Re: There are rumors in circulation...

Posted by R Anderson On 2014/1/2 16:20:50

What a cool video! Almost makes one wish to be "Back in the USSR"! The only word I caught, being ignorant of Russian, was "Americanski", so maybe the narrator was comparing the 114 to some American car? The instrument panel is very unique in appearance.

Gorbachev's car looks almost the same as Brezhnev's, except for details like the upright formal grille. The 111-G has a front design somewhat reminiscent of a '65 Dodge Polara, while the 114 is somewhat similar to a "fuselage body" Imperial. They didn't have Packard for inspiration any more!

Have you ever ridden in or driven any of these cars Gerd? It must be an experience very few have had. Since when as a kid I saw the '55 Packard-appearing ZILs, I've always been totally fascinated by the big and impressive automobiles of the Soviet elite. There was nothing like them in Europe in the '50s and 60s, the closest thing, big M-Bs and Rolls, were not at all like American cars, but the big Soviet cars of the Party elite certainly were.