Only foreign cars looked like this: what the very first ZAZ should have been like

Rare archival photographs of the first prototypes of the ZAZ-1102 Tavria, taken in 1978, have appeared on the Internet, allowing a glimpse into the early stages of the development of the iconic Ukrainian hatchback.

Predating the production model by nine years, these prototypes show some notable design differences.

In the photographs, the ZAZ-1102 Tavria concept car demonstrates distinctive features that are absent in the production model. Notably, it has a different front end with a curved hood and large rectangular headlights reminiscent of the Vauxhall Chevette.

The prototypes have a tachometer inside, which is not present in the production version. The cars were equipped with a 1.1-liter 50-horsepower engine, allowing a maximum speed of 135 km/h.

Development of the Tavria began in the mid-70s as a successor to the Zaporozhets. The initial stage was marked by the release of the front-wheel drive sedan ZAZ-1102 “Perspective”, ready for production in 1976.

However, authorities delayed his release. By the end of the 70s, the model evolved into the Tavria hatchback. Eleven prototypes of the first series were produced, and by 1982 the design had acquired the familiar appearance associated with Tavria.

Despite its readiness, Tavria faced a long delay in entering the assembly line. Priority was given to a larger model with a similar layout – the VAZ-2108 hatchback. Only after the VAZ-2108 entered production, the ZAZ-1102 “Tavria” project received approval for mass production.

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