Volga GAZ-21. "Hipster" with wavy upholstery

Bright color, mirrored chrome lines, a wide-breasted hood pushed far forward, fenders smoothed out as if licked by powerful jets of headwind, abruptly breaking side lines, powerful headlights under sparkling eyelids-visors "- such was the view of the Soviet car enthusiast" Volga "GAZ-21 , which began to roll off the assembly line of the Gorky Automobile Plant in October 1956.

The 21st "Volga" possessed not only a dandy exterior design, but also a rich interior. The car was equipped with an electric wiper with two brushes, a rear-view mirror, two sun visors, a heater and defroster for the windshield, an ashtray and a cigarette lighter.
In the dashboard there was a box for small things and a portable radio receiver with push-button tuning was attached. The panoramic windshield without the usual B-pillar and the wide rear window provided the driver with an exceptional view - the glass area of ​​the Volga's body was 40 percent larger than that of its predecessor, Pobeda. The front sofa converged into a comfortable 2.7 square meter bed.
As for the "mechanics", one of the basic configuration options provided for an automatic transmission. In Moscow, for every 100 kilometers of travel, the driver of "Pobeda" then had to engage the first gear 125 times, 204 - the second, 150 - third, depress the clutch pedal more than 500 times. The usefulness of the automatic transmission seemed beyond doubt, and it was assumed that in the near future it would replace the mechanical one, just as the starter had replaced the crank at one time.
However, already in 1957, the plans for the production of such machines had to be adjusted downward (to 10-15 percent of the total number): they could only be serviced in Moscow, Leningrad and Gorky. A year later, their share did not even reach 3 percent. Likewise, in 1960, the centralized lubrication system had to be abandoned.
In January 1957, the mass production of the GAZ-21 began. Almost a third of the cars went abroad, and in 1958, an export supply department was even created at the Gorky Automobile Plant. Now many fans of retro cars need spare parts for their "old" cars and they have the opportunity to buy gaz 21 parts https://autoclassics.us/car/gaz-21/ . Among the exporters were not only the countries of the socialist camp, but also Greece, Belgium and even England. The Soviet press proudly noted that the strength and economy of the Volga were appreciated in Finland, especially in the north of the country with its poor roads.