Russia's LADA set to take on BMW, Alfa Romeo and Chevrolet
Like most Russian automotive projects, this has been a long time coming -- Russia's (in)famous LADA cars are finally nearing their racing debut in the World Touring Car Championship.
Like the Yugo, early LADAs had a few "quality issues." So much so, that they became the subject of hundreds of jokes ("What do you call a LADA at the top of a hill? A miracle." "Why do LADAs have a heated rear window? To keep your hands warm while you push it," etc.). Questionable reputation notwithstanding, LADA manufacturer Avtovaz announced last year that it would carry the company banner into the spotlight of international motorsport, competing in the 2006 WTCC, a popular racing series for small sedans won last year by BMW.
Designed and built by Avtovaz's LADA Sport group, the LADAs will actually be prepped and raced by Germany's MTEC Sport, with the commercial aspects of the racing effort handled by Mackey Marketing Group out of Atlanta, Georgia. The first race car was finally delivered to MTEC in early March, and evidently there were a few bugs to work out, because the team didn't make the opening round of the WTCC at Monza, and we won't see them at Round 2 in Magny-Cours this weekend. Drivers for the two-car team have not yet been named, either. In fact, Reuters is now reporting that we probably won't see factory entries competing before mid-year.
LADA boasts a 35-year motorsports history in Russia, and its cars have recently competed in the Junior World Rally Championship. Avtovaz is being groomed by the Russian government as the flagship of a (hopefully) resurgent domestic automobile industry, and the international racing program is undoubtedly part of an attempt to establish the company as the equal of its foreign competition. Let the LADA racing jokes begin!
[Sources: MTEC Sport, Speedarena.com, FIA, Reuters]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
DRFS Rich 11:39AM (4/28/2006)
I have a hilarious vision of my Granddad's old 1.3L mid-80s Riva chugging around the track being lapped by M3s and the like...
- R
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Jason 11:46AM (4/28/2006)
A great race is the St. Petersburg LADA Endurance Challange. They just use 45 minutes rather the 24 hours some others have.
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NewtonHeath 11:57AM (4/28/2006)
Q. What do you call a lada with a sunroof?
A. A wheelbarrow
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fizzandpop 2:50PM (4/28/2006)
How do you double the value of your Lada? Fill it with gas.
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LADA is OK 7:27PM (4/28/2006)
> "Why do XXX have a heated rear window? To
> keep your hands warm while you push it"
I've heard this very same joke about Korean cars in US. I think this is an effort by US car companies to brainwash the public, for they cannot compete with the likes of Hyundai and Kia. My friend drives Kia to work every day, he put more than 200K miles on this car in 3 years, it's a good, reliable car.
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Campisi 9:35PM (4/28/2006)
LADA: Land And Dirt Allergies
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Ron 2:06PM (5/03/2006)
I remember in college when people would complain about my "yugo" and me buying a 'communist' car, I would reply that "yugoslavia never bombed pearl harbor"
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Gambi 2:37PM (5/03/2006)
Nice.. Hope the Russians make it.. But I was wondering, any news from the Yugo and the "Zastava" company? Any new beeter cars?
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tom 2:51PM (5/03/2006)
What do you call a Italian LADA? A Fiat.
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Chris 3:15PM (5/03/2006)
When do you get passed buy a LADA on the highway???
When it's being towed
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Frank 3:25PM (5/03/2006)
Actually the LADA is a fairly good car. We owned one in Hungary and never had a probem with it. It is based on the old Fiat 124 and is really quite dependable. You can buy them in Canada.
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Mark Sheiman 3:32PM (5/03/2006)
What's do you call a Lada that has a Automatic Tranny?
CHEEP!wheels
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Comrade Wodka 5:38PM (5/03/2006)
LA de DA
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C H MONROE 5:40PM (5/03/2006)
Does it ride like the old skoda???
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C H MONROE 5:43PM (5/03/2006)
DOES IT RIDE THE OLD SKODA???
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myke wils 6:24PM (5/03/2006)
pinacolada!?!
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Skip Hartley 7:01PM (5/03/2006)
LADA CACA
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Gary 7:01PM (5/03/2006)
The joke I always heard was. What do you call a 4 door yugo? A we go. But seriously a friend had one and it was good on gas, cheap to fix and any idiot could work on it. No pros required.
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Ivan Audi 7:38PM (5/03/2006)
My son-in-law and the Lada are both Russian and both take a Lada da di da approach to getting into 4th gear...time is not of the essence.
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DWM 7:49PM (5/03/2006)
Q:How many Lada's does it take to change a lightbulb?
Ans: A-Lada
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