Lada 1200 (or 2102) more than a Fiat 124

There is nothing romantic to the origin of Lada. The Fiat 124 Berline won the 1967 title "Car of the Year). Meanwhile the Sovjets were looking for a familycar, that could be build locally (in a new to be build city). It had to be easy to be mass produced and, to be sold for a resonable price, so that it maybe even could be exported.

Next to that, the car should be strong, to handle the Sovjet roadconditions.

translated from Auto Motor Klassiek, original text by Dolf Peeters
https://amklassiek.nl/lada-1200-meer-dan-een-fiat-124/2021/07/04/

Free to use under the Unsplash License

Italians are flexible

Luckily for Moscow, the Italians were communistic enough to sell their cars to everybody with enough cash. Later on the Italians would experience that cash would become "a thing".

In 1966 Italy got the commission to redesign the Fiat 124 Berline, develop a factory, train staff and make a product the inhabitants of Togliatti proud.

On the shore of the Wolga

The factory was build as an cooperation between Italy and the Sovjet Union, and build on the shore of the river Wolga. In Toljatti - a completely new city-area just build for the factory workforce - and named after the Italian communist Palmiro Togliatti.

The VAZ-2101 was ready in 1970, ready to concurrer the world. The most important differences with the original Fiat 124 were...

Seek the differences

> the Fiat had an OHV-engine with pushrods, were the Lada 2101 had the more advanced OHC design

> the Fiat was fitted with an horizontal orientated Solex carburator, were the Lada was delivered with an vertical carburator in Weber "design"

> Fiat had an dynamo, were Lada was outfitted with and alternated current dynamo

> the Fiat 124 had an cable operated clutch, were the Lada was hydraulic

> discbrakes on all corners for the Fiat, Lada had drums on the rear.  The brake circuit for Fiat was single, were the more safe dual circuit was fitted on the Lada

> the suspension was raised a little for the Lada, reïnforced and simplified, to cope with the road conditions. Good upgrades for bad road conditions, slightly less on the roadhandling

> The Lada was build with slightly thicker steel
> no oilpan protection for the Fiat, of course there was an guard for the Lada

> coolant temperature was displayed on the Lada dashboard, were at Fiat you had to guess if somethings boiling already

Evolution exists

Throughout the years, the model was upgraded and changed, leading to the square 2105 models.