They’ve only to go back to basics to bring back the glory of Russian automotive excellence.
Putin sulks as Soviet car giant stumbles
Sun May 27, 12:21 AM ET
by Dario Thuburn
TOLYATTI, Russia AFP) - Judging by the sulk on
Vladimir Putin’s face and the force with which he was slamming the car doors shut, the president was not in a good mood.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) drives 18 May 2007 a new model of a car during his visit to the AvtoVAZ automobile plant in Togliatti.(AFP/PPS/Itar-Tass/File/Vladimir Rodionov)You’ll notice the snazzy wheel covers, roomy front seat,handling ease, air-saving tires and catchy color choices.The test track is Togliatti’s main freeway interchangeduring Friday evening rush hour.*
Perhaps weighing on his mind during a visit earlier this month to the showroom of Avtovaz, maker of the famous Lada, was the fate of the country’s car industry against foreign competition.
“Without new technologies, we can’t compete. We need investment,” one harried Avtovaz executive told Putin as he pointed apologetically to a chart showing losses in market share to foreign models.
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LADA: PAST & FUTURE
Togliatti–Russia’s Detroit–made the Tow-Town Sound famous!
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Images: (Lada brochure) images.wikia.com via uncyclopedia.org; (La-Di-Da) autosarticulated.com; (Family commons.wikimedia.org; Lada) (Angstrom) carenthusiast.com; (Cab) goshen.edu; (cigs) smokecafe.com; (rotary engine) + (racer) craig’s rotory page via cp tripod.com;
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