WHEN THE Eastern Bloccountries became more consumerorientated they decided toleapfrog the usual growthprocesses and went shopping inthe West for up-to-datetechnologies. For their motorindustry they found a ready andwilling supplier in Fiat, whoprovided them not just withmodern designs based on currentor barely obsolete models. butwith factories, plant, and all themanagement tools - qualitycontrol, production techniques andso on - that a brand-new motorindustry would require.

We thus have such cars as theZastava (a hatchback l28) fromYugoslavia, various Polski Fiatmodels (they make versions of the125. 126, 127 and 132) and theShigulis from Russia. Of theseonly the Polski Fiat 125P and the

Most expensive of the East European imports.Roomy interior and lavish equipment add up to alot of car for the money. Performance andeconomy mediocre; handling safe but uninspiring.Finish still not up to European standards though

Shigulis, renamed Ladas for theEuropean market, are importedinto the UK, and it is the mostexpensive of the latter, the 1500.that is the subject of this test.

Until the advent of these cars,East European models weregenerally characterised by threefeatures - poor engineering, poorquality and a very low price. ThePolski Fiats and the Ladas have atleast partly changed this situation,for they now measure up muchbetter to other European cars -although quality still has someway to go - while retaining thebenefits of a low price.

At first sight the Lada 1500,now costing £1798 after a recentprice increase. looks, if anything,rather expensive compared to the1200 (£1360, or £1555 in ES -more luxurious - form) and thePolski Fiat 125P (£1449). But, in

fact, the 1500 is still cheap enoughto be considered as astonishinglygood value for money: the Britishequivalents, considering the levelsof equipment and overall size, areall more expensive. The AvengerGLS costs £2321. the Marina 1.3SDL £1971. for example.

This Russian model represents alot of car, both in engine size andinterior space, for the money. Inaddition it is very well equippedwith such items as red warninglights in the trailing edges of thedoors. inertia reel belts. alaminated screen, a light under thebonnet and a very comprehensivetoolkit. It is also fairly quiet at lowspeed. However. performance andeconomy are rather ordinary,while the heavy, stiff steering, thepedal layout and the finish(particularly around the glovecompartment) are not up toEuropean standards.

Technically the 1500 is. like the1200. based in the main on Fiat124 mechanicals but withmodifications to suit the Russianmarket and climate and tomodernise it slightly. The bodyshell is a three box structure butwith a floor pan and exhaustsystem made from a heavier gaugesteel, with other chassisreinforcements including theshock absorber mountings and acomprehensive rust protection.

The suspension, too. isstraightforward - though theground clearance is high - beingindependent at the front via coilsprings and wishbones with ananti-roll bar and at the rear thereare coil springs and a live axle

well located by four radius armsand a Panhard rod. The steering isby a worm and roller system. thebrakes are 10 in discs at the frontand 9.8 in drums at the bad with avacuum servo, dual circuits and aload-sensitive pressure-reliefvalve at the rear.

The 1500 model is easily distin·guishable from its cheaper stable·mate by the twin headlamps anddifferent grille at the front.modified tail-lights at the back.and other exterior trim. It is alsomuch plusher inside.

The engine is not the same a!any of the units normally fitted tothe Fiat 124. In either the 1200 or1500 versions it has an over· headcamshaft driven by a chair ratherthan a belt and acting or the valvesvia fingers. Thus it differs fromboth the push rod and the ohcengines made by Fiat Both unitsshare a common bore 76 mm - butthe 1500 has a long stroke, 80 mmcompared to 66 mm thus givingthe larger engine ~ capacity of1452 cc. In this form it develops7~ bhp DIN at 560C rpm and 77.5lb ft torque at 350 rpm, 13 bhp and11 lb ft more respectively. than the1200. In spite of the claimed extrahorsepower the performance 01the 1500 is virtually the same a!the 1200 we tested in 1974. TOIspeed is up by just over 2 mphfrom 89.7 mph to 91.8 mph (undersimilar wind conditions the fastestquarter mile of the two aroundMIRA's banked circuit wascovered at identical speeds 94.7mph). Accelerating through thegears the 1200 was actuallyquicker to 60mph, taking 14.7s

though the car will generally befitted with Russian-made radialsupon which we cannot comment.

Discs at the front, drums at therear, dual circuits, a pressure limitvalve and a vacuum servo add upto a good braking specification butthe system is nevertheless a littledisappointing. Not because(unlike some other Russian carswe have tried) the brakes behavedbadly, just that they felt wrong,their action being bothunprogressive and over-servoed,making smooth stops difficult.

For £1800 you get a lot of car inthat it is a full five-seater forpeople of average height (ifperhaps with rather limited widthacross the back seats) given a littlejudicious sharing of legroombetween the driver and rear seatpassengers. Only tall drivers of 6ft or more will find leg andheadroom restricted. The lowwaistline and sensible body shapegive a light and airy feeling to theinterior which enhances theimpression of spaciousness.

The boot, a deep one lined witha rather cheap looking plastic,took 10.7 cu ft of our Revelationsuitcases. The only intrusions arethe covered spare wheel and thetoolkit, strapped to the high rearpanel. Inside there is Considerableoddment space, with a non-lock-ing glove compartment on the pas-senger’s side, a tray beneath it, asmall tray on the centre console(into which the lighter intrudes)and soft pockets in each of thedoor.

Comfort levels are generally

quite good, the only disappoint-ment being the ride on good oraverage surfaces. The car“checks” and jerks on undulationsand there is a lot of slow-speed,low amplitude harshness. But itwill also smooth out bumps thatseverely jolt passengers in moresoftly sprung cars, and without thesuspension crashing through.

The seats elicited neither praisenor criticism, the cloth-insert PVCupholstery covering a reasonablysoft cushion that lacks a little inside support. For those in the frontthere is plenty of fore-and- aftadjustment and the backrest isreclinable, while for the driver inparticular the position is muchbetter than on some Fiats.

One of the car's biggest faults isits pedal layout. All the pedals aretoo high, creating a conflict

compared to the 1500's 15.4s, andit is really only in top that the1500 shows any advantage: evenso its 30-50 mph acceleration timeis only 0.7s faster, though a re-spectable 10.6s. But the advantagedoes open out at higher speeds, the1500’s 60-80 mph time being 3.5squicker than the 1200’s.

Perhaps our 1200 was a particu-larly good example or our 1500was too new and tight (it hadbarely covered 3500 miles at thetime of testing) to develop its fullpower — it certainly couldn'tmatch the manufacturer’s claim of“a top speed of nearly 100 mph.”?The weight difference (less than 1cwt) does not explain the disparityeither.

Starting the engine with the aidof a manual choke was very easy,

warm-up was rapid but the enginetended to stutter occasionally untilit reached its working tempera-ture. It was never (even whenwarm) really clear of hesitationswhich occurred usually withoutwarning, although there was onepredictable flat spot when acceler-ating at about 50 mph in top.

The engine is quite smooth rightup to the 6000 rpm red line andfeels very willing. But it is notquiet when extended, being rau-cous over 4000 rpm with a Fiat-like hammering rasp. In general,though, it is less temperamentalthan the 1200 engine, and subjec-tively somewhat quieter. Becauseof the low gearing and a speedom-eter that becomes wildly optimis-tic at higher speeds the 1500 givesthe impression of being briskerthan the figures indicate.

Like the performance the fuelconsumption is similar to that ofthe 1200 - the 1500 achieved 25.5mpg overall, 29.8 touring, the1200 26.1 mpg and 31.8 mpg re-spectively. These figures are aboutaverage for a car of this size andcapacity, but note that the admit-tedly smaller Honda 1500 (theonly car in the rivals, section witha similar capacity) gave 29.5 and37.2 mpg respectively.

One of the better features of thecar is the gearchange, which ispleasant, light and precise, even ifthe synchromesh can be beaten onrushed changes and reversegraunches occasionally. The ra-tios, however, have two faults:they are all too low — the gearingis such that first is only good for26 mph, second for 43 mph and

third for 66 mph — while there isa gap between third and top whichbecomes obtrusive when drivingbriskly. In addition, the gearbox ofour car was quite noisy, and a dis-tinct transmission rumble on theoverrun was sometimes notice-able.

The worst feature of the han-dling is the steering which is notvery light about the straight-aheadposition and stiffens up quite con-siderably on lock. So it is tiresometo drive briskly on twisty roadsand in town. In general, the carundersteers strongly but progres-sively on smooth roads. Mid- cor-ner bumps, however, tend to de-flect either the front or the rearrather unpredictably if not reallytoo dramatically unless you areapproaching the linit of adhesion.With the Kleber V12 radials fittedthis limit was quite high in the dry

The seats are comfortable and havecloth inserts. The standard of finish isbetter than that f most East Europeancars and we found the driving positionmore comfortable than that of the Fiaton which the Lada is based

PERFORMANCECONDITIONSWeather Hot, sunny

wind 0-10 mphTemperature 76-900FBarometer 29.80FSurface Dry tarmacadam

MAXIMUM SPEEDS mph kph

Banked circuit 91.8 147.7Best 1/4 mile 94.7 152.4Terminal speeds

at 1/4 mile 67 108 at kilometer 82 132 Tank capacity 8.6 galls at mile 88 142 39 litres

Speed in gears (at 6000rpm) Maxrange 256 miles 1st 26 42 412 km 2nd 43 69 Test distance 1017 miles 3rd 66 106 1639 km

ACCELERATION FROM REST * Consumption midway between 30 mph andmph sec kph sec maximum less 5 per cent for acceleration.0-30 .......... 4.7 0-40 .......... 3.50-40 .......... 7.1 0-60 .......... 6.1 SPEEDOMETER (mph)0-50 .......... 10.0 0-80 .......... 9.9 Speedo 30 40 50 60 70 800-60 .......... 15.4 0-100 ........ 16.5 True 28 37.5 47.5 57 65 730-70 .......... 22.9 0-120 ........ 27.2 Distance recorder : 2.5 per cent fast.0-80 .......... 84.0

Stand'g 1/4 20.2 Stand'g km 38.1

ACCELERATION IN TOP WEIGHT mph sec kph sec cwt kg20-40 .......... 10.8 40-60 .......... 6.4 Unladenweight* 19.5 990.6 30-50 .......... 10.6 60-80 .......... 6.8 Weight as tested 23.2 1178.640-60 .......... 11.8 80-100 ........ 7.4 * with fuel for approximately 50 miles.50-70 .......... 13.7 100-120 ...... 10.960-80 .......... 19.9

FUEL CONSUMPTION Performance tests carried out by Motor'sTouring* 29.8 mpg staff at the Motor Industry Research

9.5 litres/100 km Association proving ground, LindleyOverall 25.5 mpg

11.1 litres/100 km Test Data : World Copyright reserved : noFuel grade 93 octane unauthorised reproduction in whole or part

3 star rating

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE SUSPENSIONCylinders 4 in line Front Independent by wish-Capacity 1452 cc / 88.5 cu in) bones, coil springs, antiBore/Stroke 76/80mm roll bar

(2.99 / 3.15in) Rear Live axle, coil springsCooling Water location by four trailingBlock Cast iron arms and Panhard rodHead Light AlloyValves Sohc STEERINGValve timing Type Worm and roller

inlet opens 120btdc Assistance No inlet closes 400atdc Toe in 5.5mm +/- 1mm ex opens 420btdc Camber 00 5' +/- 35' ex closes 100atdc Castor 30 30' +10 /- 10 30'

Compression 8.8 : 1 King pin 604'Carburetter Twin-choke, down-draught Bearings 5 main BRAKESFuel pump Mechanical Type Disc front, drum rearMaxpower 75 bhp (DIN) at 5600 rpm Servo YesMaxtorque 77.5 lb ft (DIN) at 3500 Circuit Split front / rear

rpm Rear valve YesTRANSMISSION Adjustment Self-adjustingType Four-speed manual Clutch Sdp, Diaphragm spring WHEELSInternal ratios and mph/1000 rpm Type Pressed steel

Top 1.00 : 1/16.4 51/2 J x 13 3rd 1.49 : 1/11.0 Tyres KleberV12 2nd 2.30 : 1/7.1 165 SR 13 1st 3.75 : 1/4.4 Pressure 24/28 psi F/R Rev 3.87

Final drive 4.10: 1 ELECTRICAL

BODY/CHASSIS Battery 12 V. 55 ahConstruction Unitary, all-steel Polarity Negative Protection Electrophoretic primer dip, Generator Alternator

bitumastic underbody coat- Fuses 10 ing, Tectyl wax-based Headlights 4 x 4 quartz halogen spray, plastic coated springs 50 / 55 W

Make : LadaModel : 1500Makers : V/O Avtoexport, Moscow, USSRConcessionaires : Satra Motors Ltd, Satra House, 359-361 Euston Road, London NW1 3AWPrice : £12536 plus £138 car tax plus £134 VAT equals £1798

between their arcs of movement andthose of the feet, especially for theaccelerator which additionally had asticky and unprogressive linkage.The unprogressive brakes and sharpclutch further impede smooth driv-ing. And the foot-operated wind-screen washer is very awkwardlyplaced, on top of the transmissiontunnel beneath the facia.

We condemned the instrumenta-tion of the 1200 for being cheap andold-fashioned. No such complaintscan be made about the 1500, for theinstrumentation, apart from beingmore comprehensive, is also moreattractively styled. The main instru-ments, consisting of a large speed-ometer and tachometer in front ofthe driver and smaller oil pressure,water temperature and fuel gaugesoff to the right of the panel, areround and easy to read. But thespeedometer is poorly calibrated,being marked at 20 mph intervalsonly, and like the tachometer, is in-accurate. There are some reflectionsfrom the glasses and the smaller in-struments, are labelled in Russian IOnly the fuel gauge is hidden by theright hand and/or the steering wheelrim.

The Lada has no fresh air vents,just a heating system with a crudedistribution control — a pair ofhinged flaps with which the foot-well vents can be opened or closed.The recent heatwave prevented usfrom assessing the heater. It waspossible to obtain some cool air byrotating the screen vents, thoughthese cannot cope with a really hotday. Even with the noisy fan on fullthey are very directional, giving anarrow jet rather than a diffusedflow. However, if you can put upwith the noise, the opening quarterlights can be swivelled right roundto give an enormously powerfulblast which was much appreciated inthe exceptionally hot weather duringour test.

The 1200 was reasonably quiet,with road and transmission noisewell subdued: surprisingly the 1500is not as good in this respect. Theengine is thrashy at high revs, thereis the transmission rumble alreadymentioned, plus quite a lot of bump-thump and tyre roar.

At high speeds the engine noise be-comes noticeable but the major cul-prit is wind noise, which begins at65 mph and becomes progressivelyworse as speed rises.Aesthetically the interior of the 1500is much more attractive and plushthan the 1200’s, as befits its higherprice and more up-market image.There are carpets throughout, clothinsert upholstery, door trims thatdon’t leave any bare metal, and acentre console. The finish, thoughbetter than most of the otherComecon cars, is not yet up to Euro-pean standards — the fit around theglove compartment is poor, the in-strument panel could be waggledaround as could the supplementaryswitch panel (which is hung ratheruntidily underneath). There wereother poorly fitting items, too, aswell as signs of rust on the seam atthe base of the windscreen pillar.What will make the Lada 1500 mostattractive to many people, though, isits lavish equipment. There are suchthings as a cigar lighter, a clock, anoutside mirror, inertia reel belts (theexcellent Toric buckleless type thatwe like so much), a laminated wind-screen, a tachometer, intermittentwindscreen wipers, halogen head-lamps, a light under the bonnet, redwarning lights in the trailing edgesof the front door, grab handles, arm-rests and ashtrays on each door, acentral armrest in the back, doorpockets, opening quarter lights, anda 21-piece toolkit that includes aportable lamp, a pump and a tyrepressure gauge.

The high pedals are awkward to use andthe accelerator had a sticky action

The Fiat-style standard tool kit (bottom right of picture) is supplementedby all these tools