«Volga» — a mid-size passenger car produced by the Gorky Automobile Plant and one of the defining automotive brands of Nizhny Novgorod. The first generation entered production in 1956; models released under this name include the GAZ-21, GAZ-24, and GAZ-3102, among others, and the last sedan, the GAZ-31105, rolled off the assembly line in 2009.[1] In 2024 the brand was revived: a new passenger-car production facility was prepared in Nizhny Novgorod under the name VOLGA, and serial output began in the second quarter of 2026.[2]

GAZ-21: First Generation

The first Volgas entered production in 1956.[1] In the West, the GAZ-21 was nicknamed the "tank in a tailcoat" — for its heavy body and tin-treated undercarriage combined with an elegant appearance.[3]

For the model's fiftieth anniversary, in August 2006, a jubilee motorcade travelled from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod: the convoy comprised more than sixty vehicles from various regions of Russia and CIS countries — both in original factory trim and noticeably modernized. On the evening of 18 August, a GAZ-21 exhibition parade took place on Kiselev Square at the GAZ Palace of Culture, and the following day participants visited the GAZ History Museum and drove in convoy to Minin Square.[4]

By that time, enthusiast clubs devoted to the GAZ-21 and a market for restored Volgas had already taken shape in Russia.[4]

How the GAZ-24 Was Born

The first prototypes of the GAZ-24 — clay models — appeared at the Gorky Automobile Plant in 1962. They were sculpted in the so-called "Greek Hall" of the Design and Experimental Works Directorate, where the forms of new vehicles were developed.[3]

On 31 December 1962, just a few hours before the chimes rang in the New Year, the first running prototype was completed: the car made several laps around the plant and returned to the workshop. Further tests were also conducted around the factory complex, and only at night, so that no one would see what the new Volga looked like.[3]

The model was planned for large-scale production, and to that end the plant was modernized, with several new manufacturing facilities built.[3]

GAZ-24 on the assembly line

Series production of the GAZ-24 began on July 15, 1970.[3] The design accommodated three engine options: mass-production cars received a four-cylinder unit, while the eight-cylinder engine — the same as fitted to the Chayka — was reserved for special-purpose vehicles.[3]

On instructions from the USSR State Planning Committee, a third of total output — which reached up to 75,000 cars a year — was shipped by the plant to taxi fleets. Another roughly 25,000 went for export, mainly to China and the countries of Eastern Europe; by the late 1970s the GAZ-24 was the most common car in China.[3]

A significant share of the cars was distributed through Party organs, with very few reaching open sale: those were allocated to cosmonauts, People's Artists, and other distinguished individuals. Black GAZ-24s were particularly prized — on the secondary market they commanded up to 15,000 rubles.[3]

Engine output was 95 horsepower; the car accelerated to one hundred kilometers per hour in 15 seconds and handled stably on the road.[3]

The plant and the city

The Volga was the engine of development for the entire city: in 1989–1991, 127,000 people worked at the plant — people from all across Gorky.[3]

For the sake of the autoworkers, the metro came to the city. At a meeting of the regional party committee bureau, it was decided to run the first line from Moscow Railway Station to the auto plant, which had the highest passenger traffic, and on 17 December 1977 the first piles were driven for the foundations of Leninskaya station.[3]

End of the assembly line

In 1992–1993, the era of the GAZ-24 came to a close: the plant was transitioning to the GAZ-31029, which also made its way into the garages of government agencies. Demand for the Volga did not let up through the 1990s — the workshops ran three shifts and wages were paid on time.[3]

A modification of the 24 — the GAZ-2410 — continued to be produced until 2003, but with the arrival of a new owner, the plant refocused on light trucks.[3] The last Volga sedan, the GAZ-31105, rolled off the assembly line in 2009; after that, the Volga could be seen primarily in the GAZ history museum.[1]

A brand without a car

The name remained with the plant even after production of the cars had ceased. In July 2022, the Nizhny Novgorod limited liability company "Avtomobilny Zavod GAZ" filed an application with Rospatent to register three-dimensional trademarks for "Chayka" and "Volga-21" — representations of the Chayka GAZ-13 and Volga GAZ-21 automobiles.[5]

The GAZ Group explained that it holds the "Chayka" and "Volga" marks in the vehicle and toy categories, and is registering the three-dimensional marks for souvenir merchandise: demand among brand enthusiasts for souvenirs bearing the plant's insignia is considerable.[5]

Until 2022, the Gorky Automobile Plant carried out contract assembly of Volkswagen and Skoda vehicles; after those brands withdrew from Russia, the production facilities sat idle.[2]

Revival of the brand

Talk of resuming Volga production first surfaced in 2022, when Denis Manturov, who was then serving as Minister of Industry and Trade, made the announcement. Discussions continued into 2023 — Governor Gleb Nikitin spoke of work under way to launch production of the historic cars, while Manturov named a tentative deadline of summer 2024.[2]

On 21 May 2024, a pre-premiere showing of Volga automobiles was held at the CIPR conference in Nizhny Novgorod. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin was the first to inspect them: he called the car attractive and modern, and instructed that attention be paid to the localization of not only critically important components but also simple elements.[1][2]

Three models were presented at the time: the VOLGA C40 (a Class D sedan), the VOLGA K30 (a Class C crossover), and the VOLGA K40 (a Class D crossover). Automotive experts noted that these were rebadged models from the Chinese automaker Changan: the C40 sedan is the Changan Raeton Plus, the K30 crossover is the Oshan X5 Plus, and the K40 crossover is the Changan UNI-Z. What set them apart from their Chinese counterparts was a front end featuring a chrome radiator grille — a reference to the styling of the classic Volgas — and GAZ emblems with a silver deer on a red background.[1]

Production was entrusted to the company "Proizvodstvo legkovykh avtomobiley" (Passenger Car Manufacturing), which invested around 60 billion rubles, and is carried out in the passenger vehicle workshops of the GAZ plant. Proizvodstvo legkovykh avtomobiley JSC was registered on 16 May 2024 in Nizhny Novgorod, at the address of the main entrance and office building of the Gorky Automobile Plant.[6] All three models on display shared a single petrol engine rated at 188 horsepower and a seven-speed automatic transmission.[1]

Subsequently, the Chinese brand Geely replaced Changan as the project's partner.[2] In autumn 2025 it was reported that the first stages of production would begin in spring 2026, with the brand's press office specifying that serial output would start in the second quarter of 2026, with the plant's maximum capacity set at 110,000 vehicles per year.[2]

2026 Model Range

The project officially launched in February 2026, and by summer the cars had reached the first dealerships.[7] The model range comprised three vehicles: the flagship crossover VOLGA K50, the mid-size crossover VOLGA K40, and the business-class sedan VOLGA C50.[8]

  • VOLGA K50 — length 4,770 mm, width 1,895 mm, height 1,689 mm, wheelbase 2,845 mm; price from 3,999,000 rubles including trade-in and distributor credit subsidy.[8]
  • VOLGA K40 — length 4,678 mm, width 1,900 mm, height 1,705 mm, wheelbase 2,760 mm; price from 2,699,000 rubles on the same terms.[8]
  • VOLGA C50 — length 4,825 mm, width 1,880 mm, height 1,469 mm, wheelbase 2,800 mm; price from 2,899,000 rubles including trade-in.[8]

What the new cars are

The K40 crossover is equipped with a two-litre, 200-horsepower engine and an Aisin conventional automatic transmission; all brand crossovers feature BorgWarner all-wheel-drive couplings. Ground clearance is 215 mm, boot capacity 650 litres, and the 0–100 km/h sprint takes 8.6 seconds. The cabin features a 13-inch vertical multimedia screen and a 10-inch digital instrument cluster.[7]

The C50 sedan is distinguished by a restrained European design and a wide grille with vertical lines — a nod to the executive sedans of earlier years. The boot holds 500 litres. The new sedan shares the same wheelbase as the historic Volga, while the car itself is approximately 100 mm longer than its predecessor.[7]

The brand is headed by Tatyana Fadeyeva. According to her, production was launched in Nizhny Novgorod — the brand's home city and the very same site where the historic cars were built — so there was never any question about the name; development is built on the best available international platforms, on the basis of which the company intends to create its own. By 2028, the Nizhny Novgorod production site plans to localise two-litre petrol engines and an eight-speed automatic gearbox — with a localisation level of up to 80%; localisation involves mastering assembly and testing, as well as manufacturing key components: cylinder heads and blocks, camshafts and crankshafts, gears and automatic transmission shafts.[9][7]

A gas-powered version and a hybrid powertrain are planned on the basis of the localised engine.[9]

Sources

  1. Nizhegorodskaya Pravda — Vozrozhdennaya Volga: sobrali vse, chto izvestno o novykh nizhegorodskikh avtomobilyakh — Revived "Volga": everything known about the new Nizhny Novgorod cars, 22 May 2024 (archive)
  2. Nizhegorodskaya Pravda — Revival of a legend: what is known about the updated "Volga" (archive)
  3. nn.aif.ru — Security check — Argumenty i Fakty — Nizhny Novgorod — "Volga" with all that follows. The famous GAZ-24 turns 55, 13 July 2025 (archive)
  4. nn.aif.ru — Security check — Argumenty i Fakty — Nizhny Novgorod — Anniversary motor rally of the GAZ-21 "Volga" began on 18 August, 21 August 2006 (archive)
  5. nn.aif.ru — Security check — Argumenty i Fakty — Nizhny Novgorod — GAZ filed applications to register the trademarks "Chayka" and "Volga-21", 15 July 2022 (archive)
  6. Kommersant (Volga Region) — New Volga cars presented to Mikhail Mishustin at the CIPR conference (archive)
  7. volga.auto — First generation of cars of the revived brand — First generation of cars of the revived brand, 28 July…
  8. volga.auto — Official brand website — Official brand website: model range, dimensions and prices (archive)
  9. Interfax — Volga to localize automatic transmission and petrol engine at the Nizhny Novgorod facility by 2028 (archive)