page_title: AZLK
section_title: Post-war years
hierarchical_section_title: AZLK / History / Post-war years
caption_attribution_description: Русский: Можно увидеть здесь&#160;: http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/sergey-korovkin-84/ You can see here&#160;: http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/sergey-korovkin-84/
context_page_description: AZLK was a Soviet and Russian automobile manufacturer, the maker of the Moskvitch brand.
  Founded in 1930, it was stopped in 2001 and abolished in 2010.
context_section_description: In May 1945, the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR adopted a decision on the production of small cars named "Moskvich". The plant was renamed to the "Small Car Plant" (PCA), and later again to "Moscow Plant of Small Cars" (MZMA, Moskovskiy Zavod Malolitrazhniy Avtomobiliy). In agreement with Opel, the plant started to produce the Moskvich-400 passenger car based on the Opel Kadett. In 1956, MZMA launched into production its own and highly successful model, the Moskvitch-402, that was followed by the upgraded and restyled versions known as the M-403 and M-407 and later by the brand new Moskvitch-408 series. On May 18, 1967, the company produced its one millionth car. The same year, the first new Moskvitch 412 appeared. The M-407 was the first Soviet automotive export to be truly successful in the West. Up to half of all M-407 production was exported for a number of years, mainly to the Eastern Bloc countries, Norway, Finland, and France. Later models also proved a good value in Britain, Finland, and Norway, for instance, and in 1968, 55% of production was for export.
  The name of the company was changed from MZMA to AZLK in October 1968 in honour of the Lenin Komsomol's fiftieth anniversary.
  During the 1960s, AZLK proposed the M-415 and M-416 four-wheel drive vehicles. They were not proceeded with, either.
  In 1970, AZLK updated the M-412's styling, with the 353. Using M-412 mechanicals, it was larger but recognizably related. The 355 of 1972 was larger still, with 23 cm (9.1 in) greater length, 14 cm (5.5 in) more wheelbase, and  8 cm (3.1 in) more width. This made both the interior and the boot noticeably larger. The 355 was further developed into the 356 between 1973-75, with "much bolder front end styling", new suspension, and an enlarged 1,799 cc (109.8 cu in) version of the DM engine with twin Zenith carburetors, giving 103 hp (77 kW; 104 PS), with a Borg-Warner transmission planned. 1600cc and 1700cc engines were also planned. None  was built.
   
  AZLK in August 1974 sold its two millionth unit.
  In order to replace the 408 and M-412, in 1975 Moskvitch designed a four-door fastback C1 (Series One), with a 1,702 cc (103.9 cu in) version of the DM straight four, offering 81 hp (60 kW; 82 PS), to give a top speed of 93 mph (150 km/h). Unlike the M-412, it had MacPherson struts in front and independent trailing arms in back. It did not reach the company's goals and was never built, but inspired the four door C2 in 1976, which never passed the mockup stage, and the C3, which was very similar but a five-door hatchback. The engine would have been fitted at an angle from the vertical (like the Chrysler slant six). None of these projects reached production.
  The M-408 and M-412 were discontinued in December 1975, replaced by facelifted variants, the 50 hp (37 kW; 51 PS) 1,358 cc (82.9 cu in) 2138 (1360) and 75 hp (56 kW; 76 PS) 1,478 cc (90.2 cu in) 2140 (1500), which entered production the next month. In fact, the M-2138 and M-2140 were built in stages: M-412 bodies with the boot lid, rear wings, and tail of the M-2140; then M-2140 bodies with M-412 doors; and then, early in 1976, all-M-2140s. These "hybrid" models are now very rare. The M-21381 and M-21401 were offered as ambulance models, also, as well as the right-hand drive M-21402. In addition, there was a "rural" M-21406, with a low-compression 68 hp (51 kW; 69 PS) engine. (This same engine, in the standard model, earned the designation M-2140D.)
  They were joined in 1976 by the 1,358 cc (82.9 cu in)-powered 2136 and 1,478 cc (90.2 cu in)-engined M-2137 estate; these were sold in much smaller numbers, the M-2136 surviving only until 1977. There were also two sedan delivery variants, the M-2733 (1,358 cc (82.9 cu in)) and M-2734 (1,478 cc (90.2 cu in)). A small number of pickups (M-27334 and M-27344, with (1,358 cc (82.9 cu in)) and (1,478 cc (90.2 cu in)), respectively); these weren't produced for a long time, either. By the 1980s, the deliveries had virtually disappeared, as well, because AZLK simply could not keep up with a demand for saloons.
  Although the M-2138
caption: Moskvitch-402
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