The body of the car is a 3-door hatchback with a transverse front engine. Vehicle dimensions - length: 3200 mm, width: 1420 mm, height: 1400 mm, clearance is 150 mm, weight - 645 kg. The carburetor 2-cylinder engine based on the VAZ-2108 engine with synchronously moving pistons, but they still have a worker in turn, to reduce vibration, two balancing shafts were installed. MacPherson type front suspension with anti-roll bar, and rear with a cross beam. The brake system is hydraulic - front disc, rear drum.
From concept to prototype
Development began in the 1970s at VAZ, and in 1971 they presented the first sample of the front-wheel drive small car VAZ-E1101. Later, two prototypes were built with the codes 2E1101 and 3E1101 and the name «Ladoga». The drawings were transferred to the Zaporozhye plant, where they formed the basis of the future «Tavria». At the Serpukhov Motorcycle Plant in 1979, work was underway to create a replacement for the outdated S3D wheelchair and in 1982 they presented a prototype of the SMZ-1101 microcar «Oka». NAMI took the Fiat 126 as a basis for the development of the Oka «Malukh» with two-cylinder engines located at the rear. The engine was also borrowed from Fiat and moved forward. The prototypes were called NAMI-0219M and NAMI-0231, and after the body was finalized - NAMI-0266.
In 1982, the Minavtoprom issued an order to design a small class car for VAZ designers, as well as SMZ and NAMI. Production was planned to start in 1984 in the following quantities: AvtoVAZ - 20 thousand, KamAZ - 20 thousand and SMZ - 10 thousand. However, due to economic difficulties in the country, funding was provided intermittently and in insufficient volumes. The prototype SMZ-1101 and its concept were recognized as erroneous and only the name remained of it «Oka». Based on Japanese «key car» Daihatsu Cuore, from which they took only the dimensions and proportions of the body.
With the choice of engine was a big problem. At that time, two-cylinder engines were produced only for motorcycles. A two-cylinder power unit was chosen as the basis «Daihatsu». They tried to unify it as much as possible with the VAZ-2108 engine, but this did not work out. The first engine was assembled in 1984 and had the designation VAZ-1101.
The first two copies of the cars were released in March 1984, and in 1985 another sample was built. The test results were not very good - a small trunk and easily overturned when maneuvering even at low speed. After refinement, the wheelbase was increased and the suspension was completely redesigned. The result is excellent handling and stability.
Also, the cost of the 1101 engine turned out to be higher than planned and therefore it was completely unified with the 1.3-liter VAZ-2108 engine. The next motor was coded 1111. It consisted of two cylinders taken from the middle of the 2108 motor, which move synchronously. To compensate for the missing pistons, balance shafts were installed in the engine crankcase. The engine turned out to be slightly more powerful than 1101 and much cheaper to manufacture, as well as to operate and repair.
The first sample of the car was officially presented to the public in March 1986. In 1987, the state tests of the car were carried out at the test site and the track and it was recommended for production. In 1988, the first batch of 300 cars left the assembly line.
Production
It was mass production that was planned in the city of Yelabuga, at the Yelabuga car plant (ElAZ), which was supposed to produce 900 thousand VAZ-1111 cars «Kama» in year. But in connection with the collapse of the USSR, only small-scale production of foreign cars under license was established at ElAZ. In 1995, AvtoVAZ considered the production of 20 thousand cars a year unprofitable and completely switched to SeAZ (former SMZ) and on ZMA (light division of KamAZ). In the same year, a modification of the VAZ-11113 was released with a more powerful 0.75-liter engine with 33 hp.
After the financial crisis of 1998 and the sharp depreciation of the ruble against the dollar «Oka» turned out to be a very cheap car in its class both in the foreign and domestic markets. Until 2005, production only increased, but then, with the advent of Daewoo Matiz and other competitors, the demand for «Oku» started to fall. In 2006, production remained only at SeAZ, in 2007 the standard engine was replaced by a Chinese injection 3-cylinder FAW with a volume of 1.0 liters. But still, in November 2008, production was completely stopped due to unprofitability.
In 2013, AvtoVAZ announced plans to revive «Oku» by 2020, taking into account modern requirements.
Modifications
- VAZ-1111 - the base model with a 0.65-liter 2-cylinder engine. Produced in 1988-1996;
- VAZ-1111E - an experimental model with an electric drive.
- SeAZ-1111-01 - for disabled people without both legs;
- SeAZ-1111-02 - for disabled people without one leg;
- SeAZ-1111-03 - for disabled people without one leg and one arm;
- VAZ-11113 (LADA OKA) - modification with a 2-cylinder carburetor engine VAZ-11113 with a volume of 0.75 liters. Produced in 1996-2007;
- SeAZ-11113-01 - for disabled people without both legs;
- SeAZ-11113-02 - for disabled people without one leg;
- SeAZ-11113-03 - for disabled people without one leg and one arm;
- SeAZ-11116 - with a Chinese FAW engine with a volume of 1.0 liters. Produced in 2007-2008;
- SeAZ-11116-01 - for disabled people without both legs;
- SeAZ-11116-02 - for disabled people without one leg;
- SeAZ «Oka Junior» - small-scale sports version «Oka» for beginner racing drivers;
- SeAZ «Sport» - pseudo racing version «Oka» with safety arcs;
- «Oka-Astro-11301» - small-scale version «Oka» Chelny small firm «astro car». Produced in 2002-2006;
- «Astro-113011» - tuning version «Oka» produced in Naberezhnye Chelny by a small company «Kama car assembly plant». Produced in 2006-2007;
- VAZ-17013 «toima» - small-scale commercial model based on the Kama «Oka». Produced by Chelny small firm «astro car» in 2000-2007;
- VAZ-1301 «Dwarf» - a prototype pickup truck based on the Kama «Oka»;
- SeAZ-11116-010-50 «Oka Van» and SeAZ-11116-011-50 «Oka Pickup» - commercial modifications «Oka»;
- SeAZ-11116-010-52 «Oka Universal» - commercial version «Oka» with a van-type body;
- SeAZ-11116-60 «Oka Pickup» - commercial version «Oka» with a pickup-type body with a separate side platform;
- TTM-1901 «Golden eagle» - heavy snowmobile (autosleigh) classic ski-caterpillar scheme. Produced by a Nizhny Novgorod company «Transport».