MAZ-2000 "Perestroika", ahead of its time

By the beginning of the 80s, people were keenly aware of the smell of the new century. It seemed to everyone that it would be somehow special, especially since the Soviet leader in the middle of the decade promised to each Soviet family by the beginning of the new millennium - a separate apartment. This general attitude, as well as the spirit of freedom and change in Soviet society, was well reflected in one truck model of the Minsk Automobile Plant. To indicate the advanced design ideas, she was given the odious name MAZ-2000. And the trends of the times contributed to the corresponding addition - "Perestroika".


car began to be mass-produced in 1988, which was the peak of democratic reforms in the country, and the newfangled word "perestroika" became a world-famous Soviet brand. Moreover, Belarusian manufacturers added it to the name of the new product on a semi-trailer in the Latin form: "Perestroyka".



Thus, the ambitions of the Minsk residents, who were planning to enter the international market, were clearly indicated. Moreover, in the same year, the MAZ-2000 visited the exhibition at the Paris Motor Show, where it received very good marks. Advanced technical solutions brought the car the highest award. The quality of the assembly was recognized as meeting the requirements of international standards applied at that time to main road trains.

Start of development of the main truck

Of course, the new main line truck needed some improvements, so its appearance was changed three times. At first, changes in the appearance were needed to prepare for an overseas exhibition. For example, the already mentioned inscription on the awning in Latin letters. Also, the encircling decorative strip was repainted from red to blue as a precaution. To improve the appearance, the wheels received decorative housings. After the Parisian success, only minor improvements were made:

✅ transfer of headlights to the lower part of the cab
✅ installation of ventilation grids
✅ fixing the Sovtransavto emblem

The exterior paint has also undergone a number of color changes. The last option was the cabin body in bright red. By the way, it provided the driver with driving comfort an order of magnitude higher than in other Soviet tractors of that time. Firstly, it was a sufficient height, excluding the feeling of the roof “pressing” on you during the trip. Secondly, a wide windshield that provides the driver with a panoramic view. And, finally, thirdly, a flat cabin floor, rare in those days, is a feature that all modern truckers appreciate.

Excellent parameters of the new road train

Everyone has long been accustomed to the classic layout of the road train. It includes a semi-trailer, which can be replaced, depending on the nature of the cargo being transported. The truck tractor itself remains an unchanged part. Perhaps in everyday life we ​​have to meet them infrequently. But in the Paris-Dakar rally, you can fully admire their power. Minsk engineers decided to break the stereotype and make something unusual - a modular road train. In it, two of its components became one, it was also possible to assemble a multi-element structure from modules, with a carrying capacity of up to 80 tons.

Here is how one Belgian journalist gave the car after the Paris Motor Show:
“The road train “Perestroika” has become the undisputed star of the salon. Soviet designers from Minsk presented a very interesting prototype truck with an unusual layout that perfectly reflects its name. It seems that the spirit of change has come to the truck industry. I noticed that modular designs were transferred by Soviet specialists from the space industry to other technical areas. This is an unprecedented case in the world practice of trucking, when a road train was provided with a huge number of design variations, thanks to the interchangeability of modules. Both with its design and the novelty of the solutions, the MAZ-2000 amazed everyone here.”



He had a main road train and other non-standard technical solutions. This also applied to the unusual design of the truck cab. Combining it and the cargo compartment into a single unit made it possible to significantly increase the size of the cargo area. Also, the fixed shape of the cab significantly improved the aerodynamics of the truck.

According to experts, its drag coefficient was the lowest among all brands of that time. This made the MAZ-2000 the most streamlined main road train in Europe. Also reflected in the improvement of driving dynamics and lower fuel consumption. His other performances were as follows:

✅ average curb weight - 12 tons
✅ gross weight - 33 tons (+8 tons in case of using a three-axle module)
✅ cargo platform - 83 cubic meters. m
✅ 12-speed manual transmission

Design features

The leading traction module had all the necessary control details: power plant, gearbox, drive axle and steering. In the implementation of the lateral maneuver relative to the fixed cabin and body, powerful hydraulic cylinders helped.

Under the hood of the truck was a 290-horsepower in-line MAN D2866, and a newfangled electronic joystick helped in gear shifting. The R22.5 wheels had independent suspension, the brakes were pneumatically actuated. Excellent aerodynamic properties allowed to achieve a maximum speed of 120 km / h. Two modifications were made with wheel formulas 6x2 and 8x2.



The road train-designer made it possible to simulate many load options. For example, when driving uphill, it was allowed to replace a conventional wheeled cart with a motorized one. After driving through mountainous terrain, there was the possibility of a reverse replacement. Also, by changing the number of modules, it was possible to adjust the maximum carrying capacity of the car and, if necessary, turn it into a very long and heavily loaded road train. With all these advantages, this model also had its weaknesses. These included:

✅ difficult to turn due to the fixed design of the cab during heavy traffic
✅ complicated access to the engine in case of repair
✅ inconvenience of maintenance of units located in the traction module

Reasons for series production

After the successful demonstration of the prototype, it seemed that the road to mass production was open. Unfortunately, the beginning process of the disintegration of the Soviet Union became the main obstacle to its implementation. The created two prototypes remained an unfulfilled dream of Belarusian specialists.

One of them lasted until 2004, when it was disposed of, the 8x2 version had a happier fate. Two years earlier, it was restored and exhibited in the Minsk park named after. Gorky. Eight years later, in 2010, it was turned into a monument at the main entrance to the plant, the designers of which created such advanced technology.



Already in the post-Soviet period, a license for modular products was sold to businessmen from the USA and Japan. But, such a design of road trains has not become widespread in the world. Why? I think the answer to this question was given by their creator himself - the chief designer of the project Vysotsky.

Describing the prospect of modular road trains, he said that this would be possible only if a common transport corridor was created in Eurasia. Considering that today we are more than ever far from the implementation of such a project, one should not be surprised that modular vehicles remained only an interesting idea of ​​​​Soviet engineers.