| The box-like sedan - known in the West as the Riva - was first produced in 1966, though few Soviet citizens were allowed to own one. The original Ladas were based upon the Italian Fiat 124. They were cheap, utilitarian, autos. Many were exported and earned the Soviet Union hard currency. The Lada became a symbol of the Soviet era and is still widely driven on Russian roads today. While they broke down regularly, drivers all over Russia knew how to fix them — and it seemed to cope better with the freezing Siberian cold than Western cars. Chelsea tycoon Roman Abramovich was once the proud owner of a dark blue Lada. The car was very much out of style for years. However, now that they are going out of production they are now becoming collector items. As the old joke goes: How do you double the value of a Lada? Fill the petrol tank. |
