ZIL-111 - the charm of the Kremlin's "dandy"

In the 50s, the design of a new car for government garages - the ZIL-111 model - began. The first outline design of the machine designers were developed in 1955, and its test sample with the name "Moscow" was presented already in 1956 at the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition. What a deafening effect this car produced! Absolutely new body, something echoing with the American Packard Patrician (the lot of these cars was specially purchased by the Soviet side), was created on the chassis of the 110th model. American analog with domestic refinement?

Relying on the design and general concept of American cars, the talented ZIL designers under the leadership of AN Ostrovtsov, who was the chief designer of ZIS-110, built the ZIL-111 luxury car. A specialist in engineering (who was in the history of Packard) Robert Turnquist, in his own book under the heading "Packard's History," insisted that the Russians created an exact copy of Packard Caribbien, embodying it in the government ZIL. However, it is not. Initially, before the start of work on designing the car, long-term searches for non-standard solutions for the original design of the exterior appearance of the car were conducted. And they were found. But the designers did not realize them in the final sample. Pressure from above forced the creators of the car to begin copying the outdated design of American analogues. Yes, of course, ZIL-111, like the Seagull, has an external resemblance to the Packard Patrician produced in 1956. The body features are similar to the Chrysler Imperial Crown. And the mechanical basis and interior were created on the basis of the model Cadillac Fleetwood-75. From the western analogues ZIL-111 was distinguished by a higher altitude, which made it more massive and heavy. That, by the way, can not be said about Cadillac, Chrysler or Packard.

Absolutely luxury car

ZIL-111 possessed all the usual attributes of luxury American cars of the middle of the last century, namely: a frame chassis with independent suspension, a V-shaped engine, an automatic transmission box, power steering, automatic windows, an antenna, a soft top and the presence of an air conditioner. Even more chic to the car gave the leather upholstery of the cabin and an abundance of lighting equipment. Outwardly, he was pleased with the variety of chromium and the presence of small, but original decorative details.

The first modernized ZIL-111 was launched in 1961. The car had a completely new design of the radiator, bumpers, twin headlights, otherwise it was the same model. The machine went into production in a limited series, and therefore received the ZIL-111G index. It was issued 4 years. The car had round lights from the rear, a slightly modified shape of the windscreen, an updated frame and a more powerful power unit. On the basis of ZIL-111G, designers made several copies of open phaetons for parades. If the sample with an open body on the basis of ZIL-111 had a ZIL-111B index, then the new phaeton was called ZIL-111D.

A generous gift to the high guest

The first ZIL of this type was assembled in 1963 - 6 months after the restyling of the main limousine. In the same year, Fidel Castro visited the car factory. He was given an open car from the Soviet Union. The Liberty Island leader flew home on the plane. And the car was ordered by the Soviet authorities to go to Havana by boat. After some time designers have assembled several more models ZIL-111D - for solemn parades and especially significant public holidays. For the first time, cars were seen on the Red Square during the parade in 1967.

During the entire production period, 112 cars were built. Today, only single copies of this unique machine remained on the move. ZIL-111 can only be bought from collectors.