It’s been 40 long years, but like perestroika, the last remnant of Italian-derived Soviet majesty finally comes to an undignified end. In Soviet Russia, production ends you!

The venerable Lada 2107, as it’s known, was already a 4-year old design (from Fiat) when it first entered production in 1970, gleaming and full of hope for the People. “Khrushchev’s Folly,” as it was never called, proved to multiply like the cockroaches that survived the Tsar Bomba—16.8 million were built, or if laid end-to-end away from Earth, enough to propel forth the Soviet Union’s space program.

The famous Lada sold for the low, low price of $7,500 under the names of Riva, 1500, 2101, 2107, and the evocatively-named Classic. Over the years it’s been raced, rallied, fornicated in, breathed upon by Lotus, driven through mud and snow with frightening alacrity, and abandoned in Chernobyl. Like cheap vodka and dubious wristwatches, it was still built in Russia, as well as Egypt, West Germany, and Kazakhstan.

And despite an increase of sales to 136,000 in 2010—spurred on by a “Cars For Clunkers-” type program that substituted clunkers for both parts of the equation—the last Classic strides off its line, Gosudarstvenniy Gimn SSSR blaring from the Red Army Choir. It takes its rightful place among the Volkswagen Beetle (ironically enough, given the Beetle’s original development) as two cars with the longest production runs. Legions of fans around the world (and some in the UK) will miss it. За тех, кто уже не с нами!

[Source: TTAC, Wikimedia Commons]

Russians and world leaders alike know not to mess with shirtless, crossbow-wielding, bear-hunting Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. But when a Lada Granta crosses the Wrath of Putin, there’s nothing to do but to make cheesy “in Soviet Russia” jokes. And run.

Putin, promoting the glory of Mother Russia and the trappings of the proletariat, paraded a brand-new Lada in front of the nation’s media at Lada’s factory recently – in part to help promote the brand after the Russian government bailed out the automaker during the economic downturn. But when he tried to start the engine, it wouldn’t start, even after five tries. Awkward.

As 60 years of Russian reliability came flooding back, Putin also needed the help of two others in order to open the trunk. Determined to save face, however, Putin—casually dressed in a sport jacket and secret SVR laser-equipped aviator sunglasses, his whale-hunting outfit—humbly blamed himself, claiming that he had pressed the drive-by-wire accelerator too sharply, a feature that his snorkelized Lada Niva (shown above) lacks.

Putin still claimed that the Granta (not to be confused with the Ford Granada, another car that helped bring an end to the Red Menace) was still “a good car.” The Granta, which will retail for around $8,000, is being touted as “the people’s car” for millions of eagerly awaiting Russian motorists who haven’t bribed their way into a higher tax bracket and an armored G-Class.

[Source: The Telegraph]

Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) new Indian owner Tata Motors continues to invest in and makes plans for its newly acquired luxury division despite what has so far been a very poor return on investment.

JLR posted a $1.11 billion loss last year but that won’t stop Tata from making big changes, the first of which is an initiative to reduce the weight of all new vehicles.

“JLR is planning to have all its future cars constructed with light weight aluminum bodies resulting in considerable savings in weight and reduction in CO2 emissions,” said CEO Ratan Tata in his company’s annual report. Weight is certainly something Land Rovers could lose, as some models are currently approaching the 6,000 lb mark.

Jaguar’s new 2010 XJ (pictured above) not only makes use of aluminum body panels but an all aluminum frame and is the first of a new line of Jaguars to be launched by Tata. The lighter package requires a less powerful (and more fuel-efficient) engine, as well as smaller and less expensive brakes to stop.

Considering the massive weight of Ranger Rovers and the significant surface area that their sheet metal has to cover, an aluminum body would make a noticeable difference. [Source: Motoemag]

Caption: Lada Priora

According to an Associate Press report in The Detroit News, OAO AvtoVAZ, the maker of Lada vehicles, has shut down its production facilities.

Company spokesperson Natalya Sidoruk told AP that the company made the move because of a parts shortage. The reason for the shortage is of some concern.

Apparently suppliers are withholding shipments because they will no longer accept the promissory notes AvtoVAZ has been using. Instead suppliers want to be paid in cold hard cash.

Suppliers are worried about the car makers’ liquidity, as the company’s current debt sits at 18 billion roubles, or $516 million. AvtoVAZ president Boris Alyoshin has however stated that up until the production stoppage the company was in the black.

Still, AvtoVAZ is suffering just like every other automaker in the world with just 29,000 cars sold in January, down from 50,000 to 60,000 in the same period the year before.

Credit problems are not expected to cripple the company for long, however, as industry analysts believe the Russian government will help out. The government has already assisted the Russian auto sector by imposing significant trade restrictions on foreign automakers, increasing duties on vehicles coming into the country.

[Source: The Detroit News]