Lada

Lada is the popular name for AvtoVAZ, the Soviet car giant established in 1966 in Togliatti, a city named after an Italian communist politician. The factory was built with Fiat's technical assistance, and early Ladas were closely related to the Fiat 124. Lada became the Soviet Union's most produced car, giving millions of Soviet citizens their first taste of personal mobility. Despite the Cold War, Lada was exported widely to Western Europe where its low price made it a practical choice.