This is the Volga GAZ-24 executive salon from Russian car manufacturer GAZ, which was first displayed at the London Motor Show 1970.
This is the Volga GAZ-24 executive salon from Russian car manufacturer GAZ, which was first displayed at the London Motor Show 1970. It was exported to several countries, including Indonesia, Latin America, and Western Europe.
When and where was it made?
The GAZ-24 was mass produced on 15 July 1970. Export sales began a year later. Scaldia-Volga also built the model in Belgium. These cars came with diesel engines and were sold until the mid-1980s.
Technical details:
The standard Volga GAZ-24 had a 2.4-liter petrol engine that was naturally aspirated and mated with a four-speed manual transmission. The European diesel versions used a 2.1-liter Peugeot engine. It was replaced in 1980 by a larger, 2.3-liter unit.
A limited-edition V8 version was released in 1974. It had a 190-horsepower (140 kilowatts) 5.5-liter engine and a three-speed manual transmission. It was still equipped with drum brakes as the standard Volga but it had power steering from the GAZ Chaika.
What’s special about it?
The GAZ-24 was developed in 1966. In the following years, the manufacturer only produced prototypes. The limousine was built to replace the GAZ-21, and it was superior in almost every way. The GAZ-24, despite being slightly smaller than the GAZ-21 for example, offered better interior space and room for five to six people.
It was not a luxury vehicle. The standard trim had power drum brakes, three wave radio with power antenna, front- and rear central armrests and three-speed windshield wiper. There was also a heater with defroster, rear-window defgger, an electric clock and trunk and engine compartment lighting.
Here’s the irony. Despite not being widely available for the majority of its production life, the Volga GAZ-24 was still the most loved taxi vehicle in Soviet Russia. It was easy to maintain and durable. Most taxi cabs had over 620,000 miles (1,000,000 kilometers) on their odometer. They still function after multiple engine rebuilds.
A hardcore AWD version was also available, of which only five were made in winter 1973-1974. The UAZ-provided transfer box made the car 200 lbs (90 kg) heavier than the standard model.
The model received a revised 98-hp motor and interior modifications with better quality materials. It was also sold until 1992.
If we were to compare Volga GAZ-24 to a modern vehicle it would be the Mercedes-Benz E Class and BMW 5 Series. It featured all the latest technology for the manufacturer but was actually placed below the flagship models for political elite.
