AZLK (АЗЛК - Автомобильный завод имени Ленинского Комсомола in Russian) was a Russian automobile factory (Moscow), the maker of the Moskvitch brand.

History

Founded in 1929 as KIM, or Communist Youth International, the plant became MZMA (Moscow Small Car Factory) in 1939, before finally changing its name to the more familiar Avtomobilny Zavod imeni Leninskogo Komsomola (AZLK), literally "Leninist Communist Youth League Automobile Factory" in 1969.

Beginning in 1939, the factory's passenger cars were sold under the Moskvitch ("Muscovite") brand. The plant was originally under the authority of Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod (GAZ – Gorky Automobile Factory) founded at about the same time, but by 1939 it was operationally independent.

AZLK's role under the Soviet system was the production of small cars, which could be classified as anywhere from compact to mid-size. AvtoVAZ and IZh were also charged with producing vehicles in the same category as AZLK, while GAZ handled the large car and full-size segment.

Following privatization in 1991, AZLK adopted Moskvitch as its corporate name, as it had already been used on all of the company's cars dating to 1939.

1929-1941

The construction of the plant called Moscow Car Assembly Factory (Russian: Московский автосборочный завод) began in 1929. In 1930 the production of Ford A and Ford AA from parts that were provided by Ford Motor Company began. In December 1930 the plant was named KIM (Zavod imeni Kommunsticheskogo Internatsionala Molodezhy, Russian: КИМ (Завод имени Коммунистического Интернационала Молодежи) - Communist Youth International, literally "Factory named after Communist Youth International"), from 1930 to 1939 its official name was Moscow Car Assembly Factory named after KIM (Московский автосборочный завод имени КИМ) and then from 1939 until the beginning of the Great Patriotic War it was called Moscow Car Factory named after KIM (Московский автомобильный завод имени КИМ). In 1933 the production of Ford A and Ford AA ceased. On August 1, 1933, the factory became a subsidiary of GAZ and produced GAZ AA using parts from GAZ. In 1939 KIM was no longer the subsidiary of GAZ. In 1940 KIM started to produce their first own model, the KIM 10-50 (two-door saloon) based on the Ford Prefect. There was also a convertible named KIM 10-51. Around 500 cars both KIM 10-50 and KIM 10-51 were made before the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. In the early 1941 approximately 2 prototypes of KIM 10-52 were built. It was a four-door saloon which was the major difference between KIM 10-52 and KIM 10-50. There were plans for mass production of this car but they were interrupted by the beginning of the war.

Post-war years

In May 1945 the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR adopted a decision on the production of small cars "Moskvich". The plant was renamed into the "Small car plant" (PCA), and later again renamed to "Moscow plant of small cars" (MZMA). In 1947 the plant started the serial production of "Moskvich-400" passenger car. This model was developed on the base of German Opel Kadett (1938). In 1954 MZMA started to produce "Moskvich-401" upgraded car.

Post-Soviet period

In the early 1990s AZLK still remained one of the largest auto companies in the USSR. Design and experimental work was prepared to create a new model car (sedan M-2142) and an engine plant.

However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union and economic turmoil plant was in a state of crisis. Because of its location, the plant was in a more vulnerable position than companies located in other regions, as the cost of living and car production in Moscow began to grow rapidly.

The plant ceased production of cars in 2001. In subsequent years, all process equipment, process documentation, and even infrastructural equipment of the plant were completely lost. It was finally closed in 2010.

Alternative names

• Moskvitch Stock Venture (from 1991 until bankruptcy in 2002)
• АО Москвич (from 1991 until bankruptcy in 2002, in Russian)
• AZLK (from 1969 until 1991, abbreviation using Latin alphabet)
• АЗЛК (from 1969 until 1991, in Russian; the abbreviation means Lenin Youth Communist Car Factory)
• MZMA (from 1949 until 1969, abbreviation using Latin alphabet)
• МЗМА (from 1949 until 1969, in Russian; the abbreviation means Moscow Small Car Factory)

External links

• AZLK site
• AZLK-car support
• Russian WIKI AZLK
• (Russian) History of AZLK