Moskvitch 2142 1990-2002

The Moskvitch 2142 is a line of cars produced by AZLK's Moskvitch division from 1998 to its bankruptcy in 2002. It was the last and most advanced line of Moskvitch vehicles, marking the end of the fifth generation. Only 3500 vehicles were produced, all aimed at executive and business markets.

Three versions of the 2142 were marketed: the Knjaz Vladimir (large family saloon), Ivan Kalita (executive saloon), and the Duet (executive coupe), which was introduced several months later. The Knjaz Vladimir was the least expensive of the brand, followed by the more upscale Ivan Kalita, both of whom were introduced in September 1998. The Duet, introduced in May 1999, was a much smaller variant based on the bodyshell of the 2141 Aleko. In 2002, just four months before failure, the Duet received a slight grille facelift update.

All 2142 models were fitted with Renault engines, which was an initiative on the side of the projected merger with AvtoVAZ in the late 1990s. Seeing as AvtoVAZ was in direct competition to AZLK at the time, and succeeded much more in lower-scale demand, Renault rejected the offer in 2002, which left AZLK inapt to continue any production. All models were therefore discontinued by mid-August 2002, and the company itself filed for bankruptcy on 3 September 2002.

[SIZE="1"]Source: wikipedia.org[/SIZE]

Moskvitch 2142 #2

wow, the executive coupe is absolutely horrific :)

Not that the saloon is much better... the executive saloon looks like a badly mutated Oldsmobile La Sabre Reliant Sedan DeVille.

Yes the saloon is horrific and the coupe is that much worse ;)

Maybe it's because I forgive Moskvitch there styling flaws when they are building a purposeful saloon. And when they build a coupe, my expectations are a bit higher.

My main interest in Russian automotive history are the V8-engined Volgas. Proto sports saloons?

By the early nineties they had lost the plot somewhat being capitalistically open and everything. So a bit of mutated Marquis Roadmaster Brougham Sedan is to be expected. In any case the foreign opposition wiped them out of sight.

I also like the Niva, but that's another story. By the way, it is still on sale looking pretty much the same as it did in 1977. I sort of fancy one a bit.