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Fiat turns old Yugo factory into its most advanced plant

Noah Joseph — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 08:31:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Fiat

Several years ago, we were surprised to discover that the Yugo was still being made. Sometimes dubbed the worst car in history, Serbian automaker Zastava continued producing the Yugo through 2008 when the last one rolled off the assembly line in Kragujevac after a twenty-year production run. That was only months after Fiat inked a deal to buy the company and its assets, including the factory.

Now almost four years later, Fiat has finished upgrading the Cold War-era assembly plant into what it now calls its most advanced factory yet. Inaugurated just the other day by Chrysler/Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne and Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, the former Zastava plant has undergone a billion-euro renovation, including new production shops, machinery, infrastructure, landscaping and roof over a 1.4 million square meter site.

By the end of the year, the plant will employ a workforce of some 2,400. Their first task will be production of the new 500L mini-minivan (pictured above), which is scheduled to begin delivery (at a rate of as many as 200,000 units each year) from the former Yugoslavian country to markets across Europe and around the world later this year.

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Fiat turns old Yugo factory into its most advanced plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yugos: Awful cars, serviceable art

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 15:03:00 EST

The Yugofone and other interesting creations - Click above for image gallery

Remember Jason Vuic's book about the rise and fall of Yugo? Apparently, the inspiration for it came from the fact that an artist was able to buy 39 Yugos for $92 each. Those Yugos were given to students at The School of Visual Arts in New York and they were told to make something useful out of them.

And that's how you get the Yugo accordion from the book, the Yogofone (pictured above), and a Yugo grand piano with a plate reading "89 KEYS." This Yugobilia was displayed in New York's Grand Central Station and on a U.S. tour - probably the best things to happen to any Yugo anywhere. Ever.

BMW probably doesn't need to be worried about its art car franchise just yet, but the Bavarians might take some notes, just to be safe. Check out a few of the pieces in the gallery below, or click the link to check out another two dozen works of Yugo art.

Gallery: Artworks made from Yugos

[Source: Motobullet]

Yugos: Awful cars, serviceable art originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 11 Apr 2010 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Book Review: The Yugo: The Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:01:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Europe, Hatchback, Humor

In 1985, just nine months before the Yugo came to America, Yugo America CEO Malcolm Bricklin and second in command Tony Ciminera toured the Zastava plant in Kragujevac, Yugoslavia. This is where the Yugo 45, the crazy-cheap car Americans would come to know, love and then loathe, would be built and rebadged as the Yugo GV (Bricklin intended GV to stand for "great value," but he never bothered paying the ad firm to spread the word). Ciminera was horrified at what he saw.

Workers would take brand new body panels they'd just finished stamping and toss them onto a pile. Meaning that the new cars would roll off the assembly line dented. Bricklin, of course, failed to see the problem and told Ciminera just to fax the Zastava workers a list of changes needed when the two of them returned to the U.S. The problem with that plan was that the Zastava factory didn't have a fax machine. Once they got one, the fax that Ciminera sent them was over four meters long. And Bricklin was sticking to his fanciful nine-month deadline.

Gallery: The Yugo: The Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History

Continue reading Book Review: The Yugo: The Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History

Book Review: The Yugo: The Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Turbocharged BMW-powered Yugo highboy has us reconsidering the GV

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Videos, Humor

Vprache BMW six-cylinder turbo Yugo in hoon mode - Click above to watch video

In the beginning, there was a yellow Yugo GV. And when the folks at Vprache Racing cast their eyes over it, they thought it was missing something. So they gave it an 3.5-liter BMW inline six-cylinder transplant and added a turbo besides. And an intercooler mounted on the grille. And a high-rise lift job. Then they took it hooning. And that was the end of the first day.

When that wasn't enough, they added another turbo and fashioned arches to cover the exposed rubber. And then they took it drag racing. And that was the end of the second day. You can check out videos of the car in both iterations after the jump. It's fast. And in a yellow Yugo, you'd want to be.

[Sources: Tampa Sports Car Examiner; YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Turbocharged BMW-powered Yugo highboy has us reconsidering the GV

VIDEO: Turbocharged BMW-powered Yugo highboy has us reconsidering the GV originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zastava builds the final Yugo

Dan Roth — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:31:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Budget, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback

"Cao, nema više" reads the piece paper affixed to the tailgate of the red Serbian hatchback, as a small throng of proud workers gathered around the car to bid it "Goodbye, no more" this week. After a 20-year run, the last Zastava Koral, #794,428, quietly made its way to the Zastava museum and the scrappy Eastern European automaker has wound down production on all but one of its models. The very last Zastava, a Skala 55, will be the last of its kind when it makes its way down the production line on November 20th. After that, the proud, tenacious people who have been working at the Kragujevac factory aren't sure of what the future holds. Zastava has long been linked to Fiat, and when the lines restart, the Zastava 10 will be badged as a Fiat Punto, which it is.

Make as many Yugo jokes as you'd like, but Zastava has a long and fascinating history, and the company has managed to produce automobiles through several periods of war, even after the factory sustained bombings. The now classic Zastavas will live on; the company is working on setting up Skala 55, Koral In, and Florida In production lines in Africa and the Zastava 128 is still being produced in Egypt. In those climates, we figure they won't need to come with defroster grids to keep your hands warm when pushing.

[Source: Zastava]

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Zastava builds the final Yugo originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fiat buys Zastava to build new Topolino microcar

Noah Joseph — Fri, 02 May 2008 08:02:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Earnings/Financials, Fiat

If you told us a year ago that Fiat was going to sign a deal with the government of Serbia, we'd have laughed. But that was before the country announced that it was accepting tenders for investment in the state-owned automaker Zastava, makers of the famous Yugo (aka Skala 55). The process started back in December when the Serbian government made the announcement, sparking interest from various automakers. But even as recent as last week, the Fiat stance was that it was still considering the proposition. Well, it appears the Italian auto giant has done thinking, and has signed a memorandum of understanding with Serbia to establish a joint venture that involves Fiat investing a staggering 700 million euros (!) into Zastava's manufacturing facilities in exchange for a majority stake in the company, known in full as Zavodi Crvena Zastava. The Serbian government, meanwhile, will contribute some 200 million euros through tax incentives and similar measures.

Fiat has revealed that it will use the Zastava plant to produce the upcoming Topolino microcar. The vehicle will be based on the same platform as the 500 and Panda, but even smaller and positioned below either model, and share the same name as the concept car that previewed the new 500 and originally used on the 1936 runabout pictured above. According to reports, the new Topolino will be a compact two-seater measuring just 3150mm (124 inches) in length, slightly longer than the Smart ForTwo at 2692mm (106 inches). A four-seater version is expected to follow, in addition to an upscale version for the Lancia division.

[Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req'd]

Fiat buys Zastava to build new Topolino microcar originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 May 2008 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen may bid on Yugo, um, we mean Zastava

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:18:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Volkswagen, Fiat

Click above for more pics of the Zastava Skala 55

It was just the other day that we looked back at the automotive punchline that was the Yugo in America. In all actuality, though, the Serbian automaker Zastava that's currently for sale, has plenty to offer prospective buyers. This fact is evidenced by reports that Volkswagen is considering bidding on the ex-Yugoslavian company. Zastava is the only automaker based in Serbia, and has a number of factories and excess production capacity which could prove rather useful to companies such as Volkswagen, which is looking to expand their production capabilities in Europe.

Zastava currently produces a line of vehicles based on licensed Fiat architecture. The plant is currently producing about 15,000 units per year, but is capable of building as many as 60,000. At this time, we're not aware of any official offers being made, but we're sure that if Volkswagen is looking, others likely are as well.

[Source: B92, Carscoop]

Volkswagen may bid on Yugo, um, we mean Zastava originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2008 Belgrade Auto Show: Zastava Skala 55 (a.k.a. the Yugo)

Dan Roth — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Europe, Hatchback, Misc. Auto Shows

Click above for more pics of the Zastava Skala 55

The Easter holiday is a time of rebirth, and we can't think of a better automotive resurrection to celebrate than the Zastava Skala 55. Haven't heard of the Skala 55? Sure you have! It was sold here in the United States as the Yugo GV, and summarily tarred and feathered for being a $3,900 brand new car. Let's avoid an epic fight about the past and focus on why we're so jazzed that the rebuilt Zastava factory is still turning out these crisply styled five-doors. At the recent Belgrade Auto Show, Zastava parked a refreshed Skala 55 at its display and had one of the hits of the show.

Gallery: 2008 Zastava Skala 55

Continue reading 2008 Belgrade Auto Show: Zastava Skala 55 (a.k.a. the Yugo)

2008 Belgrade Auto Show: Zastava Skala 55 (a.k.a. the Yugo) originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wanna buy a Yugo? Serbian carmaker Zastava up for sale

Chris Shunk — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 11:28:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Etc., Europe, Hatchback

When the Yugo first arrived on our shores in 1985, it made headlines with its bargain basement $4,000 USD price tag. Of course, four large didn't buy you much of anything, except for a series of breakdowns and the laughter of virtually every motorist that easily passed you by. While the Yugo hasn't been sold in the U.S. since 1991, for the right price you can now bid for the distinct pleasure of owning Zastava, the Serbian company responsible for producing and exporting the biggest punch line in automotive history. The government of Serbia has announced that Zastava, the country's only automaker, is selling off over 90% of its shares this coming April for an undisclosed amount. While the eastern European automaker employs 4,000 workers and can build up to 60,000 vehicles per year, but currently the factory is only producing 15,000 units.

The Yugo was such a disaster when it hit the States, it seemed as though every comedian was required by law to make at least one joke about it. It didn't help that one Yugo owner was killed when the cheap compact became the one and only vehicle ever to be blown off the Mackinaw bridge that connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. If the price is right, though, we're sure someone will sop up the company, if only for the production capacity and cheap Eastern European labor.

[Source: Detroit News]

Wanna buy a Yugo? Serbian carmaker Zastava up for sale originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Dec 2007 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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