Editing ZAZ (section)

===From harvesters to cars===
[[Image:Combine harvester Kommunar.jpg|left|thumb|Kommunar harvester]]

Design of a car accessible to the public, and one in part taking the place of the soon to be discontinued [[Moskvitch 400-420|Moskvitch 401]], began in 1956.<ref name="Thompson, pp.88-89">Thompson, pp.88-89.</ref> Following the growing trend of small cars (then accounting for between 25% and 40% of all European car sales), the minister in charge of ''[[Minavtroprom]]'' (the Soviet automotive ministry) selected the new [[Fiat 600]] as the model to follow.<ref name="Thompson, pp.88-89"/> The first prototype, the [[MZMA 444]], appeared in October 1957.<ref name="Thompson, p.89">Thompson, p.89.</ref> It was powered by a [[Flat-twin engine|flat twin]]-cylinder MD-65 engine provided by the [[IMZ-Ural|Irbitskyi Motorcycle Plant]], which was "totally unsuited": it produced only {{convert|17.5|hp|kW PS|lk=on|abbr=on}} and lasted only {{convert|30,000|km|smi|abbr=on}} between major overhauls.<ref name="Thompson, p.89"/> As a result, a search for another engine was begun, and the success of the [[Volkswagen Beetle|VW Type 1]]'s [[flat engine|boxer]] led to a preference for an [[Aircooling|air-cooled]] engine, which NAMI (the National Automobile Institute) had on the drawing board.<ref name="Thompson, p.89"/> ''Minavtroprom'', however, preferred a {{convert|23|hp|kW PS|lk=on|abbr=on}} <ref name="Thompson, p.92">Thompson, p.92.</ref> {{convert|746|cc|cid|abbr=on}} [[V4 engine]], the NAMI-G, which had the additional advantage of being developed for the [[LuAZ-967]].<ref name="Thompson, p.89"/>

The new car was approved for production 28 November 1958,<ref>Thompson, p.90.</ref> the name changing to ZAZ (Zaporizhzhia Automobile Building Plant) to reflect the new profile.<ref name=avtolegendy>"ZAZ-965/965A" (in Russian). Avtolegendy SSSR, Nr. 17. DeAgostini 2009. {{ISSN|2071-095X}}.</ref> The Zaporizhzhia factory was supplemented with the Mikoyan Diesel-Building Factory in [[Melitopol]], which was part of the ''Soyuzdiesel'' combinat.

The first car, dubbed the ZAZ-965 [[Zaporozhets]], was delivered 12 June 1959,<ref name="Thompson, p.92"/> was approved 25 July 1960, and entered production 25 October.<ref name="Thompson, p.92"/><ref name=avtolegendy/>

Following on the success of the ZAZ-965, plant manager [[Yuri Sorochkin]] planned a [[Cab over|forward control]] [[microbus]] on the ZAZ-965's platform (akin to the [[Volkswagen Type 2|VW Type 2]] being built on a modified [[Volkswagen Beetle|Type 1]] pan), with a {{convert|350|kg|lb|abbr=on}} payload, as the ZAZ 970.<ref>Thompson, pp.205-207.</ref> Sorochkin hoped to capture the market for compact utility vehicles, which were in perennially short supply in the Soviet Union.<ref>Thompson, p.205.</ref> The project was prototyped by a team under [[Yuri Danilov (automotive designer)|Yuri Danilov]], which pioneered use of {{convert|0.7|mm|in|abbr=on}}-thick steel in the Soviet Union.<ref name="Thompson, p.206">Thompson, p.206.</ref> The steel was provided by [[Zaporizhstal|Zaporizkyi Metallurgical Plant]].<ref name="Thompson, p.206" /> The engine and transmission were straight out of a ZAZ-965, which caused liftover problems, because the V4 was mounted under the rear floor.<ref name="Thompson, p.207">Thompson, p.207.</ref> Three prototypes were built in 1962: a van with {{convert|350|kg|lb|abbr=on}} payload and {{convert|2.5|m3|ft3|abbr=on}} volume, a [[pickup truck|pickup]] with a {{convert|400|kg|lb|abbr=on}}  payload, and a microbus able to seat six or seven plus a {{convert|175|kg|lb|abbr=on}}; even [[four-wheel drive]] models (971, 971B, and 971V) were planned.<ref name="Thompson, p.207" /> None was built.<ref name="Thompson, p.207" />


In 1975 the factory was consolidated in the [[AvtoZAZ]] holding, which was transformed into joint-stock company in 1990s. In 1986 ZAZ together with [[Comau]] installed a new production complex. The Illichivsk factory of automobile parts (IZAA) in one of the biggest freight sea ports on [[Black Sea]] in [[Illichivsk]] became part of the AutoZAZ holding. 

In November 1987, the plant began producing a new [[front wheel drive]] car [[ZAZ Tavria|ZAZ-1102 Tavria]]. In 1989, it became known that new models were being developed based on the "Tavria" - a five-door ZAZ-1105 and a "Kombi" model with "[[station wagon]]" body. In October 1989, the plant produced its three millionth car.<ref>Автомобилестроители // газета "Правда", № 296 (26016) от 23 октября 1989 стр.1</ref> All these cars were powered by a water cooled, front mounted [[MeMZ]] engine and fall into micro-class.