The ZIL-117 is a luxury sedan built by

ZiL OJSC AMO ZiL, known fully as the Public Joint-Stock Company – Likhachov Plant () and more commonly called ZiL (, was a major Russian automobile, truck, military vehicle, and heavy equipment manufacturer that was based in Moscow, Russia. The la ...

USSR The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...

and first presented at the Autoprom (precursor of the Moscow International Motor Show) in 1977. Debuting in 1971, it was derived from the earlier

ZIL-114 The ZIL-114 is a limousine from the Soviet car manufacturer ''ZIL'' introduced in 1970 to replace the ZIL-111 series which was gradually becoming out of date. In almost all respects, the ZIL-114 improved on the 111, 111A and 111G models. The engi ...

. Design of the ZIL-117 began in 1968, with the first prototype running in 1969. The ZIL-117 shares the V8 engine also fitted to the ZIL-114. Maximum power output of 300 hp SAE Gross at 4,400 rpm was claimed, using a relatively high 9.0:1 compression ratio, fuel feed being via a single four-choke carburettor. The car uses a two or three-speed automatic transmission and power steering came as standard. The factory claimed a maximum speed of between . The car was only long, compared to for the ZIL-114, on a

wheelbase In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...

(compared to for the ZIL-114. It seated five, rather than the seven of the ZIL-114. One of the reasons to design the ZIL-117 was a need of a government car of an intermediate rank between

(reserved for highest state and party authorities) and GAZ-13 Chaika, appropriate for example for

Politburo A politburo () or political bureau is the executive committee for communist parties. It is present in most former and existing communist states. Names The term "politburo" in English comes from the Russian ''Politbyuro'' (), itself a contraction ...

member candidates, and also as supporting cars in highest officials' convoys. Only 50 were built. There was also a

convertible A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers. A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...

, the ZIL-117V, produced 1973-79 (for military parades on

Red Square Red Square ( rus, Красная площадь, Krasnaya ploshchad', ˈkrasnəjə ˈploɕːətʲ) is one of the oldest and largest squares in Moscow, the capital of Russia. Owing to its historical significance and the adjacent historical build ...

). The ZIL-117 was replaced by the mechanically similar

ZIL-115 The ZIL-4104 was a limousine built by ZIL from the late 1970s to the early 1980s, when it served as the transport of the elite of the Soviet Union. It is estimated that no more than fifty cars were produced each year. Originally designated ZIL-1 ...

(4104).Thompson, p.218.

Model cars

Although made in limited numbers, the car has proven popular for die-cast model makers. The first and most detailed was a 1:43 version released by Radon (Russia), a company which produced a wide range of Soviet-era vehicles (''left''). This heavy model was available in black or grey (the colour of army parade versions) with 12 moving parts, and featured opening doors and boot (with spare wheel), opening bonnet and detailed chromed engine, chrome metal trim and grill, rubber tyres and suspension, and perspex lights. Some examples had a metal aerial. Convertibles were also available in 2- or 4-door variants. Radon's post-Soviet successor Agat/Tantal released a white wedding version as well as the black, but quality can be poor compared to Soviet-era examples. In 2011 IXO/De Agostini released a black ZIL-117 with magazine detailing the car's history (having earlier produced a black ZIL-114). In line with other IXO models the body is basic with no opening panels, engine or suspension, and the exterior has painted trim/tail lights. Another version of this model was released as part of a series featuring cars from James Bond films (in this case ''Casino Royale'') and included a magazine.

Variants

* ZIL-117: Standard production version. * ZIL-117V: Two-door version. Produced 1973-1979. * ZIL-117VE: As ZIL-117V but with a shielded ignition system.

References

{{ZIL timeline 1960-present Cars of Russia 1970s cars 117 Luxury vehicles Limousines