The Way We Were

Spring 1994, Aberdeen

There were 134,000 Ladas on British roads in 1994, but their numbers were dwindling rapidly so just 3000 remained by 2005. One of the reasons for that dramatic decline is illustrated by the Lada-laden picture here.

We’re in Aberdeen in 1994 and a Russian Federation freighter is about to leave the Granite City with a load of British-registered cars. Such sights were common at UK ports during the mid-1990s because the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991 led to a rather anarchic free market economy. Russian sailors were well-placed to make the most of this chaotic capitalism; vessels trading with the West would arrive, unload their cargo and then return home laden with old cars that their crews had bought on the cheap.

The flow of cars ebbed once Russia’s economy had stabilised, but it stripped the British Lada larder bare. They – and the similarly Fiat-based FSOs – were the natural choice for repatriation beyond the former Iron Curtain because of the ready availability of parts. But, as can be seen here, other marques also found themselves being rushed off to Mother Russia.

We start on the right with a 1986 Lada Riva in glorious hearing aid beige (probably not the official Russian description for the shade, admittedly). The more ornate grille denotes a ‘ luxury’ spec – officially the 2107 – which injected more Western levels of decadence such as a comprehensive range of dials and equipment plus velour seating. We then move to one of its siblings in dark blue; that there’s no hint of nose chrome suggests the less generous 2105.

Next is a Triumph Acclaim, probably rather surprised to find itself on a ship heading for the former USSR. However, its commonality with Japan’s Honda Ballade and Civic would have made it easier to look after once it moved beyond the reach of Aberdeen’s local Halfords and Rover Group dealership parts counter. Familiar Soviet stock returns with the red and beige Lada saloons behind it.

Squeezed in snugly ahead of the capstan (with a can of Coca-Cola on it, a soft drink only widely available in Russia for less than a decade here) is a first-generation Renault 5. As a five-door model, it would have been between ten and 15 years old, so had done pretty well to survive Scottish winters. Russian ones might have been even more challenging, although these lightweight front-wheel drive machines were always good fun in snow. Then it’s posh Lada (2107), load-lugging Lada (2104 estate) and more modern Lada (a Samara, possibly a 1.5 SLX with those side graphics) before two Ford Escort MkIIIs round the row off. The red one seems to boast a spoiler; if it’s an XR3 or XR3i, someone will be the toast of Vladivostok when the ship gets back to home port.

A 1984 Peugeot 305 1.6 heads up the next row, no doubt soon to lose its ‘B280 WSK’ registration number. Nuzzling up to it is a Vauxhall Astra – its shared Opel-ness a bonus in getting bits abroad – and then an older Lada with brown vinyl roof, a Colt Sigma and Ford Sierra.

The final row is formed of a beige sunroof-equipped Lada, another Triumph Acclaim, two more Ladas (the red one being an estate) and a second Vauxhall Astra. We can’t help but worry that the adjacent Citroën BX MkI might have had a short life in Russia, since its hydropneumatics would have been alien to local mechanics. The Ford Cortina MkIV – or is it a Granada MkII, with that quite wide body? – would have been easier to cope with.

Finally, just being loaded is an SD3 Rover 200 MkI which, like the Triumph Acclaim, was based on the Honda Ballade, albeit a later one. We just hope that the dog occupying its spot shifts before the different kind of Rover lands on deck!

SAFETY FIRST The Peugeot 305 was a Pininfarina design, albeit one based upon Peugeot’s ‘VSS’ prototype safety vehicle, so it had a lot of crashresistant features. MAX QUALITY The Acclaim had the lowest number of warranty claims of any British Leyland-built car. It was made on the old Maxi production lines at Cowley. FIVE UP Designer Michel Boué intended the 5’s tail-lights to run up the C-pillar, a feature that wouldn’t gain widespread acceptance until the Nineties.

FINE BOUQUET The SD3 200 is forever immortalised as the Bucket carriage of choice from Keeping Up Appearances. A 216 S, then a 216 SE EFi were used in the series. COKE HABIT Ladas were swapped for Coca-Cola when production began in the USSR in 1986. Each took up to three days to put right before it could be sold.