The Moskvitch 2142 is a line of large family

cars A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded as t ...

produced by

AZLK AZLK (''АЗЛК - Автомобильный завод имени Ленинского Комсомола'' in Russian, Avtomobilny Zavod imeni Leninskogo Komsomola) Soviet and Russian automobile manufacturer (Moscow), the maker of the Moskvit ...

Moskvitch Moskvitch (russian: Москвич) (also written as ''Moskvich'', ''Moskvič'', or ''Moskwitsch'') is a Soviet/Russian automobile brand produced by AZLK from 1946 to 1991 and by OAO Moskvitch from 1991 to 2001 and later returned to production in ...

division from 1998 to its bankruptcy in 2002. It was the last and most advanced line of Moskvitch vehicles, marking the end of the fifth generation. Only 3500 vehicles were produced, all aimed at executive and business markets.

History

Three versions of the 2142 were marketed: the Knjaz Vladimir (large family saloon), Ivan Kalita (executive saloon), and the Duet (executive coupé), which was introduced several months later. The Knjaz Vladimir was the least expensive of the brand, followed by the more upscale Ivan Kalita, both of whom were introduced in September 1998. The Duet, introduced in May 1999, was a shortened variant based on the bodyshell of the 2141 Aleko and using the ornate, chromed grille of the Ivan Kalita. In 2002, just four months before failure, the Duet received a slight grille facelift update, using a sleeker unit similar to that of the Knjaz Vladimir (Series II). All 2142 models were fitted with

Renault Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufactured ...

engines, which was an initiative on the side of the projected merger with

AvtoVAZ AvtoVAZ ( rus, АвтоВАЗ, p=ɐftoˈvas) is a Russian automobile manufacturing company owned by the state. It was formerly named as VAZ ( rus, ВАЗ), an acronym for Volga Automotive Plant in Russian (russian: Во́лжский автомо� ...

in the late 1990s. Seeing as AvtoVAZ was in direct competition to AZLK at the time, and succeeded much more in lower-scale demand, Renault rejected the offer in 2002, forcing AZLK to stop production. All models were discontinued by mid-August 2002, and the company filed for bankruptcy on 3 September 2002.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official Moskvitch Web Site, Models Page

2142 Cars of Russia