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<generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title><![CDATA[New Datsun models to be based on Lada platform]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/new-datsun-models-to-be-based-on-lada-platform/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/new-datsun-models-to-be-based-on-lada-platform/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/new-datsun-models-to-be-based-on-lada-platform/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/economy/" rel="tag">Budget</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/nissan/" rel="tag">Nissan</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a></p><a href="http://europe.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121228/ANE/312259999/new-datsuns-will-share-platform-with-lada"><img alt="Russian Lada" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/lada-628.jpg" style="margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; width: 628px; height: 391px;" /></a><br />
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Although we haven't heard much official news about the return of the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/datsun">Datsun</a> brand since <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/nissan/">Nissan</a> CEO <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/carlos+ghosn/">Carlos Ghosn</a> made the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/20/nissan-confirms-return-of-datsun/">announcement back in March</a>, we now have a little more information about Nissan's new budget brand. <em>Automotive News Europe</em> is reporting that the new breed of Datsun products will go on sale by the end of 2013 and will be based on cars from the Russian automaker, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/lada/">Lada</a>, which is currently part of the Nissan-<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/renault/">Renault</a> family.<br />
<br />
With a goal of creating low-cost cars for emerging markets like Russia, India and Indonesia, the unknown Datsun models will reportedly be produced in Togliatti, Russia, alongside Lada cars as well as the Nissan Almera (the Russian version of the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/nissan/versa/">Nissan Versa</a> sedan). Since these cars will be focused mainly on price, it's more likely that they will be basic vehicles rather than more stylish products like the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/31/lada-steps-into-the-present-with-xray-concept/">Lada Xray Concept</a>. Either way, the report says that Datsuns will look different than its Lada counterparts despite using the same underpinnings.<br />
<br />
Initially, Datsun will launch with just two cars with a third model planned for 2015, and as far as pricing goes, the report says that the brand will be targeting a starting price of just 2,300 euros (around $3,000 USD) to compete with low-cost Chinese cars.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/new-datsun-models-to-be-based-on-lada-platform/">New Datsun models to be based on Lada platform</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Wed, 02 Jan 2013 07:59:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/new-datsun-models-to-be-based-on-lada-platform/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20414015/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/new-datsun-models-to-be-based-on-lada-platform/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>carlos ghosn</category><category>datsun</category><category>lada</category><category>low-cost car</category><category>nissan</category><category>platform sharing</category><category>russia</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeffrey N. Ross]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 02 Jan 2013 07:59:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[The details of the Lada XRay concept]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/06/the-details-of-the-lada-xray-concept/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/06/the-details-of-the-lada-xray-concept/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/06/the-details-of-the-lada-xray-concept/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/conceptcars/" rel="tag">Concept Cars</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/videos/" rel="tag">Videos</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/crossovers-cuvs/" rel="tag">Crossover</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a></p><a href="/2012/09/06/the-details-of-the-lada-xray-concept/#continued"><img height="342" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/ladaxrayvideo.jpg" vspace="4" width="628" /></a><br />
<br />
When is the last time you watched five minutes of video on a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/lada/">Lada</a> that didn't involve <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/14/dual-power-windows-emphasis-on-dual/">dual power windows</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/14/lada-emergency-is-no-mere-fire-drill/">fires</a> or <em><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/19/watch-fifth-gear-drive-across-england-in-a-brand-new-lada/">Fifth Gear</a></em>? Don't feel bad if the answer is, "What's Russian for 'never'?", but now's a good time to change that. Lada wants the world to know that it's no longer the old Lada, revealing its very brown and rather sleek <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/31/lada-steps-into-the-present-with-xray-concept/">XRay concept</a> at the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/moscow+motor+show/">Moscow Motor Show</a>, and it didn't stop at taking a mound of photos in order to show it off.<br />
<br />
Penned by the brand's Milan-based design team - which is headed by Steve Mattin, an alumnus of <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/mercedes-benz">Mercedes-Benz</a> and <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/volvo">Volvo</a> - the XRay is a sign of both Lada's aspirations and the design language we should eventually see on its production cars. You can get a closer look at it in the two videos <a href="/2012/09/06/the-details-of-the-lada-xray-concept/#continued">below</a>.<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/06/the-details-of-the-lada-xray-concept/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The details of the Lada XRay concept</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/06/the-details-of-the-lada-xray-concept/">The details of the Lada XRay concept</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Thu, 06 Sep 2012 12:33:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/06/the-details-of-the-lada-xray-concept/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20316296/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/06/the-details-of-the-lada-xray-concept/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>lada</category><category>lada xray</category><category>lada xray concept</category><category>moscow</category><category>moscow 2012</category><category>moscow motor show</category><category>video</category><category>videos</category><category>xray</category><category>xray concept</category><category>youtube</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jonathon Ramsey]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 06 Sep 2012 12:33:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Lada steps into the present with Xray Concept]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/31/lada-steps-into-the-present-with-xray-concept/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/31/lada-steps-into-the-present-with-xray-concept/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/31/lada-steps-into-the-present-with-xray-concept/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/conceptcars/" rel="tag">Concept Cars</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/crossovers-cuvs/" rel="tag">Crossover</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/misc-auto-shows/" rel="tag">Misc. Auto Shows</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/design-style/" rel="tag">Design/Style</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-xray-concept/"><img alt="Lada Xray Concept - crossover design study - front three-quarter view" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/ladaxrayconcept.jpg" style="margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; width: 628px; height: 419px; " /></a><br />
<br />
We've seen the tactic plenty of times before: an automaker that wants to up its game, so it hires a designer from a brand it seeks to emulate, then releases concepts that make people go "Ooh la la." <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/lada">Lada</a> is the latest, having hired <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Mattin">Steve Mattin</a> to be its design head. Mattin is coming off tenures as senior designer at <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/mercedes-benz">Mercedes-Benz</a> and chief designer at <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/volvo">Volvo</a> before <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/27/breaking-volvo-design-chief-steve-mattin-leaves-company/">emigrating to the Russian side</a> of life (although the company's design bureau is in Milan, Italy).<br />
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The new Lada he wants to introduce us to is led by an X-shaped front fascia on the Xray concept just unveiled at the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/moscow+motor+show/">Moscow Motor Show</a>. The frontal treatment is to be the signature face for Lada's coming production models, but the Buck Rogers cockpit probably won't make it to the assembly line.<br />
<br />
Lada is obviously proud of its creation, having unleashed a giant gallery of photos taken from just about every possible angle. If they can keep this up and translate it to their production vehicles, well, the Volga might go back to just being a river and not also a punchline.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/31/lada-steps-into-the-present-with-xray-concept/">Lada steps into the present with Xray Concept</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 16:31:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/31/lada-steps-into-the-present-with-xray-concept/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20313647/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/31/lada-steps-into-the-present-with-xray-concept/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>lada</category><category>lada xray</category><category>lada xray concept</category><category>moscow</category><category>moscow 2012</category><category>moscow motor show</category><category>steve mattin</category><category>xray</category><category>xray concept</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jonathon Ramsey]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 31 Aug 2012 16:31:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Renault-Nissan moves to take control of Russia's largest automaker]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/04/renault-nissan-moves-to-take-control-of-russias-largest-automak/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/04/renault-nissan-moves-to-take-control-of-russias-largest-automak/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/04/renault-nissan-moves-to-take-control-of-russias-largest-automak/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/euro/" rel="tag">Europe</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/japan/" rel="tag">Japan</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/nissan/" rel="tag">Nissan</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/earnings-financials/" rel="tag">Earnings/Financials</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/renault/" rel="tag">Renault</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a></p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17929039"><img alt="Carlos Ghosn"  src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/nissan-ghosn-hardhat.jpg" style="margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; width: 628px; height: 420px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/renault-nissan/">Renault-Nissan</a> aims to increase its stake in <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/avtovaz">Avtovaz</a>, giving the alliance majority control over Russia's largest automaker. The deal will likely see Renault and Nissan vehicles manufactured beside <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/lada">Lada</a> models in the near future. Avtovaz recently finished a new production facility in Togliatti where the three brands plan to produce up to 1.6 million units per year. That move would make the Togliatti plant one of the largest automotive manufacturing facilities in the world. The companies expect the agreement to become final by 2014.<br />
<br />
Technically, the deal is structured under a joint venture between Renault-Nissan and Russian Technologies, a state-owned corporation. Under a recently-signed memorandum of understanding, Renault-Nissan will own 67.13 percent of the venture, which will own 74.5 percent of Avtovaz. The alliance already holds a 25 percent stake in Avtovaz.<br />
<br />
Under the MOU, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/renault">Renault</a> will invest around $300 million in the joint venture, while <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/nissan">Nissan</a> will put in $450 million.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/04/renault-nissan-moves-to-take-control-of-russias-largest-automak/">Renault-Nissan moves to take control of Russia's largest automaker</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Fri, 04 May 2012 08:15:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/04/renault-nissan-moves-to-take-control-of-russias-largest-automak/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20230027/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/04/renault-nissan-moves-to-take-control-of-russias-largest-automak/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>avtovaz</category><category>lada</category><category>nissan</category><category>renault</category><category>renault-nissan</category><category>renault-nissan avtovaz</category><category>russian technologies</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Zach Bowman]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 04 May 2012 08:15:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Lada 2107 reaches the end of its road]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/19/lada-2107-reaches-the-end-of-its-road/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/19/lada-2107-reaches-the-end-of-its-road/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/19/lada-2107-reaches-the-end-of-its-road/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/timewarp/" rel="tag">Classics</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/etc/" rel="tag">Etc.</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a></p><img height="391" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/lada2107.jpg" vspace="4" width="628" /><br />
<br />
"It's time to say goodbye," said <a href="http://www.lada.ru/">AvtoVAZ</a> spokesman Igor Burenkov to Russia's <em>RIA Novosti</em> about the end of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lada_Riva">Lada 2107</a> production, which happened this week. The Lada 2107, also called the Lada Riva, has been plying Russian roads since before <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Gorbachev,_tear_down_this">Ronald Reagan started redesigning walls</a>. It's one of the cars you're most likely to see in grainy film and video clips from the days before <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasnost">Glastnost</a>.<br />
<br />
As you might suspect, the Lada 2107 has <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/fiat/">Fiat</a> origins that go back to the early 1970s. This old comrade has been wound down to make room for the cars Lada is calling "new" classics. Newer Lada models like the <a href="http://granta.lada.ru/">Granta</a>, Priora and Kalina are going to move into the Izhavto production facility that had been building the "Seven," and Lada is expecting demand for the newer cars to continue rising as more features and body style variations continue to be rolled out. До свидания, друг.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/19/lada-2107-reaches-the-end-of-its-road/">Lada 2107 reaches the end of its road</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:29:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/19/lada-2107-reaches-the-end-of-its-road/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20216179/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/19/lada-2107-reaches-the-end-of-its-road/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>2107</category><category>avtovaz</category><category>lada</category><category>lada 2107</category><category>lada 2107 production end</category><category>lada granta</category><category>lada kalina</category><category>lada priora</category><category>lada production</category><category>lada riva</category><category>riva</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Dan Roth]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:29:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Lada emergency is no mere fire drill]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/14/lada-emergency-is-no-mere-fire-drill/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/14/lada-emergency-is-no-mere-fire-drill/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/14/lada-emergency-is-no-mere-fire-drill/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/etc/" rel="tag">Etc.</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/videos/" rel="tag">Videos</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a></p><a href="/2012/03/14/lada-emergency-is-no-mere-fire-drill/#continued"><img alt="Exploding Lada in Russia"  src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/exploding-lada.jpg" style="margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; width: 628px; height: 420px;" /></a><br />
<br />
We imagine that many a Russian <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/lada/">Lada</a> has been compared to a ticking time bomb - which is not to say that there aren't any good Ladas out in the wild, of course - but the example you'll see in the video pasted below takes the cake. It is, quite literally, an Improvised Explosive Device.<br />
<br />
If an exploding Lada alone isn't enough reason for you to watch, perhaps the reaction of the passengers is more of a draw. Their reaction to the impending doom is so quick that it's almost as if the two occupants were just waiting for the engine of this poor machine to reach its glorious and destructive demise.<br />
<br />
See what we're talking about in the video pasted <a href="/2012/03/14/lada-emergency-is-no-mere-fire-drill/#continued">below</a>.<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/14/lada-emergency-is-no-mere-fire-drill/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Lada emergency is no mere fire drill</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/14/lada-emergency-is-no-mere-fire-drill/">Lada emergency is no mere fire drill</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:01:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/14/lada-emergency-is-no-mere-fire-drill/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20193555/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/14/lada-emergency-is-no-mere-fire-drill/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>car explosion</category><category>car fire</category><category>lada</category><category>lada explosion</category><category>russia</category><category>russian car</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeremy Korzeniewski]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Dual power windows... emphasis on "dual"]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/14/dual-power-windows-emphasis-on-dual/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/14/dual-power-windows-emphasis-on-dual/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/14/dual-power-windows-emphasis-on-dual/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/etc/" rel="tag">Etc.</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/tech/" rel="tag">Technology</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/videos/" rel="tag">Videos</a></p><a href="/2012/01/14/dual-power-windows-emphasis-on-dual/#continued"><img alt="Dual power windows" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/dualwindowstinted.jpg" style="margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; width: 628px; height: 408px; " /></a><br />
<br />
To paraphrase the Almond Joy commercial, sometimes you feel like a tint, sometimes you don't. In states like California, having any tint on your front windows is verboten. It's only casually enforced, but it's still illegal. In that case, something like this setup might come in handy: a Russian gent on installed two power windows in one door, and tinted one of them.<br />
<br />
We don't know how much alteration was required to make the setup work on this car (it appears to be a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/lada/">Lada</a>/VAZ model); one commenter asked if the door's support ribs had to be removed in order to fit the duplicate systems. Check it out for yourself in the video <a href="/2012/01/14/dual-power-windows-emphasis-on-dual/#continued">after the jump</a>.<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/14/dual-power-windows-emphasis-on-dual/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Dual power windows... emphasis on "dual"</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/14/dual-power-windows-emphasis-on-dual/">Dual power windows... emphasis on "dual"</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:08:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/14/dual-power-windows-emphasis-on-dual/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20147875/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/14/dual-power-windows-emphasis-on-dual/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>lada</category><category>lada samara</category><category>power windows</category><category>russia</category><category>tinted windows</category><category>vaz</category><category>video</category><category>window tint</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jonathon Ramsey]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:08:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Lada gears up for racing campaign with new Granta Sport]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/05/lada-gears-up-for-racing-campaign-with-new-granta-sport/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/05/lada-gears-up-for-racing-campaign-with-new-granta-sport/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/05/lada-gears-up-for-racing-campaign-with-new-granta-sport/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/sedans/" rel="tag">Sedan</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/misc/" rel="tag">MISC</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/racing/" rel="tag">Racing</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-granta-sport/#photo-4711198"><img alt="Lada Granta Sport" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/weblada-granta-sport-cup2.jpg" style="margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; width: 628px; height: 367px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/lada">Lada</a>? Racing? We've got to be kidding, right? Only we're not. While the Russian automaker may not have the motorsport pedigree of, say, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/ferrari">Ferrari</a> or <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/porsche">Porsche</a>, there's reason enough to believe it's getting serious.<br />
<br />
One reason is its new corporate cousins at the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/renault">Renault</a>-<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/nissan">Nissan</a> Alliance, which owns part of Lada's parent company <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/avtovaz">AvtoVaz</a> and which never fails to get each of its divisions - from Renault in Formula One to Nissan in GT racing to <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/dacia">Dacia</a> in the Andros Trophy - on the track. Another is its history, however limited it may be, of competition in the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/wtcc">World Touring Car Championship</a>. Lada was contesting the WTCC just a couple of years ago, and in announcing the arrival of the new <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/28/lada-steps-out-of-the-cold-war-era-with-new-granta-budget-seda/">Granta</a>, confirmed that it would be making a comeback. And this is the car with which it'll do it.<br />
<br />
Called the Granta Sport, this adaptable racer will form the basis for a number of racing categories. One is the WTCC, which Lada will contest this year at two rounds (Hungary and Portugal) with an eye towards expanding to a full-season challenge in 2013. Another is the Granta Cup, a one-make racing series which Lada will field in Russia. Finally, an S2000-compliant version is reportedly in the works that would let privateer teams enter the Granta Sport in any of a number of racing series around the world.<br />
<br />
Aside from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Sebring#Coupe_.281995.E2.80.932000.29">1995 Chrysler Sebring coupe</a> calling to ask for its fake plastic grille back, few details are available as to the Granta Sport's technical specifications, but we have the distinct feeling that Renaultsport has had a hand in its development. One way or another, you can scope out the high-res images in the gallery for a closer look.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/05/lada-gears-up-for-racing-campaign-with-new-granta-sport/">Lada gears up for racing campaign with new Granta Sport</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 07:59:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/05/lada-gears-up-for-racing-campaign-with-new-granta-sport/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20138755/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/05/lada-gears-up-for-racing-campaign-with-new-granta-sport/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>granta</category><category>lada</category><category>lada granta</category><category>lada granta cup</category><category>lada granta sport</category><category>s2000</category><category>world touring car championship</category><category>wtcc</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Noah Joseph]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 07:59:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Lada steps out of the Cold (War Era) with new Granta budget sedan]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/28/lada-steps-out-of-the-cold-war-era-with-new-granta-budget-seda/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/28/lada-steps-out-of-the-cold-war-era-with-new-granta-budget-seda/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/28/lada-steps-out-of-the-cold-war-era-with-new-granta-budget-seda/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/economy/" rel="tag">Budget</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/sedans/" rel="tag">Sedan</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-granta-0/"><img alt="Lada Granta" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/weblada-granta.jpg" style="margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; width: 628px; height: 414px;" /></a><br />
<br />
It's not every day that <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/lada">Lada</a> comes out with a new car. In fact, the Samara - which the model you see here is set to replace - has been on the market pretty much unchanged since 1997. (And that's not even their oldest model: the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/niva/">Niva 4x4</a> has been out there since 1977.) So the launch of the new Granta is a bit of an occasion for the Russian automaker and its parent company, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/avtovaz/">AvtoVaz</a>.<br />
<br />
Based on the Kalina hatchback, the new Granta sedan is about as bare-bones as they come. For the equivalent of about $7,500, buyers born under Soviet rule get steel wheels, manual windows and... little else. A higher trim level with power steering, locks and windows, plus a stereo and ABS, goes for about $8,500. GPS, stability control and side-curtain airbags are options. Either way, it's got an old-school eight-valve 1.6-liter four that drives the front wheels through a five-speed manual, though a 16-valve 1.4-liter is on its way.<br />
<br />
A competition version is also set to take on the World Touring Car Championship. You might be inclined to laugh, but if a Dacia can take on the Andros Trophy and Pikes Peak....<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/28/lada-steps-out-of-the-cold-war-era-with-new-granta-budget-seda/">Lada steps out of the Cold (War Era) with new Granta budget sedan</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/28/lada-steps-out-of-the-cold-war-era-with-new-granta-budget-seda/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20135906/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/28/lada-steps-out-of-the-cold-war-era-with-new-granta-budget-seda/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>avtovaz</category><category>granta</category><category>lada</category><category>lada granta</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Noah Joseph]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:30:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Watch <i>Fifth Gear</i> drive across England in a brand-new Lada Niva]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/19/watch-fifth-gear-drive-across-england-in-a-brand-new-lada/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/19/watch-fifth-gear-drive-across-england-in-a-brand-new-lada/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/19/watch-fifth-gear-drive-across-england-in-a-brand-new-lada/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/economy/" rel="tag">Budget</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/etc/" rel="tag">Etc.</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/videos/" rel="tag">Videos</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/hatchbacks/" rel="tag">Hatchback</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/uk/" rel="tag">UK</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/off-road/" rel="tag">Off-Road</a></p><a href="/2011/12/19/watch-fifth-gear-drive-across-england-in-a-brand-new-lada/#continued"><img alt="Lada Niva Fifth Gear" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/lada-niva-628.jpg" style="margin: 4px 0px; width: 628px; height: 353px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;" /></a><br />
<br />
If you happen to have a soft spot for ugly, inexpensive four-wheel-drive machines that can outperform substantially newer and more expensive vehicles, don't watch the video after the jump.<br />
<br />
If you choose not to heed our guidance, you may just find yourself desperately searching for a way to get your hands on a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/lada%20niva/">Lada Niva</a>. <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/fifth gear"><em>Fifth Gear</em></a> recently undertook a unique challenge. While the Niva hasn't been sold new in the UK for years, specialty importers can still slide one your way for a small fee and a smile. The whole kit will set buyers back around &pound;11,000, or about $17,000 at current conversion rates.<br />
<br />
That makes the Niva the cheapest four-wheel drive on the UK market right now. But is it worth it? <em>Fifth Gear</em> took to the network of unpaved roads that envelope the UK countryside in a bid to crawl their way across the island by spending as little time as possible on paved roads. How did the plucky little Soviet-era machine do? <a href="/2011/12/19/watch-fifth-gear-drive-across-england-in-a-brand-new-lada/#continued">Hit the jump</a> to find out. Just remember: we warned you.<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/19/watch-fifth-gear-drive-across-england-in-a-brand-new-lada/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Watch <i>Fifth Gear</i> drive across England in a brand-new Lada Niva</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/19/watch-fifth-gear-drive-across-england-in-a-brand-new-lada/">Watch <i>Fifth Gear</i> drive across England in a brand-new Lada Niva</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:59:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/19/watch-fifth-gear-drive-across-england-in-a-brand-new-lada/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20130802/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/19/watch-fifth-gear-drive-across-england-in-a-brand-new-lada/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>fifth gear</category><category>lada</category><category>lada niva</category><category>niva</category><category>uk</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Zach Bowman]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:59:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Report: Russia's AvtoVAZ finally turns a profit after many years]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/15/report-russias-avtovaz-finally-turns-a-profit-after-many-years/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/15/report-russias-avtovaz-finally-turns-a-profit-after-many-years/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/15/report-russias-avtovaz-finally-turns-a-profit-after-many-years/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/plants-manufacturing/" rel="tag">Plants/Manufacturing</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/earnings-financials/" rel="tag">Earnings/Financials</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/renault/" rel="tag">Renault</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a></p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10611477"><img hspace="0" border="1" vspace="4" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/avtovazprofit.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
During the first quarter of 2010, Russian automaker Avtovaz lost 2.6 billion rubles ($85M U.S.). In the second quarter it made almost a third of that back when it posted a net profit of one billion rubles ($32.7M U.S). The spike came courtesy of Russia's cash-for-clunkers program, which more than doubled the firm's sales over Q1 numbers to 149,100 cars. <br />
<br />
The cars that sold were reported to be mainly "older and cheaper models." In response, Russian Prime MInister Vladimir Putin advised Avtovaz CEO Igor Komarov to modernize the company, rather than flogging ancient Lada designs even if the flogging is good. Komarov said Avtovaz is sending a team of 500 to <a href="http://autonews.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1015984/Russian-largest-carmaker-in-black-first-time-in-years.html">study Renault's manufacturing</a> methods, which could mean they're finally <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/30/needs-image-report-renault-and-russia-come-to-agreement-on-a/">getting around to that technology sharing</a> broached almost a year ago. Now if we could just get that <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/25/report-renault-delays-new-lada-products-to-focus-on-improving-q/">Lada C concept</a> built...<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10611477">BBC</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/15/report-russias-avtovaz-finally-turns-a-profit-after-many-years/">Report: Russia's AvtoVAZ finally turns a profit after many years</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 07:58:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10611477>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/15/report-russias-avtovaz-finally-turns-a-profit-after-many-years/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19553661/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/15/report-russias-avtovaz-finally-turns-a-profit-after-many-years/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Avtovaz</category><category>AvtoVAZ Renault</category><category>AvtovazRenault</category><category>igor komarov</category><category>IgorKomarov</category><category>lada</category><category>Vladimir Putin</category><category>VladimirPutin</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jonathon Ramsey]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 15 Jul 2010 07:58:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Lada Samara Diva transformed into life-size robot]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/24/lada-samara-diva-transformed-into-life-size-robot/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/24/lada-samara-diva-transformed-into-life-size-robot/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/24/lada-samara-diva-transformed-into-life-size-robot/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/etc/" rel="tag">Etc.</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/design-style/" rel="tag">Design/Style</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-transformer/"><img hspace="0" border="0" vspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/recreationrobot.jpg"  alt="" /></a>
<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><small>Lada Transformer - Click above for image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
<br />
If comically obscene and offensive ghettofied twin robots aren't your thing - and we certainly hope they are not - allow us to introduce you to a transforming automobile that is in much better taste. Designer Nikola Nikolov took his first car, a Lada Samara Diva, cut it apart and welded it all back together to form the finished product you see here.<br />
<br />
The artist describes his created as standing "in a position of ready surprise. He is in the moment between knowing what he was and knowing what he has become." No, we're not quite sure what that means either. Regardless, we think this 6.5-foot-tall, 200-pound robot statue is pretty darn awesome.<br />
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<br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-transformer">Lada Transformer</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-transformer/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/recreationrobot-1_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-transformer/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/recreationrobot-2_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-transformer/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/recreationrobot-3_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-transformer/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/recreationrobot-4_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-transformer/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/06/recreationrobot-5_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.studio-re-creation.com/">Studio Re-Creation</a> via <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5567060/man-turns-car-into-transformer-robot-for-ultimate-road-rage-weapon">Gizmodo</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/24/lada-samara-diva-transformed-into-life-size-robot/">Lada Samara Diva transformed into life-size robot</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/24/lada-samara-diva-transformed-into-life-size-robot/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19523893/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/24/lada-samara-diva-transformed-into-life-size-robot/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>lada</category><category>lada transformer</category><category>LadaTransformer</category><category>nikola nikolov</category><category>NikolaNikolov</category><category>studio re-creation</category><category>StudioRe-creation</category><category>transformer</category><category>transformers</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeremy Korzeniewski]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:30:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Video: Teasing the crocodile-skin covered Bentley Continental GT]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/video-teasing-the-crocodile-skin-covered-bentley-continental-gt/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/video-teasing-the-crocodile-skin-covered-bentley-continental-gt/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/video-teasing-the-crocodile-skin-covered-bentley-continental-gt/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/aftermarket/" rel="tag">Aftermarket</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/coupes/" rel="tag">Coupe</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/bentley/" rel="tag">Bentley</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/design-style/" rel="tag">Design/Style</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/luxury/" rel="tag">Luxury</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/video-teasing-the-crocodile-skin-covered-bentley-continental-gt/#continued"><img vspace="4" hspace="0" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/bentley-croc-630.jpg" alt="" /></a>
<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><small>Click above to view the video <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/video-teasing-the-crocodile-skin-covered-bentley-continental-gt/#continued">after the jump</a></small></strong></em></div>
<br />
Oh, Russia. How could a country that gave us the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/30/video-eastern-block-rockin-beat-lotus-tunes-lada/">Lada</a> - a car so right it hasn't changed since disco was king and coke his queen - turn around and provide the world with this monstrosity. If you've just eaten, allow us to provide a word of warning: the video after the jump isn't for weak stomachs. A company out of the motherland has taken it upon itself to swaddle a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/bentley/continental+gt">Bentley Continental GT</a> in a unique wrap. While tuners and motorsports teams have been dipping their favorite cars in different color vinyl for years now, a few enterprising souls have decided to take things to a whole new level.<br />
<br />
Instead of relying on vinyl, this particular tuner decided to cover the entirety of the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/bentley/">Bentley</a> coupe in African Buffalo hide. But wait, there's more! The hides are stamped with a crocodile skin pattern, giving the whole disaster a distinctly exotic feel. As momma used to say, there's no accounting for taste, son. Mildly NSFW video <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/video-teasing-the-crocodile-skin-covered-bentley-continental-gt/#continued">after the jump</a>.<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_4C9ukRv-Y&amp;">YouTube</a>]<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/video-teasing-the-crocodile-skin-covered-bentley-continental-gt/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Video: Teasing the crocodile-skin covered Bentley Continental GT</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/video-teasing-the-crocodile-skin-covered-bentley-continental-gt/">Video: Teasing the crocodile-skin covered Bentley Continental GT</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 17:01:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/video-teasing-the-crocodile-skin-covered-bentley-continental-gt/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19426448/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/video-teasing-the-crocodile-skin-covered-bentley-continental-gt/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Bentley</category><category>Bentley Continental</category><category>Bentley Continental GT</category><category>BentleyContinental</category><category>BentleyContinentalGt</category><category>Continental</category><category>Continental GT</category><category>ContinentalGt</category><category>Croc Skin Bentley</category><category>Crocodile Skin Bentley</category><category>Crocodile Skin Bentley Continental GT</category><category>CrocodileSkinBentley</category><category>CrocodileSkinBentleyContinentalGt</category><category>CrocSkinBentley</category><category>GT</category><category>Lada</category><category>Russia</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Zach Bowman]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 05 Apr 2010 17:01:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Renault F1: Sponsored by... Lada!]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/05/renault-f1-sponsored-by-lada/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/05/renault-f1-sponsored-by-lada/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/05/renault-f1-sponsored-by-lada/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/motorsports/" rel="tag">Motorsports</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/marketing-advertising/" rel="tag">Marketing/Advertising</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/renault/" rel="tag">Renault</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a></p><a href="http://www.renaultf1.com/Renault-F1-Team-confirms.html"><img hspace="0" height="446" width="630" vspace="4" border="0" align="top" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/renaultf1lada630.jpg" alt="Renault R30 F1 car" /></a>
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><small>Renault R30 F1 car - click above for high-res image gallery</small></em></strong></div>
<br />
Renault F1's <a href="http://www.renaultf1.com/Renault-F1-Team-confirms.html">got itself a new sponsor</a>: Lada. The Russian automaker's logo will appear on the R30 racing cars, as seen above, as well as the driver and crew uniforms. The announcement was made at <a href="http://premier.gov.ru/eng/events/news/9549/">a meeting held this Monday in Moscow</a>, attended by Vladimir Putin, Carlos Ghosn, new Renault F1 pilot Vitaly Petrov, and a gaggle of other functionaries.<br />
<br />
If you think the Lada sponsorship has anything to do with Renault F1 bringing the Russian rookie on board as the full-time #2 driver alongside lead guy Robert Kubica, you're right. It pretty much has everything to do with it, as both Genii Capital (the majority stakeholder in Renault F1) and Renault-Nissan (25% stakeholders in AvtoVaz, Lada's parent) actively work to advance their interests in Russia.<br />
<br />
Petrov's hiring is part of a broader overture toward Russia (on Monday, Ghosn came right out and said that Petrov's nationality played a role in his selection), and the Lada sponsorship is obviously a reciprocal act. And it may not be the last one, either, as Putin indicated during Monday's meeting that Russia (i.e. Lada) could increase its sponsorship involvement in the future.<br />
<br />
Clearly, the most important takeaway from all this, however, is that the idea of a <a href="http://images.google.com/images?q=shirtless%20vladimir%20putin&amp;oe=utf-8&amp;rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&amp;client=firefox-a&amp;um=1&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;sa=N&amp;hl=en&amp;tab=wi">shirtless Vladimir Putin</a>, watching the Monaco GP from the deck of a Typhoon-class sub moored among the superyachts in Monaco Harbor, no longer seems <em>completely</em> outlandish.<br />
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<br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-renault-r30">2010 Renault R30</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-renault-r30/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/renaultf1lada_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-renault-r30/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/00410801012_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-renault-r30/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/00410801003_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-renault-r30/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/00410801005_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-renault-r30/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/00410801011_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.renaultf1.com/Renault-F1-Team-confirms.html">Renault F1</a>, <a href="http://premier.gov.ru/eng/events/news/9549/">Government of the Russian Federation</a> via <a href="http://cars.aol.co.uk/2010/03/04/lada-to-sponsor-renault-f1/">Autoblog UK</a>, <a href="http://www.crash.net/f1/news/157330/1/renault_signs_most_unlikely_f1_sponsor.html">Crash.net</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/05/renault-f1-sponsored-by-lada/">Renault F1: Sponsored by... Lada!</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:28:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/05/renault-f1-sponsored-by-lada/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19384247/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/05/renault-f1-sponsored-by-lada/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>avtovaz</category><category>carlos ghosn</category><category>CarlosGhosn</category><category>genii capital</category><category>GeniiCapital</category><category>ghosn</category><category>lada</category><category>petrov</category><category>putin</category><category>renault f1</category><category>renault-nissan</category><category>RenaultF1</category><category>sponsor</category><category>vitaly petrov</category><category>VitalyPetrov</category><category>vladimir petrov</category><category>vladimir putin</category><category>VladimirPutin</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Alex Nunez]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:28:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[REPORT: Renault delays new Lada products to focus on improving quality]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/25/report-renault-delays-new-lada-products-to-focus-on-improving-q/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/25/report-renault-delays-new-lada-products-to-focus-on-improving-q/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/25/report-renault-delays-new-lada-products-to-focus-on-improving-q/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/renault/" rel="tag">Renault</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-concept/"><img hspace="4" vspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/ladaconceptc.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />
<small>Lada Concept C - Click above for high-res image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
<br />
All eyes have been on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/renault/">Renault</a> since acquiring a 25% stake in Russian automaker Avtovaz. The French carmaker headed by the venerable Carlos Ghosn beat out <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/fiat/">Fiat</a> and <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/general+motors/">General Motors</a> to acquire the interest in Lada's parent company, but then the economy tanked and Ghosn was left <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/report-russian-pm-putin-tells-renault-to-put-up-or-get-out/">holding his hat</a>.<br />
<br />
Original plans centered around new product launches to re-invigorate the Russian automaker, starting with the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/08/geneva-motor-show-lada-c-concept/">Concept C unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show</a>. But Renault has reportedly now changed its strategy, putting new Ladas on hold. Instead, they'll be showing the Ruskies how to build the cars they already build, but better. The plan is apparently taken out of the Volkswagen playbook, as implemented after the German group's acquisition of Skoda, which has apparently been working pretty well for them so far.<br />
<br />
The focus of Renault's attention in Russia will start on the existing Kalina, applying lessons which "the West learned over 40 years" on a quicker learning curve. Once Ghosn and company feel Avtovaz has got the quality issue down pat, then it will begin to roll out new products based on Renault and Nissan platforms, currently pegged for somewhere around 2012 to 2014. Better hunker down, comrades: this could take a while.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-concept">Lada C Concept</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-concept/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/ladac_3632_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-concept/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/ladac_3634_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-concept/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/ladac_3643_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-concept/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/ladac_3636_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-concept/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/ladac_3645_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?AR=245086">Autocar</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/25/report-renault-delays-new-lada-products-to-focus-on-improving-q/">REPORT: Renault delays new Lada products to focus on improving quality</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:28:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?AR=245086>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/25/report-renault-delays-new-lada-products-to-focus-on-improving-q/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19249742/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/25/report-renault-delays-new-lada-products-to-focus-on-improving-q/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>avtovaz</category><category>lada</category><category>lada concept c</category><category>lada kalina</category><category>LadaConceptC</category><category>LadaKalina</category><category>russia</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Noah Joseph]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:28:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Russian PM Putin reportedly tells Renault to put up or get out]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/report-russian-pm-putin-tells-renault-to-put-up-or-get-out/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/report-russian-pm-putin-tells-renault-to-put-up-or-get-out/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/report-russian-pm-putin-tells-renault-to-put-up-or-get-out/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/government-legal/" rel="tag">Government/Legal</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/earnings-financials/" rel="tag">Earnings/Financials</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/renault/" rel="tag">Renault</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a></p><a href="http://www.financialpost.com/opinion/breaking-views/story.html?id=2125437"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/10/ghosn-putin.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />
<br />
It seemed like a good idea at the time, but with hindsight being 20-20, how many failed ventures can be summed up by that same excuse? Just last year, Russia was looking to foreign investors as one of the most promising emerging markets in the world. Renault got locked into a bidding war with Fiat and General Motors for a large stake in Autovaz, Russia's largest automaker, known to consumers for producing Lada.<br />
<br />
Renault won and paid $1 billion for the 25% stake. But one year and one giant global economic meltdown later, that victory is looking more like a liability - the quarter interest is now worth less than a quarter of what Carlos Ghosn and company paid for it. And now Renault is expected to bail Autovaz out of its troubles or else face the wrath of one Vladimir Putin.<br />
<br />
The autocratic Russian prime minister, whose government both owns another quarter of Autovaz on the one hand and has extended significant loans to it on the other, has reportedly demanded that Renault cough up some serious dough - $850 million, to be exact - in "emergency loans" to keep the Russian automaker solvent following a nosedive in the domestic market that saw sales plummet a whopping 50 percent and its workforce subsequently cut by a fifth.<br />
<br />
Putin is reportedly threatening to further dilute Renault's stake in Autovaz if they don't comply, but while Ghosn has pledged to establish a new joint venture between the two together with sister company Nissan, the cash has yet to flow. With the prospect of folding to Putin's demands threatening to weaken Renault's image in the Russian market and around the world, it seems to be a lose-lose situation.<br />
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[Source: <a href="http://www.financialpost.com/opinion/breaking-views/story.html?id=2125437">Financial Post</a> | Image: Dmitry Astakhov/AFP/Getty]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/report-russian-pm-putin-tells-renault-to-put-up-or-get-out/">Russian PM Putin reportedly tells Renault to put up or get out</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:32:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.financialpost.com/opinion/breaking-views/story.html?id=2125437>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/report-russian-pm-putin-tells-renault-to-put-up-or-get-out/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19204133/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/26/report-russian-pm-putin-tells-renault-to-put-up-or-get-out/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>autovaz</category><category>avtovaz</category><category>carlos ghosn</category><category>CarlosGhosn</category><category>lada</category><category>renault</category><category>vladimir putin</category><category>VladimirPutin</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Noah Joseph]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:32:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[REPORT: Russian conglomorate plans merger of top three automotive brands]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/26/report-russian-conglomorate-plans-merger-of-top-three-automotiv/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/26/report-russian-conglomorate-plans-merger-of-top-three-automotiv/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/26/report-russian-conglomorate-plans-merger-of-top-three-automotiv/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/government-legal/" rel="tag">Government/Legal</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gR4xR8SIKHfBsbF9z1RxhgI-f_TA"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/08/kamaz-redsquare2.jpg" /></a><small> <em><strong>Kamaz Dakar rally team in Moscow's Red Square</strong></em></small></div>
<br /> While competition between local automakers may have worked in individual markets in the past, that same fragmentation is one of the chief elements hampering the global competitiveness of carmakers hailing from emerging markets. China's automakers have been learning that lesson for some time now, and Russia could be next if national conglomerate Russian Technologies has anything to say about it. <br /> <br /> The industrial giant holds major interest in three of the country's biggest automotive companies - including 37.8% of truckmaker Kamaz, 25% of automaker Avtovaz (Lada's parent company) and 30% of engine manufacturer Avtodizel - and it just recently announced preliminary plans to merge the three into a single holding firm called Rosavto.<br /> <br /> Critics are already arguing that the limited synergies between the three will be outweighed by the increased bureaucracy. But while Russians may be resistant to conglomeration after decades of oppressively centrally-planned industry, it may be the one thing that could turn Russia's local auto industry around against the backdrop of plummeting sales and suspended production.<br /> <br /> [Source: <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gR4xR8SIKHfBsbF9z1RxhgI-f_TA">AFP</a> | Image: NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP/Getty]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/26/report-russian-conglomorate-plans-merger-of-top-three-automotiv/">REPORT: Russian conglomorate plans merger of top three automotive brands</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:20:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gR4xR8SIKHfBsbF9z1RxhgI-f_TA>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/26/report-russian-conglomorate-plans-merger-of-top-three-automotiv/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19140257/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/26/report-russian-conglomorate-plans-merger-of-top-three-automotiv/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>autovaz</category><category>avtodizel</category><category>avtovaz</category><category>false</category><category>lada</category><category>rosauto</category><category>rosavto</category><category>russia</category><category>russian</category><category>russian technologies</category><category>RussianTechnologies</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Noah Joseph]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:20:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Bloc Rockin' Beater: Twin-turbo Skyline-powered 2105 shows off a Lada intercooler]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/26/bloc-rockin-beater-twin-turbo-skyline-powered-2105-shows-off/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/26/bloc-rockin-beater-twin-turbo-skyline-powered-2105-shows-off/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/26/bloc-rockin-beater-twin-turbo-skyline-powered-2105-shows-off/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/tunertuesdays/" rel="tag">Tuners</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/coupes/" rel="tag">Coupe</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/sedans/" rel="tag">Sedan</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/etc/" rel="tag">Etc.</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/nissan/" rel="tag">Nissan</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/custom-lada-samara/2033998/"><img width="580" vspace="4" hspace="4" height="387" border="1" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/ladasamaraadrenalin---00.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Take a close look at the car in these photos. What at first glance appears to be a '70s race car done up for SEMA is actually S. Kartuzoff's Lada 2105 <a href="http://www.gladkovservice.ru/home.html">Gladkov</a> Edition. The car has been dubbed "Adrenalin," and as the description says, "It is the Russian car!" with motive power coming from a Nissan Skyline engine that has been boosted by a pair of Garrett turbos. The before-and-after pics show how much work went into creating this oddly classic and simultaneously modern vehicle.<br /><br />Most of our crew aren't digging the scissor doors, but the intercooler-as-grille idea, well, that's just inspired. And the twin-turbo powertrain? Boffo. Makes us think of all of those glorious IMSA TU cars from the '70s. Cars like the Alfa GTV, Fiat 124, BMW 2002, Datsun 510, and Mazda RX-2 and -3. Check out the small gallery of pics grabbed from the <a href="http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3323626">source</a> below, but we urge you to click through for more images of the incredible and unique build.<em> Hat tip to TheFireball.<br /><br /><br /><div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/custom-lada-samara">Custom Lada Samara</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/custom-lada-samara/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/ladasamaraadrenalin---01_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/custom-lada-samara/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/ladasamaraadrenalin---02_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/custom-lada-samara/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/ladasamaraadrenalin---03_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/custom-lada-samara/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/ladasamaraadrenalin---04_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/custom-lada-samara/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/ladasamaraadrenalin---05_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br /></em>[Source: <a href="http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3323626">CarDomain</a>]<em></em><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/26/bloc-rockin-beater-twin-turbo-skyline-powered-2105-shows-off/">Bloc Rockin' Beater: Twin-turbo Skyline-powered 2105 shows off a Lada intercooler</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 26 May 2009 14:57:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3323626>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/26/bloc-rockin-beater-twin-turbo-skyline-powered-2105-shows-off/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1553449/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/26/bloc-rockin-beater-twin-turbo-skyline-powered-2105-shows-off/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Gladkov</category><category>Gladkov Service</category><category>GladkovService</category><category>Lada</category><category>Lada Samara</category><category>Lada Skyline</category><category>LadaSamara</category><category>LadaSkyline</category><category>S. Kartuzoff</category><category>S.Kartuzoff</category><category>samara</category><category>skyline</category><category>Skyline Lada</category><category>SkylineLada</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Frank Filipponio]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2009 14:57:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Putin Power: Even Russian automakers to get a bailout?]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/31/putin-power-even-russian-automakers-to-get-a-bailout/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/31/putin-power-even-russian-automakers-to-get-a-bailout/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/31/putin-power-even-russian-automakers-to-get-a-bailout/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/trends/" rel="tag">Trends</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/euro/" rel="tag">Europe</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/government-legal/" rel="tag">Government/Legal</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/earnings-financials/" rel="tag">Earnings/Financials</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/russia/" rel="tag">Russia</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/03/avtovaz_bailout.jpg" alt="" /><br />
<div align="center"><em><strong><small>Lada C Concept - Click above for a high-res gallery</small></strong></em><br /></div>
<br />According to <em>The Detroit News</em>, Avtovaz, Russia's largest car maker and the home of Lada, is in line for government help. The Russian car industry is faring even more poorly than its counterpart in the U.S., with a 60% drop in sales being predicted. To assist Avtovaz with payments to creditors, a lifeline of more than 20 billion rubles is being discussed (upwards of $588 million USD), which would be close to Avtovaz's total debt to suppliers and banks. <br /><br />It is also being reported that Avtovaz is looking to <a href="http://ph.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20090330/tbs-avtovaz-investment-7318940.html">sign an investment memorandum</a> for 90 billion rubles ($2.7 billion USD) with a cartel of state-run banks. Compared to the sums being doled out in the U.S. that's not a lada money (sorry, had to...), but if Avtovaz can get the agreements signed, it should be in better standing.<br /><br /><div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-concept">Lada C Concept</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-concept/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/ladac_3632_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-concept/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/ladac_3634_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-concept/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/ladac_3643_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-concept/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/ladac_3636_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-concept/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/03/ladac_3645_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br />[Source: <a href="http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090330/AUTO01/903300389/1148/rss25">The Detroit News</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/31/putin-power-even-russian-automakers-to-get-a-bailout/">Putin Power: Even Russian automakers to get a bailout?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090330/AUTO01/903300389/1148/rss25>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/31/putin-power-even-russian-automakers-to-get-a-bailout/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1502652/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/31/putin-power-even-russian-automakers-to-get-a-bailout/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>auto industry</category><category>AutoIndustry</category><category>avtovaz</category><category>earnings</category><category>financials</category><category>lada</category><category>putin</category><category>russia</category><category>vladimir putin</category><category>VladimirPutin</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jonathon Ramsey]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST</pubDate>
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</item><item><title><![CDATA[Moscow 2008: Lada shows off C-Cross concept]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/26/moscow-2008-lada-shows-off-c-cross-concept/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/26/moscow-2008-lada-shows-off-c-cross-concept/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/26/moscow-2008-lada-shows-off-c-cross-concept/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/conceptcars/" rel="tag">Concept Cars</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/euro/" rel="tag">Europe</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/crossovers-cuvs/" rel="tag">Crossover</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/hatchbacks/" rel="tag">Hatchback</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/misc-auto-shows/" rel="tag">Misc. Auto Shows</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-cross/999764/"><img hspace="4" border="1" vspace="4" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/ladaccrossconcept_damon.jpg" /></a><br /><em>Click above for hi-res gallery of the Lada C-Cross concept</em><br /><br />The Moscow Auto Show is underway and Damon's on site with camera in hand. The car you see here is the Lada C-Cross Concept, which looks kinda like a Chinese knock-off of a last-gen Euro Ford Focus with added ground clearance. The C-Cross show car presumably gives a sneak peek at what a future AvtoVAZ car-based crossover might look like, and if we had to guess, a production version probably isn't too far off. We'll pass on it, though. Our hearts and minds forever belong to the <a href="http://www.lada-auto.ru/cgi-bin/models.pl?model_id=5086&amp;branch=tth">Lada Niva</a>, whose old-school looks are like visual comfort food. Plus, something tells us that this C-Cross thing wouldn't do nearly as well <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/13/lada-niva-goes-way-off-road/">underwater</a>. <br /><br /><div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-cross">Lada C-Cross</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-cross/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/01_lada_c-cross_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-cross/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/02_lada_c-cross_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-cross/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/03_lada_c-cross_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-cross/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/04_lada_c-cross_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/lada-c-cross/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/08/05_lada_c-cross_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br />[Source: <a href="http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/08/26/097601.html">The Auto Channel</a>]<br /><br /><em><strong>All photos Copyright (C)2008 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc. </strong></em><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/26/moscow-2008-lada-shows-off-c-cross-concept/">Moscow 2008: Lada shows off C-Cross concept</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:57:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/08/26/097601.html>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/26/moscow-2008-lada-shows-off-c-cross-concept/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1295622/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/26/moscow-2008-lada-shows-off-c-cross-concept/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>AvtoVAZ</category><category>c-cross</category><category>concept</category><category>lada</category><category>moscow</category><category>moscow 2008</category><category>moscow auto ahow</category><category>moscow motor show</category><category>Moscow2008</category><category>MoscowAutoAhow</category><category>MoscowMotorShow</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Alex Nunez]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:57:00 EST</pubDate>
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