A four-wheel drive bus stands out as a rugged solution for off-road missions. In 1966, the PAZ-672 4 × 4 model emerged with two drive shafts and a two-stage transfer case, a setup reminiscent of the GAZ-66 shishiga. These features were not mere trivia; they defined a vehicle built to reach places standard buses could only dream of. By design, the PAZ-672 4 × 4 laid the groundwork for later, more capable models, and its lineage would carry the badge into a different family of workhorse buses.
From the outset, the bus was part of a limited production run. It featured a robust eight-cylinder ZMZ engine with a displacement of 4.25 liters delivering 115 horsepower, and that powertrain combination gave it a particular edge in challenging terrain and demanding departmental tasks. The configuration appealed to agencies and enterprises requiring dependable mobility on uneven surfaces, where mass transit demands a tougher, more adaptable vehicle rather than a standard city bus.
Its production rarity added to the PAZ-672 4 × 4’s mystique. Only a limited number were produced, and the vehicle quickly acquired a reputation as a specialized tool rather than a mass-market transport. The ability to traverse rough terrain while carrying a practical passenger load made it an attractive option for external services, emergency brigades, and industrial sites that needed off-road flexibility in a vehicle that could still seat and serve multiple people effectively.
For many years, the PAZ automobile lineup included a 4 × 4 variant that stood out for its off-road capability. The model continued in production for about six years, but its production run was punctuated by scarcity. The combination of 4 × 4 drive, a capable engine, and a two-stage transfer case ensured that it was more than just a novelty; it was a working tool that could handle less-than-ideal roads and rugged environments. In the Soviet era, those four-wheel drive capabilities were often reserved for departmental use or specialized tasks, which helped preserve the vehicle’s rarity and mystique even as other production lines expanded.
In historical retrospectives, the PAZ-3206 later joined the family, and until 1988 a total of 13,873 four-wheel drive PAZ-3201s had been produced. That production figure highlights how scarce the four-wheel drive variant remained, especially within the USSR, where off-road capability for departmental needs was valued but not always widely available. The PAZ story is one of balancing practical utility with limited availability, producing vehicles that were prized for their unique capabilities rather than their ubiquity.
Collectors and technology historians have noted the progression from the early four-wheel drive configurations to more modern iterations. As one observer, Mikhail Kolodochkin, has chronicled, the lineage includes even more unusual predecessors. He notes that the ancestor of the well-known “shishiga” was in fact an eight-wheeled all-terrain vehicle, a reminder that innovation often begins with ambitious prototypes that push the boundaries of what is possible on wheels.
Questions about this period often arise. For example, some wonder about the practicalities of the PAZ’s internal transport within factories and how that influenced the design. The answer lies in context: available resources and real-world needs guided the development, resulting in practical but unconventional vehicles that served their specific purposes. In some communities, the word “driving” has been shared through informal channels like messaging apps, reflecting how information about these buses travels just as readily as the vehicles themselves.
Note: Inquiries about the PAZ four-wheel drive family are occasionally shared through informal channels in order to preserve the practical, hands-on history of these machines. The broader takeaway is that these buses were built to work in environments where roads were a luxury and reliability mattered more than aesthetics. They were tools crafted for function, and their rarity today only amplifies the interest of collectors—particularly in North America and Canada where interest in historic, rugged transport continues to grow.
- Transport within factories and industrial sites relied on whatever vehicles were available, leading to practical yet unusual automotive configurations that balanced capability with the demands of daily use.
- Details about these models sometimes spread through informal channels and messaging platforms, adding to a shared, community-driven memory of their capabilities.