| Built with the help of the Italian constructor Fiat, in the 1970s, the VAZ factory in the town of Togliatti began producing a robust car, the Jigouli, inspired by the Fiat 124. While the celebrations for the production of the three-millionth car featured Communist leaders and historical figures from the USSR on its posters, in reality it was thanks to the transfer of technologies from Western constructors, like Fiat and Renault, that Soviet automobile production accelerated. Vehicles from the firm with the somewhat complicated-looking name of AvtoVAZ were re-styled "Ladas" to facilitate sales in the West. |
