Great Wall has become the first Chinese manufacturer to have passed European Union standards and set up shop in Europe. Its Voleex models (above) have even reached the Holy Grail of the British market.

If you’re of a certain age and into cars, you’ve probably heard the one about the Lada. Or possibly the Trabant. The Yugo was a favourite target of the budding comedian. “Yugo, but it doesn’t,” was a popular zinger back in the day.

Chinese cars could have ended up like those Eastern Bloc lemons – not worth the gas filling their tanks. But the latest joke going into Auto Shanghai 2011, the country’s biggest motor show, is the one about Chinese carmakers laughing all the way to the bank.

“Next year we expect another 1,000 Russian cars as part of the modernization of Managua’s taxi fleet,” under a contract between the Nicaraguan Coruna company and AvtoVAZ, Ortega said. In addition, he said, 200 more cars were expected from the Kurgan car plant within weeks.

Nicaraguan officials are counting on the new cars to alleviate the severe transportation shortage in Managua.

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.

Crunchy numbers

The Louvre Museum has 8.5 million visitors per year. This blog was viewed about 160,000 times in 2010. If it were an exhibit at The Louvre Museum, it would take 7 days for that many people to see it.

In 2010, there were 10 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 70 posts. There were 40 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 4mb. That’s about 3 pictures per month.

The busiest day of the year was January 19th with 1,219 views. The most popular post that day was Begin issue will be new Lada Priora Coupe 2009.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were lada.lap.hu, images.yandex.ru, search.conduit.com, translate.google.ru, and en.wordpress.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for lada niva, lada, volga, lada priora, and lada niva 2009.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

Begin issue will be new Lada Priora Coupe 2009 January 2009

Russian Lada tuning January 2009

City of “Lada Toronto”. Where it is possible to buy new Lada? The Russian Lada Canada & USA. February 2009

Firm Bronto has presented an armour Lada Niva for special services February 2009

Russian Lada photos January 2009

On the back of an economic recovery and government rebate program on used vehicles, new car sales in Russia zoomed by 80 percent in November, the highest in two years; said the Association of European Businesses on Wednesday.

Giving out the details in a statement, the association said that sales of automobiles and light trucks reached 189,902 for the month of November and total sales till date stood at 1.7 million, a growth of 28 percent over same period last year.

AEB’s automobile-manufacturers committee Chairman David Thomas said in an email statement that the number may reach to 1.9 million by the end of the year, which is “significantly beyond any previous forecasts”.

Russian government will spend at least 21.5 billion Rubles ($687 million) this year in a cash incentives program to revive the fortunes of car manufacturers. The country is following a global trend in boosting demand to take the industry out of a slump not witnessed since World War II.

“Clearly the scrappage scheme and improving credit availability have combined with increased consumer confidence to deliver growth across all segments and most brands”, Thomas added.

As the economy picks up pace, foreign manufacturers like Ford, Volkswagen and Toyota have started increasing productions and have lined up new models.

Domestic company AutoVAZ’s model Lada is the market leader followed by locally produced Ford Motor’s Focus and Renault’s Logan.

According to the management of the Volga car, all of these names will cause a positive association among the Russians. Apparently, the name of Quanta is designed for the sports coupe or a model with a powerful motor, Alegra get a small hatchback, Adera – the new 7-seater universal, Slavia – large sedan, and the Terra – the SUV.

Recall that in the coming years, AvtoVAZ will need a lot of new names. After all, the factory plans by 2015, fully upgrade its entire model range. Of the current models will remain only a Kalina, and even then it will undergo a major upgrade. “In early 2012 we plan to launch the first new model. This R-90, which was presented at the Moscow Motor Show. On the line that we are now modernizing and building with Renault-Nissan, just a year and a half years, will be launched five models of three brands – Renault, Nissan and AvtoVAZ. With a very serious unification of parts. For people to understand that the same database from the same components with the same people on the same line of cars made the three brands, “- said president of AvtoVAZ, Igor Komarov.

Upon termination of ceremony of signing honored guests have visited industrial complex LADA KALINA where Vladimir Putin accepted shop of assemblage of cars. The president has shown interest to features of technological process of assemblage of cars LADA KALINA and quality assurance, having noted the modern approach in the manufacture organization. Vladimir Putin also has met workers of assembly shop.

Click to view slideshow.

Summing up to the visit on AUTOVAZ, Vladimir Putin has told: “We can do good cars with use of modern technologies. I have talked in complex LADA KALINA to workers, people love the work. AUTOVAZ is a large enterprise with good prospects”.

Also the President of the Russian Federation has passed on a test track of Open Society “AUTOVAZ” at the wheel car LADA KALINA, having noticed that it is the good car for the class and a price niche.

One of three cars Lada Kalina of yellow color on whom the Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin traveled on a line Chita – Khabarovsk, becomes an exhibit of a museum of the Volga car factory in Tolyatti.

Source: http://extremelada.blogspot.com

Two sedans of family LADA KALINA from among the first serial samples have been subject to long over-the-road tests. Cars were maintained according to AUTOVAZ instructions: the first servicing is spent at run of 3000 km, the second – between 14 and 15 thousand run, and then – everyone 15 thousand kilometres. The recommended account materials and spare parts were used only. By the way, examination of the engine oils ordered by AUTOVAZ has shown, what even before replacement through everyone 15 thousand kilometres they basically kept the operational properties. The cooling fluid after 100 thousand kilometres of run (such is term of its service) has kept all physical and chemical characteristics.

Cars were tested on country highways, high-speed and lines of factory proving ground, and also in mountain areas of Russia. Run also have been engaged in the program of tests with a luggage compartment on a roof and with the 900-kilogramme trailer. Approximately 70 % of run cars went with an interior and luggage compartment total load. Cars were stored on open parking at temperature from-30 to +30 degrees.

After overcoming of 240 thousand kilometres both cars have been tested in laboratories of the scientific and technical centre of AUTOVAZ, then completely disassembled and checked up on deterioration degree. Following the results of probe it was found out that cars have not reached a limiting wear, and are still serviceable. In particular, in a good condition there was an engine, a gear box, a suspender, a steer, brakes and other basic knots.

Both cars have kept demanded body stiffness. Thanks to it LADA KALINA even after a continuous exploitation provides necessary level of passive safety and roadability which depend on ruggedness and strength of a body.

High-speed properties LADA KALINA also have not changed after 240 thousand kilometres: max has made about 160 km/hour, dispersal to 100 km/hour – 13,5 seconds. Fuel consumption too remained at level of passport indicators – 7,8 litres on 100 kilometres. The engine has kept the capacity (59,5 kw at 5200 turns in a minute) and twisting moment size (120 Nanometers at 2500-2900 turns in a minute). Preliminary treatment of an electronic engine management system has confirmed its serviceability.

During resource tests through cars LADA KALINA everyone 15 thousand were located at 6 o’clock in the chamber of a salt fog for check of anticorrosive protection. After 240 thousand kilometres of run appearance of a paint and varnish covering remained in norm. Sites of a body, which can be the corrosion centres (welding seams, flange connections and the body bottom), have appeared are not subject to a rust. Corrosion it is not revealed even in thresholds and other latent cavities of a body which after tests have been specially cut.

Results of tests are already used and today are applied in works on modernisation of design LADA KALINA. So, thanks to resource tests the manufacturing techniques of the catalyst converter which has raised strength and efficiency of knot have been corrected. Examinees of the car have received new system of drop of toxicity when have passed already on 90 thousand kilometres. After following 150 thousand kilometres cars LADA KALINA have kept the ecological compatibility up to the standard “Euro-3″.