VAZ-1111

Oka (VAZ-1111)

VAZ-1111 Oka (Russian: Ока ВАЗ (СеАЗ, КамАЗ)-1111) is a city car designed in Russia in 1988 by AvtoVAZ featuring a 750 cc (46 cu in) SOHC two-cylinder engine. The car was developed by AutoVAZ, by a team led by Yuri Kuteev,^[1] but it never entered volume production there. All production was sourced to SeAZ factory in Serpukhov and ZMA in Naberezhnye Chelny (formerly owned by Kamaz and now owned by SeverstalAvto). There were plans to start production at the new plant in Yelabuga which never materialised. The car is also produced in Azerbaijan by the Gyandzha Auto Plant. The name comes from the Oka River in Russia upon which Serpukhov is situated.

History

This extremely cheap, lightweight and simple car replaced the ZAZ Zaporozhets, which had been developed in 1975 as the "people's car" and served its purpose for almost ten years as a low-end transportation. There was only one Soviet car more basic, and that was a special vehicle for disabled people, the SZD. Initially, when Serpukhov factory engineers, under factory manager Alexander Popov (who told Minavtoprom (the automotive ministry) SeAZ needed a new product)^[2] came up with the project for Oka, they turned to their VAZ colleagues for aid. The project was approved in 1983.^[3]

SeAZ-11116-50 cargo

The tiny car was to be a replacement for the SZD and featured a simple motorcycle engine. Andrei Rozov, one of the lead VAZ engineers, designed a new engine from scratch, but then decision was made to implement the "chopped in half" VAZ 2108 four-cylinder engine instead. It was 1983, and the first Soviet front-wheel drive automobile, the 2108, was ready to hit the market; so the Oka initiative quickly became the next "people's car" project, the one that "every factory engineer can afford".

The inspiration for Yuri Vereschagin, VAZ exterior designer that created Oka, came from Japanese Daihatsu Cuore. Tightly restricted by project specifications, he did his work hardly believing that the car is going to make it to serial production.

Nevertheless, its comparatively satisfactory technical characteristics and low price (as of now, it sells for about $3500) allowed it to lead a prolific career in the turbulent years to come.

At the 1989 Moscow International Motor Show, VAZ exhibited a battery-electric version known as the VAZ-111E. The car was produced on a direct order basis until 1998. The 120V worth of batteries were stored in the engine bay, beneath the seats and in the cargo bay, giving the car a range of approximately 100km.^[4]

As of 2006, there were four versions of Oka distributed: basic VAZ 11113 Oka made by either ZMA (Naberezhnye Chelny) or SeAZ factory (33 hp, 125 km/h (78 mph) max, 3.2 litres per 100 km), "custom" VAZ 11301 Astro (49 hp) and VAZ 11113-27 Toyma - commercial use subcompact with a cargo compartment instead of two rear seats.

Series production of the OKA was stopped in Russia in 2008 when SeAZ released the last batch of OKA's with Chinese EURO-2 engines.

Versions

• VAZ-1111 - basic model with 2-cylinder petrol engines VAZ-1111 volume of 0.65 liters. From 1988-1996 he was released. the WHA and SeAZ ("Eye"), Kamaz ("Kama");
• VAZ-1111e - an experimental model with electric drive [2] . See also Rapan .
• SeAZ-1111-01 - a social version based on VAZ-1111 for disabled people without both legs;
• SeAZ-1111-02 - a social version based on VAZ-1111 for the disabled with one leg;
• SeAZ-1111-03 - a social version based on VAZ-1111 for the disabled with one leg and one arm;
• VAZ-11113 (LADA OKA) - modification with 2-cylinder petrol engines of VAZ-11113 0.75 liter. Produced in 1996-2007. In 2000, "Auto Exotica 2000" demonstrated a version with 2-door sedan with a separate trunk protruding volume of 200 L;
• SeAZ-11113-01 - a social version based on VAZ-11113 for disabled people without both legs. In 2000, on the basis of this modification was shown a prototype "Oka Prestige" with a soft canvas top on the left side of the roof and turning the driver's seat;
• SeAZ-11113-02 - a social version based on VAZ-11113 for the disabled with one leg;
• SeAZ-11113-03 - a social version based on VAZ-11113 for the disabled with one leg and one arm;
• SeAZ-11116 - changed with the Chinese three-cylinder fuel-injected engine TJ FAW volume of 1.0 liters, produced in 2007-2008. SeAZ;
• SeAZ-11116-01 - a social version based SeAZ-11116 for disabled people without both legs;
• SeAZ-11116-02 - a social version based SeAZ-11116 for the disabled with one leg;
• SeAZ "Oka Junior" - small scale sports version of "Okie" for novice racers. Equipped with protective arches, a sports steering wheel and seats with four-point seat belts;
• SeAZ "Sport" - psevdogonochnaya version of "Okie" with arcs security, Sparco seats with four-point safety belt fastening the hood of the "Sport" and off the "masses" of the salon;
• "Oka-Astro-11301" - small scale version of "Okie" originally produced in 2002-2006. Chelny small firm "Astro-kar" (later "Kamsky car assembly plant") and is equipped with derating up to 80 AI-Ukrainian MeMZ 245.1 carburetor engine capacity of 1.1 liters of Euro-0 and a capacity of 49 liters. s. Different long-wheelbase (version 11301), and extended its front wheels. Spare wheel was moved to the trunk. This design was too "raw" because of the use of a number of "primitive" parts;
• "Astro-113011" - tuning version of "Okie" originally produced in 2006-2007. Naberezhnye Chelny custom-small firm "Kamsky car assembly plant" on the basis of the Serpukhov body and is equipped with Ukrainian MeMZ injected engine capacity of 1.1 liters of Euro-2. Differed only extended its front wheels;
• VAZ-17013 "Toima" - small scale commercial model based on the Kama "Okie". Equipped with a body such as a van with an increased rear overhang and a plastic superstructure increases the usable volume of the cargo compartment to 1.5m ³. Load capacity - up to 250 kg (without passengers). "Toima" produced Chelny small firm "Astro-kar" (later "Kamsky car assembly plant") in small batches in 2000-2007. In addition to the basic retail delivery model "Toima" had the following specialised version of "Police", "Ambulance" and "social", with glazed superstructure and a different layout salons, however, beyond the pilot-production samples they came out;
• VAZ-1301 "Gnome" - a prototype of a pickup based on the Kama "Okie". The chassis poluramnaya. Load capacity - up to 350 kg (without passengers). Standard was not made;
• SeAZ-11116-010-50 "Eye of Van" and SeAZ-11116-011-50 "Oka Pickup" - commercial modification of "Okie" on the basis of SeAZ-11116 with a body-type box (with plastic superstructure) and pick-up (without body). In 2007 SeAZ was made only a pilot batch of 50 such vehicles.
• SeAZ-11116-010-52 "Oka Universal" - a commercial modification of the "Okie" with a body such furgonet (hatchback body with glass-free sides and the rear cargo compartment instead of the passenger compartment). In 2007 it was made a few prototypes.
• SeAZ-11116-60 "Oka Pick a high-capacity" - a commercial modification of the "Okie" with a body type pickup with a separate board or platform in 2007 was made a few prototypes.
• TTM-1901 "Golden Eagle" - a heavy sled (sledge-car) of the classical ski-track scheme for the transport of personnel and tow cross-country skiers and snow soil. Made to order by Nizhny Novgorod "Transport" with the use of body parts and lighting "Okie". Passenger capacity 2 persons, c. 200 kg, 900 kg m n, u. pressure on the surface of 0.06 kg / cm ²; engine VAZ-21213 (80 hp.)., 5-speed gearbox. fur., the maximum speed of 80 km / h

Usage

Oka Sport

Its road agility and acceleration rate (quite surprising for its appeal) prevented it from taking Zaporozhets' place in folklore (which takes its delight in the awkwardness and slow speed of the former).

Its small size and weight (635 kilograms), however, gives birth to a multitude of funny (and often true) stories involving several men carrying Oka away from its parking place.^[5]

Special modifications for disabled people (missing one or both legs or one arm) were being distributed for free via social care system in Russia.

Like its brethren VW Beetle, it often attracts the sentiment of the owner, so various customised and tuned versions are inevitably exhibited at local exotic cars festivals.

There is a restyling scheduled by the manufacturing company for 2007; it will not affect anything besides the bodyworks, lights, interior design and features. Reportedly, there are no positive prospects for Oka-2 and Oka-3, Lada's concept city cars in development for years.

United States

As of 2014, an American company called Oka Auto USA, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, offers electrically powered Okas for the US neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) market called the Oka NEV ZEV. To conform to NEV regulations, the electric Oka's speed is limited to 25 mph.^[6]

Welfare cars

• 

  SMZ S-ZA

• 

  SMZ S-ZD

• 

  «Lada Oka Electro»

• 

  TTM-1901 "Golden Eagle" snowmobile using Oka body parts

• 

  Oka (front view)

• 

  Typical Oka.

References

See also

• TM 1131

External links

• Oka production in Naberezhnye Chelny
• Oka production in Serpukhov
• Oka Auto USA US distributor of electric Okas
• Development of Oka: Interview with lead engineer & designer (in Russian)
• OKA 20 years Autoreview.ru (in Russian)
• Oka club in St.Petersburg (in Russian)
• Oka experience exchange (in Russian)

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