ZIL-41045 - a limousine for Andropov

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

In the spring of 1936, two cars drove into the courtyard of the Moscow Kremlin, their appearance reminiscent of the American Buick and Packard in one bottle. These were pre-production copies of the first Soviet executive car ZiS-101. Due to the fact that domestic designers did not have experience in designing machines of this class, the resemblance to overseas progenitors was not only external: the layout, as well as many components and assemblies, were copied from the Buick. With this model, production began at the Moscow Automobile Plant named after Stalin, in addition to trucks, also executive cars. By the way, although the first Soviet limousine did not go on free sale for the population (until the beginning of the 60s, cars were not sold to private owners), it could be received as a reward or won in the lottery.

From Stalin to Brezhnev

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic Warthe production of passenger cars at ZiS was discontinued and resumed only in the victorious 1945, when the ZiS-110 model began to be produced. After the death of Stalin and the coming to power of N. S. Khrushchev, the plant was named after I. A. Likhachev in 1956, and, accordingly, the name of the machines changed to ZIL-110. In 1958, a new model, the ZIL-111, began to be produced. This was the tradition when each new General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU received his own limousine. The reign of L. I. Brezhnev stretched for 18 years, and he received three models at once: ZIL-114, 117 and 115, the latter soon changed its index in accordance with the new GOST to ZIL-4104.

Birth of ZIL-41045

After the death of L. I. Brezhnev and the election to the highest government post in November 1982, Yu. model - ZIL-4104. Therefore, it was decided to modernize the already produced car. The car was named ZIL-41045.

Arrangement and design

Structurally, the ZIL-41045 repeated its predecessor. The base of the chassis consisted of a welded frame with box-section spars. The steering mechanism had a hydraulic booster. Front suspension - independent torsion bar on transverse levers, rear - dependent on asymmetric semi-elliptical longitudinal springs. The lateral stability of the car was provided by stabilizers. Brake system - dual-circuit, with vacuum and two hydraulic vacuumamplifiers.

Eight-cylinder V-shaped engine, with a camber angle of 90o. A-95 gasoline was used as fuel. The ignition system was with a redundant emergency circuit, which increased its reliability, and the car also had two powerful batteries. The rear-wheel drive transmission consisted of an automatic three-speed gearbox with a torque converter. The wheels were equipped with sixteen-inch wheels and special tires that allowed you to move with a punctured wheel. The body is a classic, four-door, "limousine" type, with a minimum number of various decorative elements. The salon was equipped with a built-in audio system and air conditioning. The front row seats were separated from the passenger compartment by a partition, at which the upper glass half fell. The color in which the ZIL-41045 was painted is black.

Car trim

Since the ZIL-41045 was intended for trips of high-ranking Soviet officials, special attention was paid to the interior decoration of the car. The floor was covered with a woolen carpet in a special "turtle" color, which made dust and dirt invisible. The upholstery of the seats and doors was made of tobacco-colored Dutch mohair, such as that of the ZIL-41045, the photo of which is presented in the article.

However, at the request of a particular customer, there were other options: for example, the car that served the Minister of Defense of the USSR D. F. Ustinov had a light beige interior. Front seats - leatherArgentine buffalo. Some cars were equipped with a government telephone and secret special equipment. The first ZIL-41045 was manufactured in 1983 and entered the balance of the Special Purpose Garage, which served the trips of the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. However, Yu. V. Andropov did not use the new car for long. In February 1984, this post was taken by K. U. Chernenko, and in March 1985 - by M. S. Gorbachev. Due to the brevity of Konstantin Ustinovich's time in power, he did not receive "his" limousine, and the next model - ZiL-41047 - appeared only in 1985. Thus, M. S. Gorbachev, who became the last General Secretary of a great country, was able to ride on the latest model of executive cars of the Moscow ZIL automobile plant.