This Soviet car has overtaken the G8 by 10 years – and what happened to it?

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The Izhevsk car plant was built to produce somewhat simplified copies of Moskvich-412 and was subordinate to the Ministry of Defense Industry, which did not need new, especially revolutionary models at all.

But as soon as the factory in Izhevsk began to work, young engineers and artists of the newly created design bureau began to undertake extraordinary and sophisticated projects. Already in 1967 they started creating the IZH-13 Start hatchback. Not simple, but front-wheel drive!

The ministry with sadness in half approved the project. Indeed, without it, it was impossible to build a prototype. Another thing is that the ministry clearly had no serious intentions. Most likely, the officials simply gave the engineers a chance to work so that they would not get bored and grumble. But those who took up the revolutionary car had hope, of course.

Model of the Izhevsk front-wheel drive car, 1968

Model of the Izhevsk front-wheel drive car, 1968

Not like anyone


The idea of ​​​​the new car was to make the car more spacious and spacious for cargo in the dimensions of the Moskvich-412. Therefore, in Izhevsk, they immediately came up with a hatchback.

The world history of hatchbacks in the 1960s was just beginning. And then the French Renault 16, which became the “Car of the Year” in 1966, became a model for many companies. And in the USSR, it was the Izhevsk plant that was the first to build such a car. By the way, in 1974 the first serial Soviet hatchback was also a model from Udmurtia – IZH-2125 Kombi.

But Izhevsk also invented a front-wheel drive! Incidentally, this layout was also a feature of Renault and Citroën.

This Soviet car has overtaken the G8 by 10 years - and what happened to it?In the beauty contest, IZH-13 would not have received first prize. But this is only the first running layout.

In the beauty contest, IZH-13 would not have received first prize. But this is only the first running layout.

The engineers understood that there would be at least some chance of putting the original front-wheel drive car into production if it were maximally united with the serial Moskvich-412.

This is also why, by designing a new the body is more stocky and streamlined than that of the serial sedan, the power unit was inserted into it longitudinally.

This Soviet car has overtaken the G8 by 10 years - and what happened to it?The launch was unlike any domestic or imported car.

The launch was unlike any domestic or imported car.

Engine and gearbox – from Moskvich


However, there were no changes at all. Moskvich-412 engine with a working volume of 1.5 liters and a power of 75 horsepower. under the low hood I had to tilt it 45 degrees instead of 20 degrees in Moskvich-412. As a result, the intake manifold was also renewed, with a horizontal Solex carburettor on it. By the way, longitudinal engines were in many front-wheel drive models – including Renault, and then in our Moskvich-2141.

The four-speed serial gearbox was minimally redesigned. Basically to accommodate front-wheel drive. By the way, the Omsk box was not liked by AZLK or at the Izhevsk plant. Therefore, for the IZH-13 in the future, they planned a new unit of their own design, united with what they wanted to put on the unborn IZH-14 SUV.

This Soviet car has overtaken the G8 by 10 years - and what happened to it?45 degree tilted engine with different intake manifold and Solex carburettor.

45 degree tilted engine with different intake manifold and Solex carburettor.

Like most imported front-wheel drive cars of those years, the wheels were not equipped with CV joints, which were difficult to manufacture (their production in the USSR was launched only at the beginning of G8 production), but drives with double universal joints as close possible. In the name of unification, the crosses of the 412th Moskvich were used.

Suspension – as Renault


But the rear suspension is made original: independent with a transverse torsion bar. There was a similar one on the massive Renault 4. But in Izhevsk they told me that they were not familiar with this car in the late 1960s.

Cooperation with Renault at the Izhevsk . plant seriously interested. And soon AZLK began to cooperate with this company.

Tests of the experienced “with heat, with heat” IZH-13 Start (the name repeated the name of the Ukrainian small-scale minibus, which few people knew about at the time) showed that the car was close to the Moskvich-412 in terms of basic parameters. The fuel consumption with steady driving is about 9 l/100 km, the maximum speed is 142 km/h. And in terms of space and ease of transport, the prototype was noticeably superior to the sedan. Stayed “small”: to bring the car to mind and put it into production.

This Soviet car has overtaken the G8 by 10 years - and what happened to it?IZH-13 is the first Soviet five-door hatchback.

IZH-13 is the first Soviet five-door hatchback.

Getting stuck in the papers


Attempts to convince the ministry to contribute to the development of IZH-13 (in other words, to allocate funds that the plant did not have) only led to the birth of huge piles of papers: the correspondence between Moscow and Izhevsk lasted two years!

The Izhevsk plant was offered to design a new car together with AZLK, forgetting about the IZH-13 model. In Moscow they already “conjured up” about other cars, and cooperation with the Izhevsk AZLK plant was not at all interesting.

In addition, the leadership of the automotive industry believed that it was not necessary to produce many models, especially those of the same size. But IZH-13 was a classmate of Moskvich and the Zhiguli who had already appeared.

The industry within the planned economy was already struggling with the production of spare parts for existing models. A new (and even unusual) model would only increase this shortfall.

This Soviet car has overtaken the G8 by 10 years - and what happened to it?IZH-13 in the factory museum.

IZH-13 in the factory museum.

After all, the Izhevsk plant has always remained a “poor relative” in the system of the Soviet automobile industry. It was not seen as a company capable of doing something revolutionary. Residents of Izhevsk were hardly allowed to put into production even modifications of the Moskvich-412: the IZH-2125 Kombi hatchback, the IZH-2715 van and the IZH-27151 pickup associated with it.

Much later, the factory brought the long-suffering IZH-2126 onto the assembly line. But it was already a very different car than the Start.

A cross was placed on IZH-13 in the mid-1970s. But the surprising thing is that the car has been preserved, has been restored and is in the factory museum! The Izhevsk plant treated its prototypes even more carefully than some other “real” automobiles. And this too deserves respect.

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