End of the road for a Russian icon

As much a symbol of the country as vodka and Cossack dancers, the iconic Soviet marque is to be laid to rest by the end of next year -- a result of diminished demand for its antiquated and temperamental offerings.

Volgas will keep rolling off the production line until the end of 2006, but after that the plant will switch entirely to making more profitable commercial vehicles, according to a Reuters report. However, since the decision was announced, the factory has reportedly been inundated by emails from disgruntled Volga fans.

Built by the Gorky Automobile Factory (GAZ), the marque came into being in the 1950s with the intention of proving that the Soviets could match its arch rival -- the United States -- in the car-making game.

The first car to wear the Volga badge was the 1956 GAZ M21, which was supposedly built to last in the harsh climate and rough roads of the Soviet Union, with high ground clearance, rugged suspension, a robust(ish) engine and ample rustproofing.

Its generous size and simple construction made it popular with the police and taxi fleets, and V8-engined versions were produced for the KGB. The vehicle is still regarded as an icon today, and a handful of examples have even found their way to the US.

The original M21 was superseded in 1967 by the M24, which proved to be the biggest-selling model in the brand's history -- over 600,000 had rolled out of the factory by the time production finally ceased in 1992.

The only realistic alternative to the Volga under the iron-fisted Soviet regime was the Lada, a brand that's not unfamiliar to Australians (remember the utilitarian Niva?).

Although the Volga had dubious reliability, it was considered by Russians to be more exclusive than the cheap and nasty Lada offerings. Apparently, some owners (presumably with tongue firmly in cheek) even went as far as naming their cars "the Russian Mercedes".

Volga production peaked at well over 100,000 units per year during the early-to-mid 1990s, then fell sharply due to Russia's worsening economic crises, reaching just 56,000 cars in 2000. The influx of more desirable imported cars in recent years has proven to be the final nail in the coffin for the Volga brand. Dos Vedanya!