ZAZ

ZAZ can also stand for Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker

ZAZ (Ukrainian: ЗАЗ) is the main automobile-manufacturer of Ukraine, based in the south-eastern city of Zaporizhzhya. It is also known for its mother company, AvtoZAZ (over 50% of ZAZ shares), which also owns MeMZ, Automobile Parts Plant, Ilyichyevsk, and a number of other production plants.

Full English name: Closed Joint Stock Company "Zaporizhia Automobile Building Plant".

Full Ukrainian name: Закрите акціонерне товариство "

ЗАТ Запорізький автомобілебудівельний завод"

Car brands produced: ZAZ, Daewoo, Chevrolet, Opel, VAZ, Mercedes Benz.

Models

ZAZ-965 Zaporozhets (1962-1969)
ZAZ-966 Zaporozhets (1967-1972)
ZAZ-968 Zaporozhets (1972-1994)
ZAZ-1102 Tavria (1987)
ZAZ-1105 Dana (1995)
Daewoo Lanos
Zaz Sens
Zaz Lanos T150
Chevrolet Nubira
Chevrolet Aveo

History

The company was established in 1960 as ZAZ (Zaporozhskiy avtomobil'nyi zavod) to create the Soviet equivalent of Volkswagen Beetle – a car for the ordinary people.

The models named "Zaporozhets" (Russian: Запорожец) were powered by an air-cooled rear mounted V4 engine made by MemMZ (based in neighboring Melitopol'). The early model body was similar to the Fiat 600. A later restyling made the car look more like a NSU Prinz. Despite low reliability and prestige of those cars, they have shown an unbeaten accessibility and popularity among Soviets, becoming the "car for pensioneers and intellectuals".

Since the 1990s, the factory was a part of AvtoZAZ holding. It was bought by Daewoo Motors which has made large investments and established the production of its own models, while keeping and modernizing the native brand.

After the bankruptcy of Daewoo Motors in 2001, the AutoZAZ-Daewoo joint venture was dismissed. In 2002, a large part of AutoZAZ shares (82%) were bought by UkrAVTO holding.