Nov 13, 2025
1983 Lada Vaz 2106
seen from China
seen from Canada
seen from Russia
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from Singapore
seen from Spain
seen from Belarus
seen from Paraguay
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from Russia
seen from Russia
seen from Paraguay
seen from Germany
seen from Germany
seen from Singapore
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from Canada
1983 Lada Vaz 2106
The VAZ-2106 Zhiguli inherited from Soviet occupation era, Riga, November 6, 2020. Photo by D.P.
Now, it is very rare sight on Riga’s streets. In late 1970s and 1980s, it was on top list of Soviet occupation era car owner’s dreams. Comparing with average working-class salaries, it was quite expensive vehicle. People were forced to work and to wait their new vehicles for many years on a very long waiting list. In many occasions, the Soviet Union collapsed first, before arrival of Soviet (Russian) “dream car”!
The Soviet second-hand auto-motive market was extremely weird looking from perspective of people living in free market economy. Even heavily used VAZ-2106 was two times more expensive as new one with “regulated and controlled” sticker price dictated by Soviet regime!
By mid-1980s, this car was hopelessly outdated: Engine – 1568 cc; Power output – 79 hp; Transmission- 4-speed manual; 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) acceleration in 16 seconds; Top speed – 150 km/h (93 mph); Fuel tank – 39 liters (Considering the distances and low fuel efficiency, it was tiny! Actually, modern EVs have much better autonomy that this Soviet era petrol car!). Air conditioning not available; air bags not available, electric windows not available and etc…, and many other things missing that you expected to see in normal car in the West by mid-1980s.
The real history of Soviet auto-motive industry explains quite a lot why the Soviet Union collapsed as well it explains why communist/socialist dictatorship sucks…! Indigenous Latvians were happy to destroy the Soviet regime. It is funny to see, but, actually, Putin’s regime fellow riders and useful fools even today don’t know why Soviet regime collapsed...
After collapse of the Soviet Union, when Latvia restored its independence, Latvians obtained freedom to buy what they want on car market. Almost everybody rushed to get rid from Soviet occupation era cars (actually, we called all of them – Russian cars) as fast as possible.
Color scheme of this car is different from original as well original rear wheels were replaced by owner. It looks that car was stopped here by flat tyre.
Author: D.P. Story from my life experience...
Retro Or Rubbish? Cool Communist Cars Of The Soviet Union | Carfection 4K
Carfection
The Soviet Union may not have had access to all of the cars we did in the west but they did produce some pretty interesting rides. We take a look at a few of them to see if they are indeed, Retro or Rubbish.
The Russian VAZ-2106 (yes that’s its name), based on the Fiat 124.