Moskvich-408 "Tourist" - a Soviet coupe that never became serial

The Soviet passenger car Moskvich-408 is still remembered by many drivers. Someone even considers it the most beautiful car in the production range of the AZLK plant, which was then called MZMA.


But few people know about the coupe on the chassis of this model. But there was a time when such a car could become serial! But alas, the circumstances were unsuccessful. In total, two prototypes were produced, which have not survived to this day.

But in Russia there are several cars created by enthusiasts on their own. Of course, they have nothing to do with a real coupe from the USSR, but they make it possible to see how this model looked at least approximately.

Let's catch up and overtake!

It is necessary to start the history of the appearance of the Moskvich-408 "Tourist" from 1961, when the leaders of the MZMA presented a plan for the development of the enterprise until 1980. A large-scale reconstruction of the plant and an increase in car production by 60% were supposed.



Knowing the situation on the market at that time, the project can be called promising - Moskvich cars in the early 1960s were in high demand in Europe. Approximately half of MZMA products were exported, bringing the country the currency it needed.

One of the main points of the plan was the development and development of mass production of engines with a displacement of 1,5 liters. This was supposed to take Muscovites to a new level - to turn them into models of a higher class.

small scale sports car

The plant planned the development of a new machine - Moskvich-408.

This is a standard sedan, but it was going to be produced in several more body types:

• ? station wagon
  
• ? Van
  
• ? coupe
  

Yes, the plans included a frankly “bourgeois” type of car - this body was called “grand tourism”. The papers also contained the basic parameters of the car - it should have an engine with a volume of 1,5 liters and reach a maximum speed of about 135 km / h.



In order to fit a coupe car into the Soviet system of values, the documentation stated that it was intended for export sales, for use in rental services and for individual use in the warm republics of the USSR.

Realizing that "from above" such a car would be treated with caution, it was indicated that the coupe would be launched into the series only after the development of other body types Moskvich-408.

Why does the country need a "bourgeois" car?

Now no one can say for sure why Andronov, the chief designer of MZMA, decided to launch a sports and tourist modification of the car into a series. Most likely, he just wanted to diversify the lineup with a stylish and really beautiful Moskvich.



Renting needs to be explained. Under Khrushchev, special bases were organized in taxi companies in the country. There cars could be rented. It was a step towards communism - common cars, the rejection of personal property.



There was another reason for creating a coupe - in those years, sedans could not participate in sports competitions. Moskvich-408 "Tourist" would become the basis for finalizing the car for racing.

The real reason for the appearance

Designer MZMA Andronov was well aware that a sports car should get a more powerful engine. They could become an overhead valve engine under the index 406.

But attempts to introduce this motor a few years before were met with hostility. The main opponents of Andronov and his motor were Ostrovtsev, Grachev and Lipgard. They insisted that Muscovites remain small cars, otherwise they were seen as competitors to GAZ cars. These same comrades "killed" the all-wheel drive experimental models MZMA, by the way.

It was the Moskvich-408 "Tourist" that was needed to secure and explain the development and launch of a 1,5-liter engine into a series.

Body

At the beginning of 1963, sedans, station wagons and M-408 vans were prepared. After that, the development of a body for a sports modification began. The young designer Veselov was engaged in this.



The car was supposed to be made with a removable hardtop, optionally a folding awning could be put instead. This design was spied on and copied from the French Renault Floride.

Prototypes

By the end of 1963, two Moskvich Tourist were ready. Interestingly, the body of the first car was made of steel, some of the panels were taken from experimental 63C12 sedans (future Moskvich-408).

The second sample received aluminum body parts.

By the time the Moskvich-408 Tourist was created, they had not produced suitable engines, so experimental power units with a volume of 1 cm358 had to be placed under the hoods. It is believed that one of the cars received an engine with experimental fuel injection. But this is nowhere documented.

Time is lost

Work on launching the Muscovites 408 into the series dragged on for a long time. The producers missed the deadline. The base sedan began to be mass-produced only in 1964.

The next couple of years were devoted to the development of medical, export and right-hand drive modifications.



Station wagons and vans based on the Moskvich-408 were mastered only in 1966.

A lot of time was spent on the development and launch of the M-412 engine in series. Then MZMA helped a new plant in the city of Izhevsk.

As a result, in 1967, Moskvich-412 appeared - a new model. After that, launching a sports two-door modification in the old body into a series was simply stupid.

Why didn't they start producing coupes on the Moskvich-412 chassis?

It would seem that there are a couple of steps left to launch a sports car. A new engine and a modern Moskvich-412 platform were ready. But for a number of reasons, the coupe was abandoned.



According to the official version, the need for a car of this class simply disappeared - car rentals in the USSR turned out to be unprofitable and closed in 1964.



But the most important thing - the engine with a working volume of 1,5 liters was ready. The main merit in this is Andronov and Polyakov, a former engineer at MZMA.
And finally, it was planned to produce Moskvich-408 "Tourist" about 150 pieces a year. For the sake of such insignificant volumes, it was not worth even starting.

And the foreigners are interested!

In Europe, the idea of ​​​​creating a coupe with a removable roof was liked. The management of Scaldia-Volga SA offered the director of MZMA to help with the engine. They wanted to use a Ford Cortina engine as a power unit.

But the foreigners had to refuse, arguing that the Moskvich-408 "Tourist" cars were made in only two prototypes, which even differ from each other. It will not be possible to launch them into a series in this form - new pre-production models will have to be built and tested.

Looking at the photographs of Moskvich-408 "Tourist", it becomes a pity that they were never put into production. But from time to time there are enthusiasts who independently make such cars from Moskvich-408 sedans.