From DW REV – Cars & Mobility.

Once a symbol of Soviet pride and rugged independence, the LADA is now caught in a battle for its own survival.
From the legendary Niva off-roader to the humble Zhiguli sedan, this car was never just transport — it was identity, endurance, and defiance on four wheels. But after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the brand that once conquered icy roads and global hearts is driving straight into controversy.
Can a car built on nostalgia and national pride survive a new world of sanctions, isolation, and shifting alliances?

00:00 – Can the LADA Survive — and Should It?
A Soviet cult car faces its toughest challenge since Russia’s war in Ukraine.

02:00 – From National Pride to Global Isolation
LADA once symbolized strength — now it’s a political statement.

03:30 – The Sanctions Loophole: Made in Azerbaijan
How Russia bypasses Western sanctions to keep the brand alive.

05:00 – China Steps In
With Western partners gone, Chinese parts keep LADA on the road.

06:30 – Prison Labor and Propaganda
Inside the factory that critics call a “modern Gulag.”

08:00 – When Love Turns to Guilt
An Estonian journalist’s emotional break with his LADA.

10:00 – Garages and Freedom
How one unreliable car created a DIY culture across the former USSR.

12:00 – LADA Goes Global Again
From German fan clubs to off-road festivals — the cult refuses to die.

16:00 – Reform, Rebellion, and the Oligarchs
Inside AvtoVAZ’s struggle between modernization and power politics.

21:00 – LADA’s Future: Icon or Relic?
Can the “people’s car” survive — or is it just a ghost of the past?

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REV – The Global Auto and Mobility Show from Deutsche Welle

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