Car Manufacturer AvtoVAZ is a Russian car manufacturer who use Lada as a trademark for some of their cars. Cars under the Lada brand became popular during the final decades of the Soviet era in Russia and Eastern Europe. In the former Soviet bloc countries, they became something of a symbol of city life.
The first ever Lada Classic car (known as the Lada Riva in the UK) was first sold and exported in station-wagon and sedan versions, and the company has shifted over 20 million units before 2012, when production ended. Two of the key factors to its success were the competitive price and the unpretentious functionality. People liked its simplicity and reliability.
The United States was the only large market not to have imported and sold Lada produced cars during the 1980's and 1990's when the car saw its greatest success. It was built with heavier-gauge steel bodywork to allow drivers to cope with the brutal Siberian climates and poor quality road surfaces.
Two years ago, in 2012 a Lada concept car was launched in Moscow at the International Automobile Salon called the XRAY. Steve Mattin, who was formerly an employee of Mercedes and Volvo, was the chief designer of the XRAY.