But while the Soviets held their own and in some cases bettered their capitalist rivals in some fields -- such as space exploration and weaponry -- they were behind from the start when it came to the automobile. Often, the U.S.S.R. had to copy its capitalist rivals just to keep pace.
The Copycat Cars Of The U.S.S.R.
Industry loomed large in the race for influence between the West and the Soviet Union, symbolizing power and the ability to create, innovate, and carry the world into the future.
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Ten years later, the ZAZ-968 trundled onto Soviet roads. The addition of side vents earned the Soviet copycat the nickname "big ears."
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Italy: After dropping by parachute onto the world stage, the Fiat 124 was named the European Car Of The Year in 1966. Soon afterward, the car would be forever associated with "the deal of the century," when Fiat signed a contract with the U.S.S.R. to set up Russia's largest car factory.
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Fiat cut a deal with the Soviet government to set up a manufacturing plant in Tolyatti (so named in 1964 in honor of the Italian communist Palmiro Togliatti). The Zhiguli (aka as its export name, the Lada) was modeled closely on the Fiat, but with thicker steel skin and higher clearance for Russian roads. The iconic car had a production run of nearly 18 years, and Tolyatti -- home of AvtoVAZ, the country's largest automaker, which is today part of the French Groupe-Renault -- remains the center of car manufacturing in Russia.