Russia's 'Classic' 1982 Lada Laid to Rest

Russia's main car maker Lada said on Monday it was pulling one of its classic 1982 models from production after sales shrank for a vehicle that was dated from the moment it was introduced.

"Demand for the 'classic' has dropped a lot. It is time to say goodbye," company spokesman Igor Burenkov said in a statement released to Agence France Presse.

The Lada 2107 -- a trademark of the Soviet-era AvtoVAZ manufacturer that was sold in Europe under the Riva tag -- was the Volga region manufacturer's fastest and most sporty model at the time of production.

The car was an updated model of a 2101 version that was first developed by the Soviet Union under agreement with Italy based on the Fiat 124 -- a four-door sedan first produced to great European acclaim in 1966.

The Russian maker said the 2107's sales had shrunk by 76 percent over the first quarter as consumers turned to the maker's newer models.

The boxy but ultimately much-loved vehicle with manual transmission had a top speed of 150 kilometers (about 95 miles) an hour and only the barest of essentials that included a simple radio and a fan on some models.

Lada cars are now manufactured by an alliance between AvtoVAZ, and Renault-Nissan.

This Franco-Japanese venture is in the process of acquiring a controlling stake in the Russian maker after Renault had initially bought a 25-percent stake in 2008.

The 2107 -- known as "the seven" in Russia and produced in its heyday in countries stretching from Mexico to Brazil -- had most recently been produced at AvtoVAZ's Izhevsk plant.

The facility intends to switch production to Lada Granta four-door sedans AvtoVAZ began manufacturing in conjunction with Renault-Nissan earlier this month.