Lada VFTS

Lore & Background

The preparation of rally cars began in 1970 in Vilnius, in a hall of the Vilnius car repair factory. The first model was the Lada 1300 with an engine enlarged to 1600cc and tuned to 130–150 HP. In 1978 the Lada-1600 Rally was presented, and on 1 October 1982 the LADA VFTS received FIA homologation. From 1985 to 1988, VFTS developed the Lada-2108 EVA Turbo, a mid-engine rally car with an 1860 cc, 16-valve turbocharged engine producing 270–300 HP under Group B rules. The company was founded and managed by Lithuanian rally driver Stasys Brundza.

The car's mudguards are angularly broadened to accommodate widened wheels, and spoilers are used. Weight reduction to 920–950 kg was achieved using plexiglass or polycarbonate instead of glass. The body and axle housing were strengthened, and a roll cage was added. The cabin has two bucket seats with 4-point seat belts, and the dashboard was reorganized for easier repairs. A single-row gearshift produces a characteristic sound, and gear positions were changed due to lack of space.

Reader's Guide

The LADA VFTS gained popularity among race drivers and rally fans, and a leaflet featuring the car was translated into English. Production did not continue long after Group B was banned, and as the Soviet Union abolished production, various rally drivers began copying the design and technical solutions. The car became very popular in Hungary, reappearing in the H class of the Hungarian championship at the end of the 1990s. Today it remains popular among rally drivers in ex-Soviet and other European countries; Russian rally drivers use replicas in Club Rally Series and short Rally-Sprints, often achieving results better than with newer rally cars. A total of 30 vehicles were exported between 1979 and 1990 to countries including Bulgaria, Panama, Norway, Canada, Cameroon, Austria, Jordan, Finland, Spain, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Germany.

Did You Know?

• VFTS stands for Vilniusskaja Fabrika Transportnych Sredstv, Russian for 'Vilnius factory of vehicles'.
• The car's engine produces 160–180 HP compared to 75 HP in the standard Lada 2105.
• Only 30 original LADA VFTS vehicles were exported between 1979 and 1990.