Truck tractors KAZ-606 and KAZ-608 in the service of the national economy

The need for a new car capable of carrying more cargo arose back in the 30s of the last century. The rapidly developing economy needed a new generation truck. The domestic auto industry constantly increased the production of light vehicles, but even a sevenfold increase in their number did not solve the problem. A completely different vehicle was required, capable of carrying more and further. And it was necessary to bring a lot of such novelties to the roads of the country.


Transport workers had experience in using foreign trucks. For almost a decade, foreign tractors with trailers drove along the roads of the country, quite decently coping with their tasks. But buying abroad is very expensive and not prestigious, so we decided to produce our own, domestic. The legendary AMO-7 was considered the prototype of modern Soviet truck tractors.


It is machines of this type and their modifications that could serve the constantly growing flow of goods without a sharp increase in their numbers. There was another problem: there were loads of new dimensions that could not be transported by cars with a short base. New saddle mechanisms would be able to cope well with this task. Already in the mid-fifties, they appeared on the roads of a vast country.

The cargo tractor of the new design had special characteristics. The fifth-wheel coupling made it possible, with a slight simplification of the existing models of trucks, to obtain new highly productive trucks, so necessary for the national economy. A large frame in the new tractor was not needed, because the role of the body superstructure was now performed by the coupling mechanism.

A tractor with a semi-trailer became a full-fledged transport force with good maneuverability, large load capacity and endurance. A variety of semi-trailers gave a huge scope for completing tractors for various purposes. Especially widely new cars began to be used for long-distance transportation.

The first domestic saddle worker KAZ-606

Cars of the new generation KAZ-606 were developed in the design bureau of the automobile plant in Kutaisi on the basis of the ZIL-164 and the KAZ-605 model, which remained in small quantities. The new tractors were the first mechanisms without a hood, the cab of which was located above the engine, and not behind it.


They significantly reduced the wheelbase, making it only 2700 mm. But the main difference was the saddle-type hitch. The country really needed such machines, so their mass production was launched already in 1961.



The tractor transported over 10 tons of cargo in a semi-trailer. For the first time, a place for rest was provided for the driver, which was located immediately behind the seat. Absolutely unique were the headlights, well illuminating the road in the fog, and the cabin fan. But the promising model was not produced for long and was soon replaced by an improved modification of the KAZ-606A, which rolled off the assembly line until 1968. High fuel consumption, low speed and assembly flaws became the reasons for designing the next model.

KAZ-608. Why didn't they recognize it?

The KAZ-608 model was developed in parallel with the previous one and became its improved version. Engine power increased significantly to 150 hp. with., the speed also increased to 70 km / h. The carrying capacity of the car reached 15 tons, but only on good roads.
Also new were:

✅ three seats for passengers in the cabin
✅ the appearance of the cabin itself
✅ power steering
✅ two exhaust pipes
✅ two mufflers

They launched the production of a two-axle semi-trailer KAZ-717 directly for the Colchis of the 608th model, but the novelty was not widely used due to its huge dead weight. Having a quite decent carrying capacity (11,5 tons), it was everywhere replaced by lighter semi-trailers. Domestic roads and bridges were simply not designed for such heavy transport. Fortunately, tractors and semi-trailers were perfectly arranged in different combinations.


Georgian-made Colchis were produced for the Soviet industry until 1990. Despite numerous complaints about the quality, low comfort for the driver and the constant need for repairs, hardworking cars brought a lot of benefits to the national economy of the USSR. They were given offensive nicknames, they often appeared in jokes. But unfortunate tractors for a long time willingly bought the countries of the former socialist camp. Only when the demand for them completely decreased, the release finally stopped.