Fans believe that the beloved car story should remain a part of the past

Russians are divided over the revival of the classic Soviet car Moskvich

The Soviet Union was producing dozens of models of Moskvich cars.

archival

With the departure of international car manufacturers from Russia during the past months due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there is currently talk in Russia of a plan to revive the famous classic Moskvich from the Soviet era.

The Moskvich would make any Russian proud with its different looks and eye-catching steering wheel designs.

Its production was discontinued two decades ago in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the opening of the market to global car companies.

When the French car manufacturer Renault announced its decision to leave Russia, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin announced his intention to nationalize the French company's factory in the city, and use it to reproduce the Moskvich car he had produced earlier.

A split appeared among the Russians over the plan to reproduce the Moskvich car.

"If a modernized version of the 2014 model is presented, it will be sold immediately," says Alexander Bondarenko, producer of Moskvich's sports shirts.

But some enthusiasts of the venerable Russian car are skeptical of the Moscow mayor's plan and see it as political, not economic, motive.

"Reproducing the Moskvich is a populist decision, and it is not clear what it will result in," said Sergey, a Muscovite.

Some fans of this vintage car also say that the story of the beloved Moskvich should remain a part of the past.

It is noteworthy that the Soviet Union was producing dozens of models of Moskvich cars, which began production in 1946. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the popularity of these cars began to decline until production was stopped completely in 2001.

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