Using the same, quattrolite patented car culture assessment chart, here are my five points:
Stereotype (1) – significant sterotypical vehicle or aspect of some sort.
The truth (2) – confirms or denies abovementioned ideas existence.
National car (3) – my nomination of current national car that represents their culture.
Taxicab (4) – the most common vehicle that is used for cab services.
Three things that I familarised with this country (5) - the name says all, doesn't it?
WELCOME TO RUSSIA
Here is a nice glance over Nizhny Novgorod centre, some 400+ km from Moscow and a city that was once called Gorky , after Maxim Gorky, a socialist realism writer and well established communist.
Stereotype: A speedy, and possibly drunk LADA 2017 [caught on dashcam]
The truth: Indeed, the only national mass producer of passenger vehicles is LADA aka Volzhansky Avtomobilny Zavod (VAZ), the most consumed national vehicle in the history being 2015/2016/2017 series RWD sedans, which are based upon 1960s FIAT 124 technology. Nevertheless, these classic series models (distinguished as VAZ "Klassika") were produced until 2012. This oldschool production nonsence had to stop and as soon new ownership came in effect, took a bit of time to slash alcoholism in the factory, get rid of management driven Infiniti's, introduce quality standarts and finally, enhance product range. It is no secret, LADA is currently owned by Renault-Nissan alliance, allowing the outdated company to have access to better drivetrains than their in-house misery as well as overall motivation towards market driven economy.
Horrible roads, pot holes, wide 4 lane intersections with right over all lanes crossings, pedestrian ways etc. described with one word – horrible. Infrastructure and most significantly driving culture on the streets can be described as complete anarchy, where the rich rule the streets and others fight in between. No wonder, dashcam videos are as hilarious, as they are devastating realism of Russian tragedy.
National car: It has to be LADA and their latest iteration called Vesta, so the choise is rather easy. The LADA range consists of 7 models, if checked with more thorough eye - Kalina and Granta are sister models, sharing same underpinnings while Kalina already was developed in early 2000s - so old. Priora is another facelift of even more dated LADA 110 model made in 1996, Largus is just Dacia Logan MCV in a different suit and the "4x4" range is the Niva. Niva is pretty cool though, but I must say that we need something way more competitive. The latest what LADA can offer is Vesta/X-RAY models, developed in house with modest, but modern equipment (if that can be said about LADA car and FINALLY, gearbox that changes gears by itself - witchcraft!) and designed by the same man [Steve Mattin] who once put his drawing skills at SLR McLaren, SLK R171, W164 M-Class, Volvo S60,V60 and XC60. Impressive!
Here we have a glance over the aforementioned LADA Vesta 1.6 (106HP) version, starting from achievable 8,084.92 EURos. Choice of the people however, is way different. I must point out that quite the majority who feel nostalgic about the past and glorious Russia would say "our car has to be GAZ 21 Volga, be as it may".
Ah, yes, the Volga - the same mythical vehicle that occupies the same sort of mythical "halo" car status in all ex-USSR countries, similar to what Citroen DS are to Frenchman. There has to be plentiful of stories about that black Volga appearing out of nowhere with two guys walking towards, quoting: "Hello, it's the KGB!"
Taxicab: Again, it used to be Volga. But now you see various types of cars used as a workforces, starting from the usual suspects (Volga, Ziguli), to the sensible selection - Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus, Hyundai of some sort and until Maybach's, Tesla's etc. in the elitist Moscow. I did not have my own picture, so I used one found on google - two yellow Ford Focuses.
Source: https://russiau.com/catch-taxi-moscow-saint-petersburg-russia/
3 things I familiarise with this country:
(1) Imagine a case: Maybach 62, Rolls Phantom, Bentley - or anything from that sort, escorted by G-Wagen with paramilitary security hirees sitting inside. How nuts is that?
This is the nuisance of New Russians. Trend of wealthy people who emerged from the 90s. With the "kortezh" style of driving, which in essence means - "GET THE FUCK OUTTA MY WAY, IT'S A-ME-OLIGARH". Plus, an adored fantasy is the so-thought "lucky" triple seven combination in their licence plate. Russians are obsessed with lucky plates, even though “correct” plates attract unnecessary attention from law forces as noted by some wiseguys from Moscow. Since Russian licence plate standart is letter, three numbers and two letters, followed by region, sometimes there is fun tradition to have an interesting licence plate combination, i.e. three letters– E xxx KH xx, being abbreviation of “I drive how I want” (Russian: езжу как хочу).
(2) Government officials and official organisations like to be treated special - so bureaucracy is common sense to have more work for the all involved. That also reflects in the way that so many stamps, papers and permissions have to obtained if you want to do - well, anything.
From what I've heard, one another example is concern from historical car tourists. If EU-zone registered car is older than 50 years old and one wants to travel with it to Russia, that car is considered a object of culture. In essence that means, permission from Ministry of Culture for travelling purposes is needed. And that means - two-way permission, so that you can safely get back to where you came from via border. Nobody wants to explain themselves with the brick faced officials at the fence! Pro tip to someone with very old car about to visit Kremin anywhere soon!
(3) Bribery. I am sorry, but sadly, the officers on roads are the case if you travel with that eye-catching European licence plate.
P.S. Not a bribe money, don't worry.
A small story: Back in the day we had to go to Nizhny Novgorod after a car with a trailer attached to the car. While on the highway, there was a speed camera we did not notice, however - the end results came directly to the next GAI post (higway police inspection) and a bunch of Belash (Russian equivalent of meat pie) eating cops just a kilometer or so away. So the cop stops the car and we understand are busted, not that we wanted to break the law. Still, being shocked that speed trap pictures are not transferred to the HQ, but are directed inland with immediate effect we started to check with the guys. Believe me or not, the officer looked at his screen, seeing a picture of just a car driving some kilometers over the limit and then looked back...
...at us - the SUV hitching an empty trailer - almost shouting: "You can stick a goddamn GAZelle on the trailer!!" - meaning, none of us expected that our fine just got, if I remember correctly, doubled and his possible income was about increase due to the fact that vehicles with trailer must not exceed 80 km/h. You guess where the discussion lead to and what was inexplicably asked..
So there you go, this is my brief overall insight into Russian car culture. I believe I should give more emphasis about Russian-made cars themselves, of course, I will definitely do so in the one of following episodes.
I am apologising for not so fruitful representation of my own snapshots this time, so please enjoy what I have and a typical picturesque Russian romance with traditional blue wood house and a more traditional 31029 Volga.
Cheers!