Lada "No To Capitalism" Edition

A Lada VAZ-2107 sighted last summer (2016).

This one with a political message on the side.

"YES TO SOCIALISM! NO TO CAPITALISM!"

Hear, hear.

Toyota Isis

For today's car here is a Toyota Isis... and I don't mean a technical somewhere in the southern regions but Toyota Isis the MPV.

Per wikipedia, it is a 7-seater MPV sold in Japan and Singapore and manufactured by some other company under contract with Toyota.

Apparently it also has interesting "panoramic doors" on the passenger side.

The name spells ISIS and in a nice font too (like probably Old Egyptian but what do I know). 

I is for ISIS.

Mondeo Mk V

A couple of days I was wasting time looking at a Mondeo.

Just looking, not buying (with what?)

It has to be a Forth-Gen Mondeo (Mk V).

Datsun on-Do

Here is a Datsun on-Do for today's car spotting entry in a shaky video.

The Datsun on-Do is a rebadged and restyled version of the Lada Granta car and has its own VAZ index which is VAZ-2195 which means that it's a Lada VAZ-2195 in AvtoVAZ nomenclature.

They are getting more common here and the one above was seen in a used car lot.

Interestingly Nissan's other Russia Datsun - the Datsun mi-Do is based on a different car - the second-general Lada Kalina which is a very different car (more refined) from the Lada Granta.

Volga Siber 2.4

Here is a Volga Siber 2.4 l.

While this is not the first sighting, this time I have more pictures.

Per wikipedia, the Volga Siber is a four-door sedan car manufactured by GAZ, introduced at the 2007 Moscow International Automobile Salon and marketed in a single generation for model years 2008 to 2010.

For a car that was "marketed in a single generation for model years 2008 - 2010" and with 9,000 units ever made sightings in Moscow are surprisingly common.

Expertly parked too, I wouldn't be able to park this thing like that, it's not exactly small. Well, not in one try anyway.

Toyota Progrès

First time sighting and report on this blog - a Toyota Progrès ("Prog-Ray") NC230 parked in some back yard.

As I read in wikipedia the Toyota Progrès was a mid-size luxury sedan produced 1998-2007 and sold only in Japan.

Luxury: real wood trim, fine leather, a voice activated GPS system screen (probably)...

Gran Turismo 4 Racing Playlist and Pictures

Here's something.

Tour Bus

Some tour bus seen recently.

With a distinctive livery.

RAF-2203 Latvija Traffic Police Van

Recently sighted was this rare yellow pokemon RAF-2203 Latvija van in a traffic police version and livery.

The RAF-2203 Latvija van was in production 1976-97 at the Riga Autobus Factory (RAF) in Latvia.

This version is the RAF-2203 GAI - Traffic Police van wearing blue on yellow which were the police colors in the USSR.

It is a rolling traffic police command post.

Latvia screwed up and lost RAF - its only auto factory - and its entire automotive industry in 1997 (as well as most of its industry period).

Air Defense Show April 2016

Here are some vehicles of a different kind seen at an air defense installation in April 2016 where I also photogrpahed this Shilka system and this Buk 9A310.

Now I am going to dump in this post the rest of the pictures I took at the show.

The first one is a Tunguska.

Not only does it have missiles, it also has automatic AA guns for good measure.

Below is an OSA-AKM for use against low flying targets, especially helicopters (which are always vulnerable anyway).

White walls!

To the left of it is a Buk system.

Lada 1200s - VAZ 21013

Here is a Lada VAZ-21013 aka Lada 1200s sighted in April 2016 at VDNKh here in Moscow.

For those confused by VAZ model designations I'll say that the pictured VAZ-21013 (Lada 1200s) is the upgraded model VAZ-21011 (Lada 1300) but retains the 1.2l engine from the first Lada VAZ-2101... get it?

The owner hopes to restore it to its former glory... and is counting (on) your donations.

Crucially it has the correct VAZ-21011 (and 21013) bumpers, i.e. the rubber strip lengthwise and no bumper guards which is not the case in other VAZ-21011 / 13s I have spotted so far.

Volga Siber x 2

Recently I finally managed to spot and photograph quickly with a cellphone this car - something I had wanted to do for a while but unfortunately was able to do it only in traffic so no walk-around or anything.

The car is the 2008-10 Chrysler Sebring-based Volga Siber which was in production for only two years with only 9,000 units ever made. But I still see them occasionally on the road here in Moscow.

The one in black below is the 2.4 l version.

And here are some press-kit- or stock (or whatever they are) pictures of the short-lived Volga Siber.

Fourth-Gen Cadillac Seville

A recent spot and today's car is this green Cadillac Seville.

This Cadillac Seville is the fourth-generation Cadillac Seville which likely rolled off the assembly line in between the years 1992-97 and was the penultimate generation.

As usual these cars are found in Moscow in back yards and on obscure back roads where they seem to congregate.