| 2003 Vaz 2109. Start Up, Engine, and In Depth Tour. The Samara was to build on the success of the traditional Fiat 124-based range, by providing a car that combined a robust build and ease of maintenance with a modern style. It was produced in various three, four and five door designs with 1.1, 1.3 and 1.5 litre petrol engines. Lada had hoped that the Samara would enable it to compete for sales in the mainstream European car market. It was the second autonomous design from AvtoVAZ (the first was the Niva SUV), and the first one not based on the Fiat derived mechanics. The UK had to wait nearly three years for the Samara to go on sale after its launch in the USSR, but sales were reasonably strong when the first versions of the car left forecourts in November 1987. The Samara was a major change compared to other Lada models at the time, with a modern hatchback body-style and front-wheel drive as well as new engines featuring on the car. But the low-rent plasticky interior, sub-standard finish and lack of dynamic qualities were a big let-down for those who had been hoping for a car that was comparable with Western contemporaries. Many budget buyers, Lada's main targets, stuck with the old Riva. Still, the Samara remained on sale in the UK right up to 4 July 1997, when the decision was made to withdraw from the UK and most other export markets. |
