Lada Oka
Encyclopedia
VAZ-1111 Oka is a city car
designed in Russia
in 1988 by AvtoVAZ
featuring a 750 cc SOHC 2-cylinder engine. The car was developed by AutoVAZ, but it has never entered volume production there. All production was sourced to SeAZ
factory in Serpukhov
and ZMA
in Naberezhnye Chelny
(formerly owned by Kamaz
and now owned by SeverstalAvto
). There were plans to start production at the new plant in Yelabuga
which never materialized. The car is also produced in Azerbaijan
by the Gyandzha Auto Plant. The name comes from the Oka River
in Russia upon which Serpukhov
is situated.
" and served its purpose for almost ten years as a low-end transportation, although it was occasionally the butt of cruel jokes. There was only one Soviet car more basic, and that was a special vehicle for disabled people, SZD
. Initially, when Serpukhov factory engineers came up with the project for Oka, they turned to their VAZ colleagues.
The tiny car was to be a replacement for the SZD
and featured a simple motorcycle engine. Andrei Rozov, one of the lead VAZ engineers, designed a new one from scratch, but then decision was made to implement the "chopped in half" VAZ 2108 4-cylinder engine instead. It was 1983, and the first Soviet front-wheel drive automobile, the 2108, was ready to hit the market; so the Oka initiative quickly became the next "people's car" project, the one that "every factory engineer can afford".
The inspiration for Yuri Vereschagin, VAZ
exterior designer that created Oka, came from Japanese Daihatsu Cuore. Tightly restricted by project specifications, he did his work hardly believing that the car is going to make it to serial production.
Nevertheless, its comparatively satisfactory technical characteristics and low price (as of now, it sells for about $3500) allowed it to lead a prolific career in the turbulent years to come.
At the 1989 Moscow International Motor Show
, VAZ exhibited a battery-electric version known as the VAZ-111E. The car was produced on a direct order basis until 1998. The 120V worth of batteries were stored in the engine bay, beneath the seats and in the cargo bay, giving the car a range of approximately 100km.
As of 2006, there are four versions of Oka distributed: basic VAZ 11113 Oka made by either ZMA (Naberezhnye Chelny
) or SeAZ factory (33 hp, 125 km/h (78 mph) max, 3.2 litres per 100 km), "custom" VAZ 11301 Astro (49 hp) and VAZ 11113-27 Toyma - commercial use subcompact with a cargo compartment instead of two rear seats.
Its small size and weight (635 kilograms), however, gives birth to a multitude of funny (and often true) stories involving several men carrying Oka away from its parking place.
Special modifications for disabled people (missing one or both legs or one arm) were being distributed for free via social care system in Russia.
Like its brethren VW Beetle
, it often attracts the sentiment of the owner, so various customized and tuned versions are inevitably exhibited at local exotic cars festivals.
There is a restyling scheduled by the manufacturing company for 2007; it will not affect anything besides the bodyworks, lights, interior design and features. Reportedly, there are no positive prospects for Oka-2 and Oka-3, Lada's concept city cars in development for years.
company called Oka Auto USA, based in Las Vegas, Nevada
, offers electrically powered Okas for the US neighborhood electric vehicle
(NEV) market called the Oka NEV ZEV
. To conform to NEV regulations, the electric Oka's speed is limited to 25 mph.http://www.okaauto.com/okanev.htm
City car
A city car is a small car intended for use primarily in an urban area.City cars are sold worldwide and most automotive industry manufacturers have one or two in their line-up. In North-America city cars are often referred to simply as "subcompacts" alongside the superminis. These kind of cars...
designed in 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...
in 1988 by AvtoVAZ
AvtoVAZ
AvtoVAZ is the Russian automobile manufacturer formerly known as VAZ: Volzhsky Avtomobilny Zavod , but better known to the world under the trade name Lada. The company was established in the late 1960s in collaboration with Fiat...
featuring a 750 cc SOHC 2-cylinder engine. The car was developed by AutoVAZ, but it has never entered volume production there. All production was sourced to SeAZ
SeAZ
SeAZ is a large engineering plant in Serpukhov, Russia. The company was founded on July 7, 1939 by order of the People's Commissar of General Engineering Industry and by the head of Glavmotoveloprom, concerning production of small capacity motorcycles...
factory in Serpukhov
Serpukhov
Serpukhov is a city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, which is situated at the confluence of the Oka and the Nara Rivers. It is located south from Moscow on the Moscow—Simferopol highway. The Moscow—Tula railway passes through the town. Population: -History:...
and ZMA
ZMA (factory)
ZMA is a Russian car maker located in Naberezhnye Chelny, Republic of Tatarstan. It produces Oka micro-car under VAZ license. Most of the stock was owned by KamAZ, until March 2005 when SeverstalAvto bought the factory...
in Naberezhnye Chelny
Naberezhnye Chelny
Naberezhnye Chelny is the second largest city in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia.A major industrial center, Naberezhnye Chelny stands on the Kama River some 225 km east of Kazan near Nizhnekamsk Reservoir. It serves as the administrative center of Tukayevsky District, although it is not...
(formerly owned by Kamaz
Kamaz
KAMAZ is a Russian truck manufacturer located in Naberezhnye Chelny, Tatarstan, Russian Federation. KAMAZ opened their doors in 1976...
and now owned by SeverstalAvto
SeverstalAvto
Sollers formerly known as OAO Severstal-Auto is a Russian company holding controlling blocks of shares of OAO Ulyanovsk Automobile Works , OAO Zavolzhye Motor Works and OAO ZMA...
). There were plans to start production at the new plant in Yelabuga
Yelabuga
Yelabuga The history of the settlement dates back to the 11th century, when a Volga Bulgarian border castle was established. The castle was later abandoned, and its remains are now known as Şaytan qalası ....
which never materialized. The car is also produced in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
by the Gyandzha Auto Plant. The name comes from the Oka River
Oka River
Oka is a river in central Russia, the largest right tributary of the Volga. It flows through the regions of Oryol, Tula, Kaluga, Moscow, Ryazan, Vladimir, and Nizhny Novgorod and is navigable over a large part of its total length, as far upstream as to the town of Kaluga. Its length exceeds...
in Russia upon which Serpukhov
Serpukhov
Serpukhov is a city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, which is situated at the confluence of the Oka and the Nara Rivers. It is located south from Moscow on the Moscow—Simferopol highway. The Moscow—Tula railway passes through the town. Population: -History:...
is situated.
History
This extremely cheap, lightweight and simple car replaced the ZAZ Zaporozhets, which had been developed in 1975 as the "people's carPeople's Car
People's Car may refer to:* the nickname of Tatra V570* the English translation of the German automaker Volkswagen's name* the nickname of the Tata Nano, a US$2,500 economy car by Indian carmaker Tata Motors...
" and served its purpose for almost ten years as a low-end transportation, although it was occasionally the butt of cruel jokes. There was only one Soviet car more basic, and that was a special vehicle for disabled people, SZD
SZ cycle-car
The SMZ cycle car was a Soviet microcar, manufactured in Serpukhov, Russia by Serpukhov Motor Works , now SeAZ. The most common models were the S-3A and S-3D...
. Initially, when Serpukhov factory engineers came up with the project for Oka, they turned to their VAZ colleagues.
The tiny car was to be a replacement for the SZD
SZ cycle-car
The SMZ cycle car was a Soviet microcar, manufactured in Serpukhov, Russia by Serpukhov Motor Works , now SeAZ. The most common models were the S-3A and S-3D...
and featured a simple motorcycle engine. Andrei Rozov, one of the lead VAZ engineers, designed a new one from scratch, but then decision was made to implement the "chopped in half" VAZ 2108 4-cylinder engine instead. It was 1983, and the first Soviet front-wheel drive automobile, the 2108, was ready to hit the market; so the Oka initiative quickly became the next "people's car" project, the one that "every factory engineer can afford".
The inspiration for Yuri Vereschagin, VAZ
AvtoVAZ
AvtoVAZ is the Russian automobile manufacturer formerly known as VAZ: Volzhsky Avtomobilny Zavod , but better known to the world under the trade name Lada. The company was established in the late 1960s in collaboration with Fiat...
exterior designer that created Oka, came from Japanese Daihatsu Cuore. Tightly restricted by project specifications, he did his work hardly believing that the car is going to make it to serial production.
Nevertheless, its comparatively satisfactory technical characteristics and low price (as of now, it sells for about $3500) allowed it to lead a prolific career in the turbulent years to come.
At the 1989 Moscow International Motor Show
Moscow International Motor Show
The Moscow International Motor Show or MIMS is the annual autoshow in Moscow, Russia.- History :The first motor show occurred in Moscow in 1992 at "Krasnay Presnya" ExpoCenter.From 2008, the motor show is situated at Crocus Expo.-2010:...
, VAZ exhibited a battery-electric version known as the VAZ-111E. The car was produced on a direct order basis until 1998. The 120V worth of batteries were stored in the engine bay, beneath the seats and in the cargo bay, giving the car a range of approximately 100km.
As of 2006, there are four versions of Oka distributed: basic VAZ 11113 Oka made by either ZMA (Naberezhnye Chelny
Naberezhnye Chelny
Naberezhnye Chelny is the second largest city in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia.A major industrial center, Naberezhnye Chelny stands on the Kama River some 225 km east of Kazan near Nizhnekamsk Reservoir. It serves as the administrative center of Tukayevsky District, although it is not...
) or SeAZ factory (33 hp, 125 km/h (78 mph) max, 3.2 litres per 100 km), "custom" VAZ 11301 Astro (49 hp) and VAZ 11113-27 Toyma - commercial use subcompact with a cargo compartment instead of two rear seats.
Usage
Its road agility and acceleration rate (quite surprising for its appeal) prevented it from taking Zaporozhets' place in folklore (which takes its delight in the awkwardness and slow speed of the former).Its small size and weight (635 kilograms), however, gives birth to a multitude of funny (and often true) stories involving several men carrying Oka away from its parking place.
Special modifications for disabled people (missing one or both legs or one arm) were being distributed for free via social care system in Russia.
Like its brethren VW Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
, it often attracts the sentiment of the owner, so various customized and tuned versions are inevitably exhibited at local exotic cars festivals.
There is a restyling scheduled by the manufacturing company for 2007; it will not affect anything besides the bodyworks, lights, interior design and features. Reportedly, there are no positive prospects for Oka-2 and Oka-3, Lada's concept city cars in development for years.
The Oka in America
As of 2007, an AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
company called Oka Auto USA, based in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, offers electrically powered Okas for the US neighborhood electric vehicle
Neighborhood electric vehicle
A Neighborhood Electric Vehicle is a U.S. denomination for battery electric vehicles that are legally limited to roads with posted speed limits as high as depending on the particular laws of the state, usually are built to have a top speed of , and have a maximum loaded weight of 3,000 lbs...
(NEV) market called the Oka NEV ZEV
Oka NEV ZEV
The Oka NEV ZEV is an electric Neighborhood Electric Vehicle converted from a VAZ-1111 Oka to be sold in the US market by Oka Auto USA. The Oka NEV ZEV can be bought pre-made or in kit form.-Public Appearances:...
. To conform to NEV regulations, the electric Oka's speed is limited to 25 mph.http://www.okaauto.com/okanev.htm
External links
- Development of Oka: Interview with lead engineer & designer (in Russian)
- Oka production in Naberezhnye Chelny
- Oka production in Serpukhov
- OKA 20 years Autoreview.ru (in Russian)
- Oka lovers club (in Russian)
- Oka club in St.Pete (in Russian)
- Oka in St.Pete (in Russian)
- Oka experience exchange (in Russian)
- Oka tuning (in Russian) (humor)
- Oka Auto USA US distributor of electric Okas