Aleko

The **Moskvitch 2141**, commonly referred tae as simply **Aleko** (Roushie: "АЛЕКО", derivative frae factory name "**А**втомобильный завод имени **Ле**нинского **Ко**мсомола", **''A**ftomobilnyi zavod imeni **Le**ninskogo **Ko**msomola*, meanin "Automotive Factory o Lenin's [[Komsomol]]"), is a [[Roushie]] [[mid-size caur|mid-size]] [[hatchback]] [[automobile|caur]] that wis first annoonced in 1985 an manufacturt tae maistly the [[Eastren Bloc]] kintras atween 1986 an 2000 (gradually replaced in 2001 bi its sedan body version, [[Moskvitch 2142]], that niver wis produced in lairge quantities an that warldwide sales wisna even stairted) bi the nou bankrupt [[Moskvitch|Moskvitch Stock Company]], based in [[Moscow]], Roushie.

Aleko wis a huge improvement ower previous Moskvitch models, whit wur dependable but auld-farrant [[sedans|saloons]] an [[station wagon]]s (estates) wi [[rear-wheel drive]] an a solid rear axle. In fact, Aleko haed nae common pairts wi previous models apairt frae the ingine an some ither minor details an pairts.

For Moskvitch, Aleko wis innovative, haein [[front-wheel drive]], a [[hatchback]] body style, [[McPherson strut]] front suspension an [[torsion beam|torsion-crank]] rear [[suspension]]. The [[wheelbase]] went up amaist 20 centimetres (7.9&nbsp;in), the body got 14 centimetres (5.5&nbsp;in) braider, the wheel size went up ae [[inch]] (14&nbsp;inches). The caur became mair spacious, comfortable an safe. For the first time in the history o Roushie caur makkin, the caur's profile wis optimised for aerodynamics, wi the help o Roushie an [[Fraunce|French]] [[aircraft]] an space [[ingineer]]s. The offeecially reportit bi factory [[drag coefficient]] is 0.35.

The caur originatit as a front-wheel drive "proof o concept", based on foreign models. In the late 1970s Moskvitch bocht aboot twa dozen compact caurs biggit bi unalike manufacturers, an thoroughly testit thaim. French an [[Swaden|Swadish]] caurs wur favoured for thair utility an reliability. The final decision wis made bi the Meenister o Automobile Industry, wha surprisingly for the factory chose the French [[Simca 1307]] as the best candidate for the Roushie mercat.

Ingineers modified an existin Moskvitch ingine for front-wheel drive layoot an fittit the drivetrain intae the Simca. For this an Audi 100 as a model caur wis uised (http://www.my-azlk.ru/m2141xr.php ). Efter the tests wur successfully completed, it wis decidit bi the rights tae copy the Simca 1307 bodyshell amaist entirely, startin from the A-pillar. While this decision helped to cut the development costs, it came as an insult to engineers and designers, who had their own mock-ups of future car ready. The morale o the staff haed been damaged, an Aleko niver became a beloved project amang Moskvitch ingineers (testimony bi the Chief Designer o the Moskvitch Stock Company at the time, Igor Zaitsev. [http://autoreview.ru/new_site/year2002/n05/azlk/1.htm Autoreview, 2002, #5] , in Russian)

The existin ingine wis too lang for transverse placement, so it wis placed longitudinally, like on the [[Audi 80]]/[[Audi 100|100]] series. Mony ideas an design decisions wur borrowed frae Audi caurs (which anes wur bought intae factory an aa), includin torsion-crank rear suspension, McPherson strut front suspension, rack-an-pinion steerin an a collapsible steerin column. The spare tyre wis locatit unnerneath the buit an wis accessible frae ootside, in the tradition o French caurs. As wi Audis, [[zinc]] coatin o doors an body floor wis an aa planned, but it wis actually done ae for sma quantity o the caurs.



Despite "seicont-hand" stylin an design, the Aleko turned oot tae be quite a breakthrough for the Roushie automotive industry. Its body deisign wis modern compared tae the obsolete lookin "angular" [[Lada Samara]]. It amaist became the first production front-wheel drive caur o Roushie, but efter development it took a further twa years for Moskvitch tae setup the manufacturin, an the Lada Samara arrived first.
Despite the better an mair comfortable design frae Samara the ver law assamblin quality o Aleko resultit tae a low reputation o this caur in the mercats.
The positive features o this caur wur robustnes o construction, handyness in repairin wirks. Aleko haes hie "aff-road" drivin capabilities an aa.


Aleko wis sauld maistly on the domestic mercat, but in the late 1980s it wis exportit too. In some export mercats, includin Fraunce & Germany, the caurs wur advertised as the [[Lada]] Aleko, an diesel ingines frae [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] an [[Indenor]] coud be delivered in addition tae the standard petrol ingines.

Some o the laist Moskvitch models tae be biggit wur the somewha upgradit Aleko that wis renamed tae Svjatogor (models M-214122, M-214100, M-214145) an the M-2142, [[Moskvitch Dolgorukij|Dolgorukij]], (1997–2002), wur an aa based on the design o M-2141.

== Alternative names o the original caur an modifications ==
* *Aleko 141* (for foreign mercat)
* *Moskvitch-2141* (for domestic mercat, in [[Laitin alphabet]])
* *Москвич-2141* (for domestic mercat, in Roushie [[Cyrillic alphabet]])
* *AZLK-2141* (for domestic mercat, in Laitin alphabet)
* *АЗЛК-2141* (for domestic mercat, in Roushie Cyrillic alphabet)
* *Svjatogor* (syne 1997, for domestic mercat, in Laitin alphabet)
* *Святогор'' (syne 1997, for domestic mercat, in Roushie Cyrillic alphabet)

## Gallery


Image:AZLK(ALEKO)-2141S (narva colored).jpg|M-21412 alias M-2141S
Image:Moskvich_M-2141S_(AZLK-2141S,_ALEKO-2141S).jpg|M-21412 alias M-2141S
Image:AZLK(ALEKO)-2141S_(gulfstream_colored).jpg|M-21412 alias M-2141S
Image:AZLK (ALEKO) M-2141 (air view).jpg|M-21412 alias M-2141S
Image:AZLK(ALEKO) M-21412 (front view).jpg
Image:ALEKO (AZLK) M-21412.jpg
Image:AZLK-2141 (ALEKO-2141).jpg
Image:Aleko UZAM-331 engine with transmission.jpg|UZAM-331 ingine wi transmission


## References