitch to setup the manufacturing, and the Lada Samara arrived first.
Despite the better and more comfortable design from Samara the very low assembling quality of Aleko (one particular car, for example, had horn switches in the steering wheel completely missing) resulted to a low reputation of this car in the markets.
The positive features of this car were robustness of construction, handiness in repairing works. Aleko has high "off-road" driving capabilities also.
Lada
Lada is a trademark of AvtoVAZ, a Russian car manufacturer in Tolyatti, Samara Oblast. All AvtoVAZ vehicles are currently sold under the Lada brand, though this was not always so; Lada was originally AvtoVAZ's export brand for models it sold under the Zhiguli name in the domestic Soviet market...
Aleko, and diesel engines from Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
and Indenor could be delivered in addition to the standard petrol engines. The Aleko was also assembled in Bulgaria under licence for a brief period in the late 1980's.
Some of the last Moskvitch models to be built were the somewhat upgraded Aleko which was renamed to Svjatogor (models M-214122, M-214100, M-214145) and the M-2142, Dolgorukij, (1997–2002), were also based on the design of M-2141.
Alternative names of the original car and modifications
- Aleko 141 (for foreign market)
- Moskvich-2141 (for domestic market, in Latin alphabetLatin alphabetThe Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
) - Москвич-2141 (for domestic market, in Russian Cyrillic alphabetCyrillic alphabetThe Cyrillic script or azbuka is an alphabetic writing system developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 10th century AD at the Preslav Literary School...
) - AZLK-2141 (for domestic market, in Latin alphabet)
- АЗЛК-2141 (for domestic market, in Russian Cyrillic alphabet)
- Svjatogor (since 1997, for domestic market, in Latin alphabet)
- Святогор (since 1997, for domestic market, in Russian Cyrillic alphabet)