Lada automobile

Lada is the flagship brand of the Russian automotive manufacturer AvtoVAZ. Founded in the 1960s through a collaboration between the Soviet government and Fiat, the brand was initially well-known for the 'Zhiguli' or VAZ-2101, which was based on the Fiat 124. Over the decades, Lada became the dominant automotive brand in the Soviet Union and remains a household name across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

While Renault Group acquired a controlling stake in the parent company AvtoVAZ in 2016, the corporate landscape shifted dramatically in 2022. Renault exited the Russian market following geopolitical changes, transferring its 68% stake to NAMI, the Central Research and Development Automobile and Engine Institute of Russia. Today, Lada is once again under full state-controlled Russian ownership, continuing to produce vehicles primarily at its massive Tolyatti plant.