The idea of creating pickup trucks at the Zaporozhye Automobile Plant was not new: similar vehicles for in-plant needs had been made here before. However, in the early 90s, when the plant was going through difficult times and demand for the outdated ZAZ-968M was falling, it was decided to launch serial production of the ZAZ-968MP commercial pickup truck.
The production technology was simple. The standard body was removed from the assembly line and the rear part was cut off, turning the car into a two-seater truck. The body was reinforced with a steel angle and a U-shaped pipe, and the loading platform had a plywood floor. According to various estimates, from 1990 to 1994, from two to three thousand of these machines were produced.
Technically, the pickup truck remained a classic rear-engine ZAZ. Under the hood in the rear compartment was a standard 1.2-liter air-cooled V4 engine producing 40 hp.
The pickup cab was even quieter than a regular Zaporozhets, thanks to an additional wall behind the seats separating the cabin from the cargo platform.
The journalist noted that acceleration to 50-60 km/h is quite brisk for a 40-horsepower engine, but beyond that the engine becomes a bit heavy. The suspension – completely independent, torsion bar at the front and spring at the rear – provides a soft ride, but provokes noticeable roll when cornering.
The car has enough brakes without a power booster, and the cross-country ability, thanks to rear-wheel drive and good load on the drive wheels, remains at the level of a standard ZAZ.
The vast majority of such pickup trucks in the early 90s were purchased by legal entities and government agencies. It was unprofitable for private owners to buy Zaporozhets with their own money. Nevertheless, ZAZ-968MP has become one of the recognizable artifacts of the difficult transition period in the history of the country and the automotive industry.
Earlier it was reported that Daimler will present an electric bus, which has a power reserve 2.5 times greater than that of KamAZ.
