The Yugo (), also marketed as the Zastava Koral (, sr-Cyrl, Застава Корал) and Yugo Koral, is a
subcompact
Subcompact car is a North American classification for cars smaller than a compact car. It is broadly equivalent to the B-segment (Europe), supermini (Great Britain) or A0-class (China) classifications.
According to the U.S. Environmental Prot ...
hatchback formerly manufactured by
Zastava Automobiles
Zastava Automobiles ( sr, Застава Аутомобили/''Zastava Automobili'') was a Serbian international car manufacturer, a subsidiary of Group Zastava Vehicles which went bankrupt in May 2017.
After many decades of producing different ...
, at the time a
Yugoslav corporation.
![Innocenti Koral 55, Chiavari (I)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Innocenti_Koral_55%2C_Chiavari_%28I%29.jpg)
Originally designed in Italy as a shortened variant of the
Fiat 128, the first Yugo prototype was manufactured on 2 July 1977. Series production started on 28 November 1980. The Zastava Koral, a facelifted model, was marketed until 11 November 2008, after production of 794,428 cars.
The Yugo was marketed in the United States from 1985 to 1992 by
Malcolm Bricklin
Malcolm N. Bricklin (born March 9, 1939) is an American businessman, widely known for an unorthodox career spanning more than six decades with numerous prominent failures and successes — primarily manufacturing or importing automobiles to ...
, who asked Jerry Puchkoff to conceive of and produce what became the enormously successful market introduction and launch of the Yugo in 1985 with a total of 141,651 sold – peaking at 48,812 in 1987 and falling to 1,412 in 1992. Despite its moderate success, during its run in the United States and several other export markets it was subjected to
much criticism over its design, safety, and reliability, though the car has also picked up a cult following.
Models
Over the course of its production, the model range was marketed under various nameplates:
* Yugo 45 / Zastava Yugo 45 (Yugoslavia, United Kingdom, Europe)
* Yugo 55 with the bigger engine from Zastava 101, also carbureted (Yugoslavia, U.K., Europe)
* Yugo 60
Weber_twin_barrel_carburetor_version.html" ;"title="Weber carburetor">Weber twin barrel carburetor version">Weber carburetor">Weber twin barrel carburetor version(Germany, Europe, Latin America)
* Yugo 60 efi (1.1L Electronic fuel injection engine) (Germany, Europe, Latin America)
* Yugo 65A GLX (1.3L Weber carburetor) (U.K.)
* Yugo 65
Weber_twin_barrel_carburetor_version.html" ;"title="Weber carburetor">Weber twin barrel carburetor version">Weber carburetor">Weber twin barrel carburetor version(Germany, U.K., Europe, Latin America)
* Yugo 65 efi (1.3L Electronic fuel injection engine) (Germany, Europe, Latin America)
* Yugo GV (United States)
** Yugo GV Plus Automatic (U.S.)
** Yugo GV Sport (U.S.)
** Yugo GVC (U.S.)
** Yugo GVL (U.S.)
** Yugo GVS (U.S.)
** Yugo GVX (1.3L EFI engine) (U.S.)
* Yugo Cabrio (U.S., Germany, Yugoslavia, Greece)
* Zastava Koral (Serbia, Europe)
** Zastava Koral 1.0E (903 cc Economic engine)
3 kW/45 hp(Serbia, Europe)
** Zastava Koral In 1.1i
6 kW/63 hp(Serbia, Europe)
** Zastava Koral In 1.3i
0 kW/68 hp(Serbia, Europe)
** Zastava Koral In L
4.1 kW/60 hp(Serbia, Europe)
** Zastava Koral 45/55 Van (Serbia, Europe)
* Yugo Cabrio (Yugoslavia, Europe)
* Yugo Ciao (Yugoslavia, Europe)
* Yugo Tempo (Yugoslavia, Europe)
** Yugo Tempo — ''circa'' 1991
*
Innocenti
Innocenti () was an Italian machinery works, originally established by Ferdinando Innocenti in 1920. Over the years, they produced Lambretta scooters as well as a range of automobiles, mainly of British Leyland origins. The brand was retired in ...
Koral (Italy)
** Innocenti Koral Cabrio (Italy)
Earlier models
Yugo 45 derivative models have included the Yugo 55, 60, 65, Koral, Ciao, Tempo, Cabrio, GV, GV Plus, GVX, and GVL. Yugo engines were fitted with a
carburetor until well into the 1980s before fuel-injected models (starting with the Koral 65) were gradually introduced, beginning with the GVX-EFI (an
electronic fuel injection
Manifold injection is a mixture formation system for internal combustion engines with external mixture formation. It is commonly used in engines with spark ignition that use petrol as fuel, such as the Otto engine, and the Wankel engine. In a mani ...
system), which featured a 1300-cc engine. Yugo did not only target the
West
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...
: In early 1985 500 Yugos were exported to China, and exports to Bulgaria and Egypt were already established.
The fuel-injection system was a Motronic MP3.1, which was later developed with
Bosch to Motronic M4.6 MPI on 1.1- and 1.3-L engines and had
multiport fuel injection
Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines.
All comp ...
with a three-way
catalytic converter
A catalytic converter is an vehicle emissions control, exhaust emission control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into less-toxic pollutants by catalysis, catalyzing a redox chemic ...
and
"Lambda" sensor.
Later models
Near the end of its production run, Zastava sold an updated version of the Yugo Koral model, known as the Zastava Koral IN, which had
central locking
Power door locks (also known as electric door locks or central locking) allow the driver or front passenger to
simultaneously lock or unlock all the doors of an automobile or truck, by pressing a button or flipping a switch.
Power door locks w ...
, a three-step rotary switch on the dash marked "0", "1", "2", and "3" for a headlamps leveling control in four height positions, a
four-speaker audio system
Sound recording and reproduction is the electrical, mechanical, electronic, or digital inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording te ...
,
electric windows,
folding electro-adjustable side-view mirrors, alloy wheels, an optional
air conditioner, and an optional
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 manufacture ...
-designed three-speed
automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving ...
. Zastava sold these in Serbia,
Montenegro
)
, image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Podgorica
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, official_languages = M ...
,
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
,
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
,
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...
,
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...
,
Syria,
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
, and
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
.
Besides all the Koral versions available, other models included the Florida and Skala. In October 2003, an agreement with Fiat was reached for production of the
Fiat Punto
The Fiat Punto is a supermini car (B-segment) produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat from 1993 to 2018, spanning over three generations. The third generation of the car was marketed between 2005 and 2009 as the Grande Punto, and between 2009 a ...
by Zastava for Eastern European markets, which was known as the
Zastava 10.
The Koral IN L, with a
Peugeot
Peugeot (, , ) is a French brand of automobiles owned by Stellantis.
The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was founded in 1810, with a steel foundry that soon started making hand tools and kitchen equipment, and the ...
fuel-injected 1.1 L- engine, met the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
safety standards in a test supervised by the German
Technischer Überwachungsverein
TÜVs (; short for german: Technischer Überwachungsverein, en, Technical Inspection Association) are internationally active, independent service companies from Germany and Austria that test, inspect and certify technical systems, facilities an ...
(Technical Monitoring Association), a necessary step for importation to E.U. countries.
Powertrains
History
Background
Zastava was founded as
an arms manufacturer in 1853. By the late 1930s, the company had expanded into automobile production supplying
Ford
Ford commonly refers to:
* Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford
* Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river
Ford may also refer to:
Ford Motor Company
* Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company
* Ford F ...
-designed trucks to the
Royal Yugoslav Army
The Yugoslav Army ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Jugoslovenska vojska, JV, Југословенска војска, ЈВ), commonly the Royal Yugoslav Army, was the land warfare military service branch of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (originally Kingdom of Serbs, ...
. Vehicle production continued until 1941, when
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
reached Yugoslavia. Following the war, Zastava was permitted to produce Jeeps under license from
Willys-Overland
Willys (pronounced , "Willis" )
was a brand name used by Willys–Overland Motors, an American automobile company, founded by John North Willys. It was best known for its design and production of World War II era and later military jeeps (MBs) ...
until production was halted in the early 1950s.
As Zastava celebrated its 100th anniversary, it started producing vehicles made under license from the Italian company Fiat, located just across the
Adriatic Sea.
The first passenger models were produced on 26 August 1953 using designs licensed by Fiat of
Turin
Turin ( , Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The ...
. The first model designed by Zastava was a sedan called the Milletrecento ("one thousand three hundred") powered by a 1,300
cc engine. Some of the most successful models were those based on the
Fiat 128 model, marketed under different names: Zastava 101, Zastava 128, Zastava 311, Zastava Skala, etc.
For three decades, Zastava produced the rear-engined 600 and the 101, a bustle-backed version of the
Fiat 128.
1980s
![YugoCabrio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/YugoCabrio.JPG)
On its own initiative in 1980, Zastava introduced its Jugo or Yugo model which, a shorter version of the 128-based cars already built by the company. Zastava was already exporting its new offering to other Eastern European markets, installing the bigger 128 overhead-cam engine for a top speed of .
The parts production by Yugoslav republics was as follows:
* Most of the electrical parts were produced in
Nova Gorica
A nova (plural novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", which is Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. Causes of the dramat ...
,
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...
.
* The interior fittings were made in
Split, Croatia
)''
, settlement_type = City
, anthem = ''Marjane, Marjane''
, image_skyline =
, imagesize = 267px
, image_caption = Top: Nighttime view of Split from Mosor; 2nd row: Cathedra ...
.
* Brakes were produced in
Varaždin
)
, image_photo =
, image_skyline =
, image_flag = Flag of Varaždin.svg
, flag_size =
, image_seal =
, seal_size =
, image_shield = Grb_Grad ...
, Croatia.
* The engine's electrical parts were produced in
Banja Luka
Banja Luka ( sr-Cyrl, Бања Лука, ) or Banjaluka ( sr-Cyrl, Бањалука, ) is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city of Republika Srpska. Banja Luka is also the ''de facto'' capital of this entity. I ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
.
* Seat belts, locks, and mirrors were produced in
Ohrid
Ohrid ( mk, Охрид ) is a city in North Macedonia and is the seat of the Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the List of cities in North Macedonia, eighth-largest city in the country, with the municipality recording ...
,
Macedonia.
* The rest of the car's parts and final assembly was done in
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
.
Early 1980-1985 models featured butterfly opening windows, round side indicators, only a single set of tail lights on each side of the car, no rear defroster, and usually a black interior with a black dashboard, and many metal trim pieces such as window crank handles and door handles. Since around 1985, the cars received more comfortable seating, a blue or brown dashboard, two-part tail lights on each side, square side signals, rear defroster, redesigned instrument cluster, and butterfly windows that did not open.
![Yugo Police Car](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Yugo_Police_Car.jpg)
Many mechanics and even Zastava factory workers agree that the "best" Yugos ever were built between 1988 and early 1991. Quality control was good; high standards were set in terms of plastic quality, seat cloth, and "a well screwed together" interior. Paint and antirust coatings were also well done during that period, evidenced by many cars still showing no signs of rust, tears in the seats, or major engine issues after more than 20 years.
1989 was considered a "golden year" for Yugos because almost 200,000 were built that year, and many can still be seen on the road today. Also, cars were usually branded Yugo instead of Zastava during that period, because the company was taking pride in the (at the time) good sales and reputation established in the export markets, especially in the United States.
In 1990, a batch of 450 cars with automatic transmissions and
air conditioning
Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...
was shipped to the United States. With political problems starting in 1991, quality dropped significantly, with problems such as plastic parts of the dashboard not fitting correctly.
In 1990, a fuel filler flap was added instead of a twist cap, and some minor interior and instrument cluster changes were implemented. In 1991, the dashboard was redesigned first for the Yugo GVX and then for the European model, side butterfly windows were removed, and a bigger tank was introduced.
In the United States and Canada
International Automobile Importers (IAI) was a company founded by
Malcolm Bricklin
Malcolm N. Bricklin (born March 9, 1939) is an American businessman, widely known for an unorthodox career spanning more than six decades with numerous prominent failures and successes — primarily manufacturing or importing automobiles to ...
to import the X1/9 and
2000 Spider after Fiat halted their manufacture. Bertone and
Pininfarina
Pininfarina S.p.A. (short for Carrozzeria Pininfarina) is an Italian car design firm and coachbuilder, with headquarters in Cambiano, Turin, Italy. The company was founded by Battista "Pinin" Farina in 1930.
On 14 December 2015, the Indian ...
carried on production under their own names and Bricklin's IAI took over their North American importation. Bricklin wanted to import additional brands, and international dealmaker
Armand Hammer
Armand Hammer (May 21, 1898 – December 10, 1990) was an American business manager and owner, most closely associated with Occidental Petroleum, a company he ran from 1957 until his death. Called "Lenin's chosen capitalist" by the press, ...
had been asked by the Yugoslavs to identify business areas in which they could generate exports to bolster their economy. Hammer thought the idea of exporting the small cars made in
Kragujevac, Serbia, by Zavodi Crvena Zastava, would be viable. Zastava had, since the mid-19th century, been a quality armaments producer and sponsored its own museum.
![Red Yugo GVX](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Red_Yugo_GVX.jpg)
In 1982, U.S. entrepreneur Miro Kefurt contacted Zastava in Kragujevac (ZCZ-Zavodi Crvena Zastava) with an idea to export the Yugo 45 to the United States. The vehicles were to be renamed Yugo GV for the North American market and YugoCars, Inc. was formed in
Sun Valley, California, by Kefurt and Ray Burns. The proposal required approval by Fiat in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
due to existing contractual restrictions in effect for Fiat—Zastava collaborations.
The first three Yugo vehicles, painted red, white, and blue, were introduced to the U.S. public at the
Los Angeles Auto Show in May 1984. The car was promoted with a ten-year/100,000-mile warranty, free maintenance, and a price of only $4,500. Front-page articles about the Yugo appeared in the ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'' (Business Section), ''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', and ''
The National Enquirer
The ''National Enquirer'' is an American tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1926, the newspaper has undergone a number of changes over the years.
The ''National Enquirer'' openly acknowledges that it pays sources for tips, a common practice in tabl ...
''. However, problems soon arose as one car was sent to the
California Air Resources Board
The California Air Resources Board (CARB or ARB) is the "clean air agency" of the government of California. Established in 1967 when then-governor Ronald Reagan signed the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Moto ...
for emissions testing, which it badly failed. The Yugo needed much reengineering, and with no help forthcoming from Zastava, Kefurt was in a problematic situation.
Reportedly,
Malcolm Bricklin
Malcolm N. Bricklin (born March 9, 1939) is an American businessman, widely known for an unorthodox career spanning more than six decades with numerous prominent failures and successes — primarily manufacturing or importing automobiles to ...
attended the Los Angeles Auto Show, and while the show was still in progress, flew to Yugoslavia to make a deal to import the Yugo to the United States himself. But Kefurt and YugoCars already held the exclusive import contract for 5,000 vehicles for the 1985 model year to be sold only in
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, and the California emissions certification was already in progress. In November 1984, the marketing rights were sold by YugoCars to International Automobile Importers (IAI) for $50,000 ($10 per car). Additionally, Miro Kefurt obtained an exclusive dealer franchise from IAI to sell the
Bertone Bertone is an Italian surname meaning "descendant of Roberto". Notable people with the surname include:
* Alicia Bertone, American academic, researcher, and veterinary surgeon
* Catherine Bertone (born 1972), Turkish-born female Italian marathon ...
X1/9 in
North Hollywood, California
North Hollywood is a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, located in the San Fernando Valley. The neighborhood contains the NoHo Arts District, the El Portal Theatre, several art galleries, and the Academy of TV Arts and Sciences. The North ...
.
YugoCars had intended to fit their Yugo 45 with the 903-cc, 45-horsepower four-cylinder engine with a three-way
catalytic converter
A catalytic converter is an vehicle emissions control, exhaust emission control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into less-toxic pollutants by catalysis, catalyzing a redox chemic ...
and
oxygen sensor for emissions control. Predicted gas mileage was 42 to 45 mpg at 70 mph. In late 1983, Zastava added a version called the Yugo 55, powered by a bigger engine used in the Fiat 101/128. IAI's Tony Ciminera preferred using this larger, 1,100 cc engine making 55 horsepower, though it would drop fuel economy to the 30 MPG range, for it was faster and more able to keep up on North American freeways. Even so, with an top speed, it was the slowest car sold in the United States.
Setting up Yugo America to import the car, Bricklin assigned Bill Prior to sort out the distribution and Tony Ciminera to fine-tune the Yugo for the American market. Ciminera carried out a bumper-to-bumper audit that resulted in more than 500 changes to meet the needs of the U.S. market, including compliance with American
safety
Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.
Meanings
There are two slightly dif ...
and
emissions regulations. The vast Yugo facility was patterned after the Fiat factories of the early 1950s and employed 50,000, divided among 85 basic associated labor organizations and 25 work committees. For U.S. models, a separate assembly line was built with handpicked elite staff earning extra pay ($1.23 per hour extra), building Yugos destined for the New World. The first shift began at 6:00 am, and after an
eight-hour day
The eight-hour day movement (also known as the 40-hour week movement or the short-time movement) was a social movement to regulate the length of a working day, preventing excesses and abuses.
An eight-hour work day has its origins in the ...
, many employees left for their second jobs in other workplaces.
The chief engineer and head of Zastava's Research and Development Institute was Zdravko Menjak, who worked with Bricklin's people at the plant to monitor the effort, constantly stressing the need for high quality. A team of British quality experts went to Kragujevac to study the factory and recommend improvements.
In 1984, automobile entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin tested the United States market for Zastava vehicles, now branded as Yugo. As a result, in mid-1986, Yugo America began selling cars at a starting price of $3,990 () for the entry-level GV ("Good Value") hatchback equipped with the 1,100 cc overhead-cam five-main-bearing engine and four-speed manual transmission. The similar GVL offered a plusher interior, but the sporty top-line GVX was powered by the 1,300 cc engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission, and included as standard equipment a number of deluxe features such as a ground-effects package, alloy wheels, and rally lights. However, though the GVX was billed as an upscale, sporty version of the base GV, it went from 0 to 60 mph in 13.56 seconds, just a half a second faster than the GV.
Five models of Yugo were sold in the United States during the 1987 model year: the original, basic entry-level $3,990 GV (for "Great Value"), which was later joined by the sporty looking GVS which received a body kit and other appearance improvements.
There was also the GVC with a glass sunroof, the GVL with minor trim and upholstery upgrades, and finally the GVX with the 1,300-cc engine, five-speed manual transmission, and standard equipment including a plush interior, ground-effects package, alloy wheels, and rally lights. The Cabrio
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 ...
was introduced in 1988.
The Yugo was vigorously marketed in the late 1980s as a car that would fit into everybody's life, providing basic economical and reliable transportation along the lines of the
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Beetle—officially the Volkswagen Type 1, informally in German (meaning "beetle"), in parts of the English-speaking world the Bug, and known by many other nicknames in other languages—is a two-door, rear-engine economy car, ...
and the earlier
Ford Model T. The car was promoted as a uniquely affordable new vehicle — providing an option for buyers who would otherwise have chosen a used vehicle — and as a reliable second car for wealthier buyers. The Yugo carried the tagline "Everybody Needs A Yugo Sometime." This marketing appealed successfully to its target market of low-budget new car buyers, as well as wealthier people looking for an affordable second or third car. A popular ad included the 39-90 campaign, a play on the $3,990 price of the car.
In the late 1980s, an automatic transmission was being sourced from Renault and a larger model (named the "
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
") had been styled by
Giorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro (; born 7 August 1938) is an Italian automotive designer. He has worked on supercars and popular everyday vehicles. He was born in Garessio, Cuneo, Piedmont.
Giugiaro was named Car Designer of the Century in 1999 and inducted ...
and was in the early manufacturing stages. With the end of
communism
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a ...
, however, Yugoslavia began to unravel.
By 1990, the GV, GVL, and the 1,100-cc engine and four-speed manual transmission were replaced by a 1,300-cc
OHC engine and five-speed manual transmission or a
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 manufacture ...
-designed three-speed
automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving ...
, and an air conditioner with a holder for cooling two soft drink cans became optional on the GVX model. The standard model became the GV Plus.
In 1990, Yugo America introduced an
fuel-injected
Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines.
All com ...
version of the Yugo GVX to replace the primitive
carbureted
A carburetor (also spelled carburettor) is a device used by an internal combustion engine to control and mix air and fuel entering the engine. The primary method of adding fuel to the intake air is through the venturi tube in the main meteri ...
engine, but it arrived too late as the result of a
recall by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it ...
of over 126,000 vehicles sold in the United States because they violated emissions regulations.
The recall effectively caused Yugo America to cease importation and fold in April 1992.
The noncompliant emission system used a carburetor of outdated design, an old-fashioned two-way
catalytic converter
A catalytic converter is an vehicle emissions control, exhaust emission control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into less-toxic pollutants by catalysis, catalyzing a redox chemic ...
with an
air pump
An air pump is a pump for pushing air. Examples include a bicycle pump, pumps that are used to aerate an aquarium or a pond via an airstone; a gas compressor used to power a pneumatic tool, air horn or pipe organ; a bellows used to encoura ...
, and
exhaust gas recirculation
In internal combustion engines, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is a nitrogen oxide () emissions reduction technique used in petrol/gasoline, diesel engines and some hydrogen engines. EGR works by recirculating a portion of an engine's exhaust ...
. The power-reducing application of this primitive emissions control equipment on an already-weak engine was one of the major problems that caused the vehicles to get a reputation for poor drivability.
By the early 1990s, the effects of the
United Nations sanctions on Yugoslavia
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
forced Zastava to withdraw the car from every export market. After embargoes stifled production, the ''
coup de grâce
A coup de grâce (; 'blow of mercy') is a death blow to end the suffering of a severely wounded person or animal. It may be a mercy killing of mortally wounded civilians or soldiers, friends or enemies, with or without the sufferer's consent. ...
'' was NATO's 1999 bombing of the company's automotive division, instead of Zastava's arms manufacturing division. Only in 2000 could production be restarted and not until 2003 was the Florida launched.
Malcolm Bricklin signed a deal with Zastava in 2002 to bring the Yugo back to the U.S. with a model tentatively called the ZMW. Under Bricklin's direction, Zastava Motor Works USA expected to sell 60,000 cars in 2003. However, Bricklin instead turned to marketing the
Chery
Chery Automobile Co. Ltd., trading as Chery and sometimes known by the pinyin transcription of its Chinese name, ''Qirui'' (), is a Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer headquartered in Wuhu, Anhui, China. Founded in 1997, it is curr ...
line of Chinese cars. Bricklin's foray into importing and marketing Chery cars from China folded in mid- to late 2006 when Bricklin could not come up with the investment required to fund United States-specification vehicles from Chery.
United States sales by calendar year:
In the UK
![Zastava GB](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Zastava_GB.jpg)
Zastava Cars Limited (GB) set up its headquarters at Basingstoke Road in
Reading, Berkshire
Reading ( ) is a town and borough in Berkshire, Southeast England, southeast England. Located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the rivers River Thames, Thames and River Kennet, Kennet, the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 mot ...
, in 1981, and the first cars seen by British motorists were the 1100/1300 series in the autumn of that year, badged as Zastava ZLC (five-door) and Zastava ZLM (three-door). These cars were based upon the Fiat 128 which had been voted European car of the year in 1969. The Kragujevac factory produced faithful copies of the 128 saloon, known as the Zastava 128 (Osmica) and then from 1971 also began production of the Zastava 101. The legendary “Stojadin” was a Fiat 128 with a redesigned rear which was available in three- and five-door hatchback versions. In 1982–1983, as sales slowly improved, Zastava Cars Limited introduced special trim levels in the form of the "Mediterranean" and the "Caribbean". The United Kingdom market (and from 1985-1992 the Republic of Ireland) were the only markets catered for right-hand drive versions.
By the time the first British users were adjusting to their new Yugoslav machines, attention in Yugoslavia had moved away from the Stojadin towards the new “Yugo” series which began production in October 1980 and appeared on British roads from 1983 onwards. The "Type 102" answered a call for a small, economical family car and was based mechanically on Fiat's 127 hatchback. The styling of the car also owed much to the contemporary small Italian
Autobianchi
Autobianchi () was an Italian automobile manufacturer, created jointly by Bianchi, Pirelli and Fiat in 1955. Autobianchi produced only a handful of models during its lifetime, which were almost exclusively small cars, with the biggest being the sh ...
Abarth
Abarth & C. S.p.A. () is an Italian racing and road car maker and Car tuning, performance division founded by Italo-Austrian Carlo Abarth in 1949. Abarth & C. S.p.A. is owned by Stellantis through its FCA Italy, Italian subsidiary. Its logo is a ...
, which was never available in the United Kingdom.
The "Type 102" morphed into the early production Yugo 45 with a 903 cc engine, later into the 55 with a 1,116 cc engine and then the more powerful 65 fitted with a 1,301 cc engine also became available in the British market. The new Yugo competed with indigenous cars such as the
Austin Mini-Metro and
Ford Fiesta MK1/
MK2, captive imports such as the
Vauxhall Nova
The Opel Corsa is a supermini car engineered and produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel since 1982. Throughout its existence, it has been sold under a variety of other brands owned by General Motors (most notably Vauxhall, Chevrolet ...
(
Opel Corsa
The Opel Corsa is a supermini car engineered and produced by the German automobile manufacturer Opel since 1982. Throughout its existence, it has been sold under a variety of other brands owned by General Motors (most notably Vauxhall, Chev ...
A), and French models like the
Citroën Visa
The Citroën Visa is a five-door, front-engine, front wheel drive supermini manufactured and marketed by Citroën from 1978 to 1988 in gasoline and diesel variants. 1,254,390 examples were ultimately manufactured over a single generation, with a ...
and
Talbot Samba
The Talbot Samba is a city car manufactured by the PSA Group in the former Simca factory in Poissy, France, and marketed under the short-lived modern-day Talbot brand from 1981 to 1986. Based on the Peugeot 104, it was the only Talbot not inher ...
.
In 1984 only, Zastava (GB) LTD imported small numbers of the Zastava 128. After that, with the company's branding altered to "Yugo Cars", relegating the Zastava name to the small print, Zastava (GB) LTD concentrated on selling the 101 range, branded as Yugo 311/313/511/513, and the 45/55/65 series. The cars sold steadily throughout the decade, and though they managed to avoid the dreadful reviews reserved for Lada and FSO, commentators in the British motoring press were rarely more than lukewarm in their praise of the car - a headline from 1986 read "The Yugo 55 is a good small car, but would you be seen in one?"
In 1988, Zastava launched the first of its new "Florida" range, envisaged as a long-term replacement for the ageing Stojadin. Styled by Giorgetto Guigiaro, the car was a modern design for the time, and bore more than a passing resemblance to the
Citroën ZX
The Citroën ZX is a small family car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1991 and 1998.
During the beginning of the 1990s, the ZX was Citroën's competitor in the class traditionally dominated in Europe by the Ford Escort and ...
. The Florida, marketed as the "Sana" in the United Kingdom, first appeared in Britain in 1990 and seemed set to fare well with positive early reviews. The Stojadin range ceased to be exported to the United Kingdom in 1991, with sales of the Sana under way.
![Zastava Koral In L 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Zastava_Koral_In_L_1.1i_Napred.jpg)
The Sana may well have established Yugo as a fixture in the United Kingdom market in the 1990s, but political developments left this prospect unrealized. As the events of the wars of Yugoslav succession (1991–95 and 1999) unfolded, Zastava (GB) LTD became a barely noticed casualty. Supplies of vehicles to the United Kingdom were, however, reduced to a trickle in 1991 and 1992 and with the imposition of United Nations sanctions on
Slobodan Milošević's rump Yugoslavia consisting of
Serbia and Montenegro, the company folded in 1993. The remaining Yugos on dealer forecourts were sold at drastically reduced prices or written off altogether as economically unviable.
1991–1996
By the end of the 1980s, Yugoslavia was on the brink of a disintegration that many anticipated under the leadership of
Josip Broz Tito. Because the Yugo was built as a "Yugoslav" car, with political problems and
Yugoslav Wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related Naimark (2003), p. xvii. ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and insurgencies that took place in the SFR Yugoslavia from 1991 to 2001. The conflicts both led up to and resulted from ...
breaking out in 1991, this had direct implications for the company at Kragujevac: production slowed down and the supply of parts was interrupted. Most of the plastics and the interior came from Croatia, while the alternators and electrical equipment came from Slovenia. With the start of civil war, economic and transportation ties were broken, resulting in shortage of most parts coming from the two seceded republics. The seats and rear trunk-struts came via Kosovo which also underwent a period of turmoil. The disintegration of the Yugoslav federation suddenly had supplies dry up at Kragujevac and production rates declined steeply.
Zastava continued to produce vehicles for the Yugoslav and European markets until exports were limited by
sanctions imposed by the United Nations in the 1990s. When the political instability in Yugoslavia intensified in early 1992, Zastava was forced to stop exports.
Though the sanctions were not in place until May 1992, Yugos built between June 1991 and early 1996 were built with a variety of "leftover" parts: as an example, getting a car with a blue dashboard and a brown steering wheel, seats that were mismatched in color, and most likely an "American" instrument cluster with speeds printed in MPH rather than km/h, and with written labels like water and oil instead of small drawings, and a seatbelt safety warning light were possible. In some extreme cases, the car would come with different interior panels and a steering wheel from other Zastava products such as the Zastava 750. When exports to United States (and the rest of the world) stopped, a number of federalized Yugos were still left in the factory's parking lots, and many people got these "American" Yugos instead of the European ones.
When Yugoslavia broke apart in the early 1990s, production rates steeply declined to 14,000 in 1992, 7,000 in 1993 and 1994, and 9,000 in 1995.
One version of the Yugo, the automatic version, is increasingly rare and estimates say that around 20 are left in use in Serbia, and most of those were sold in 1992, just after the sanctions were imposed, fetching a large value on auctions. A small number of newer Yugos can be found with automatic transmissions, and they were mostly built by request and featured a 1.3 liter engine.
1996 to the end of production
In 1996, when sanctions against
Serbia and Montenegro were lifted, production rates slowly increased as living standards in the country started to improve.
Even so, problems for the factory started once again when it was put out of production in mid-1999 as a result of war with
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
. During Easter 1999, the Zastava factory in Kragujevac was targeted by NATO forces during the
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
campaign, and whilst severely damaged, was not put out of action.
In 2000, the car received a new front fascia with new bumpers, rear spoiler, a redesigned dashboard, and seats. The latest changes were in 2007, with the introduction of a new instrument cluster.
One popular upgrade is an
autogas
Autogas or LPG is liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used as a fuel in internal combustion engines in vehicles as well as in stationary applications such as generators. It is a mixture of propane and butane.
Autogas is widely used as a "green" ...
conversion which has gained widespread popularity in Serbia. Because most Yugos do not feature fuel injection, converting them to LPG is cheap and easy, and is paid off very quickly. One drawback of such conversions is that an already small trunk becomes almost useless, since an LPG tank takes up space. Such converted cars achieve better reliability since use of an unreliable gasoline pump is avoided. However, some cars have starting problems in very cold weather, because of improper LPG installation.
In 2006, various models were available in the former Yugoslavia, including an agreement signed with Fiat for the production of the 2003
Fiat Punto
The Fiat Punto is a supermini car (B-segment) produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat from 1993 to 2018, spanning over three generations. The third generation of the car was marketed between 2005 and 2009 as the Grande Punto, and between 2009 a ...
model.
With the 794,428th and final car, production ended on November 11, 2008.
Of that number, around 250,000 were exported to various countries.
Since the end of production
Almost 4 years after its demise, the Yugo is still a common sight in Serbia, with almost 60,000 vehicles still in use, most of which were built in the 2000s. Parts are still readily available at most auto-parts stores and in scrapyards across the country. They are also common in North Macedonia and Montenegro near the end of its production.
However, Yugos are rare in other former Yugoslav republics, particularly in Croatia and Slovenia, because most of them were "imported" back to Serbia in the early 2000s, most likely because most of them were in good shape for their age.
In the United States, few Yugos are left in service, likely because of international sanctions imposed on Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, which limited the supply of spare parts and service locations. The United Kingdom has 14 Yugos left that are still on the road as of 2022 (although 12 of these are registered as Zastava).
Criticism and response
Along with other Central and Eastern European vehicles marketed in the West during the 20th century — such as the
Škoda
Škoda means ''pity'' in the Czech and Slovak languages. It may also refer to:
Czech brands and enterprises
* Škoda Auto, automobile and previously bicycle manufacturer in Mladá Boleslav
** Škoda Motorsport, the division of Škoda Auto respons ...
— the Yugo was subjected to derision by critics who pointed to its use of old-generation Fiat technology and to alleged issues with build quality and reliability. The Yugo was voted as one of ''
Car Talk
''Car Talk'' is a radio talk show that was broadcast weekly on National Public Radio (NPR) stations and elsewhere. Its subjects were automobiles and automotive repair, often discussed humorously. It was hosted by brothers Tom and Ray Maglioz ...
'' worst cars of the millennium. Similarly, the Yugo GV was listed on ''
TIME
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...
''s "The 50 Worst Cars of All Time" list,
and the Yugo 45 ranked #1 on ''
Complex Magazine''s "The 50 Worst Cars of the '80s" list. Various other critics have added the Yugo to their
lists of the worst cars.
Defenders of the vehicle have counter-argued that the Yugo's reputation suffered due to an issue that also appeared with initially inexpensive cars such as the
Chevrolet Chevette
The Chevrolet Chevette is a front-engine, rear-drive subcompact manufactured and marketed by Chevrolet for model years 1976–1987 as a three-door or five-door hatchback. Introduced in September 1975, the Chevette superseded the Vega as Chev ...
,
Rambler
Rambler or Ramble may refer to:
Places
* Rambler, Wyoming
* Rambler Channel (藍巴勒海峽), separates Tsing Yi Island and the mainland New Territories in Hong Kong
* The Ramble and Lake, Central Park, an area within New York City's Centr ...
,
Crosley
Crosley was a small, independent American manufacturer of subcompact cars, bordering on microcars. At first called the Crosley Corporation and later Crosley Motors Incorporated, the Cincinnati, Ohio, firm was active from 1939 to 1952, inter ...
, and others — dealers were finding that too many owners were considering inexpensive cars as "disposable", and were failing to perform basic maintenance such as oil changes.
One critical maintenance issue specific to the Yugo 55 and 65 (the 45 was a 903 cc pushrod engine, with a timing chain) was the need for regular replacement of the
interference engine
An interference engine is a type of 4-stroke internal combustion piston engine in which one or more valves in the fully open position extends into any area through which the piston may travel. By contrast, in a non-interference engine, the piston ...
's timing belt — every .
[ In a non-interference engine, timing belt failure does not cause further damage to the engine. However, in an interference engine, failure of the timing belt disrupts the synchronization between pistons and ]poppet valve
A poppet valve (also called mushroom valve) is a valve typically used to control the timing and quantity of gas or vapor flow into an engine.
It consists of a hole or open-ended chamber, usually round or oval in cross-section, and a plug, usua ...
s, causing them to collide with one another (hence the name interference engine), thus potentially destroying the engine. Though this requirement was stressed in owners' manuals, it was frequently overlooked by owners. The factory also stressed the need for 89-octane fuels for the low-compression engines.
Some Yugo owners have reported that regular oil changes and appropriate maintenance allow the cars to remain dependable and trouble-free.
On September 22, 1989, a Yugo was the first vehicle to go over the edge of the Mackinac Bridge
The Mackinac Bridge ( ) is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac, connecting the Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge (familiarly known as "Big Mac" and "Mighty Mac") is the worl ...
, killing the driver. The vehicle was driven by 31-year-old Leslie Ann Pluhar, and went over the bridge's railing during winds. The role the winds played is disputed, with some accounts claiming the car was physically lifted and blown off the bridge, and others saying that a collision with the raised median of the bridge "launched" the car onto the opposite guardrail. A lawsuit by Pluhar's family proposed that the wind contributed to a loss of control. The official investigation cited Pluhar's speed, which was more than three times the 20 mph the bridge authority recommends during high winds, and exceeded the bridge's 45 mph speed limit. The incident was widely publicized, with the make of car prominently identified.
Owners of the Yugo and related models in the former Yugoslavia benefit from a ready supply of inexpensive spare parts due to general continuity in the car's design; local mechanics' ready familiarity with the Yugo also lowers the cost of ownership, since Yugos are so common and are even used as practice cars for apprentice mechanics. Also, the simplicity of the car's engine makes it easy to fix, and many Yugoslavian owners tended to fix the car themselves. All parts for the Yugo are readily available in the United States.
In popular culture
The car has achieved a symbolic status in former Yugoslavian countries due to the simplicity, reliability, and overall cheap price, and the Yugoslavian mentality of people regularly fixing their own cars instead of servicing them at their local garage. It was featured in many Yugoslavian films and TV series, and also in modern-day shows in former Yugoslavian countries. They are still very popular and are a common sight in former Yugoslavian countries, and the large number of parts make it easily repairable.
In stark contrast, in the United States, the car was frequently subjected to ridicule and mockery and it has a universally negative rating. ''Car Talk'' has rated it the "worst car of the millennium", and many car magazines and TV shows rate it as the worst car of the 1980s and also the worst car to be ever made. Despite the very low price setting in the US (with Yugo being the cheapest new car ever sold in the US when adjusted for inflation), it was ridiculed for the overall ugly design, poor quality, and large number of technical issues. Many American Yugos had faulty designs that were stressed in owners' manuals to be regularly serviced, but this caused even more ridicule due to owners overlooking these issues. The car has become a sort of a symbol for a lemon car.
The car was also featured in many TV shows and films, satirizing the car's poor design (the most famous examples being a rusty, beige-colored Yugo GV featured in ''Die Hard with a Vengeance
''Die Hard with a Vengeance'' is a 1995 American action thriller film directed by John McTiernan (who directed the first installment). It was written by Jonathan Hensleigh, based on the screenplay ''Simon Says'' by Hensleigh and on the chara ...
'', and a taxi-yellow Yugo in '' Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist''), and in the animated film '' Cars 2'', there is a criminal organisation that consists of lemon cars, including Yugos (called "Hugos" in the film) as well as AMC Gremlin
The AMC Gremlin (also American Motors Gremlin) is a subcompact automobile introduced in 1970, manufactured and marketed in a single, two-door body style (1970–1978) by American Motors Corporation (AMC), as well as in Mexico (1974–1983) by A ...
s and AMC Pacer
The AMC Pacer is a two-door compact car produced in the United States by American Motors Corporation (AMC) from the 1975 through the 1980 model years. The Pacer was also made in Mexico by Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos (VAM) from 1976 until ...
s. In the film's sequel ''Cars 3
''Cars 3'' is a 2017 American computer-animated sports comedy-adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The sequel to ''Cars 2'' (2011) and the third installment of the ''Cars'' film series, the ...
'', several Yugos can be seen as background cars.
A Yugo was prominently featured in the 1987 feature film '' Dragnet'', with actor Dan Aykroyd even mentioning the car by make and model year in a voice-over.
In the plot of the 2000 movie ''Drowning Mona
''Drowning Mona'' is a 2000 American crime comedy film starring Danny DeVito as Wyatt Rash, a local police chief from Verplanck, New York, who investigates the mysterious death of Mona Dearly (Bette Midler), a spiteful, hard-drinking, loud-mou ...
'', everyone in the town of Verplanck, New York
Verplanck is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Cortlandt, Westchester County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,729. Both the hamlet and Verplanck's Point derive their name from the a ...
drives Yugos because the company Zastava (called ''The Yugo car company'' in the film) chose the town for testing before its official launch on the US market.
In an episode of ''Top Gear
Top Gear may refer to:
* "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission
Television
* ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme
* ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the or ...
,'' Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson (born 11 April 1960) is an English broadcaster, journalist, game show host and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for the motoring programmes '' Top Gear'' and '' The Grand Tour'' alongside R ...
drives a Yugo and calls it "a hateful, hateful car" and its performance so bad "you get overtaken by wildlife". In the end, he destroys it by shooting it with a tank.
In a later episode of ''Top Gear'', on a visit to Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
, Jeremy Clarkson drives a red Yugo as a replacement for a Bentley Mulsanne, as an apparent dig at Bentley for not lending them a Mulsanne for that particular shoot. It was used as a joke car in comparison to Richard Hammond's Mercedes S-Class
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class, formerly known as ''Sonderklasse'' (German for "special class", abbreviated as "S-Klasse"), is a series of full-sized luxury sedans, limousines and armored sedans produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz, a div ...
and James May
James Daniel May (born 16 January 1963) is an English television presenter and journalist. He is best known as a co-presenter of the motoring programme '' Top Gear'' alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond from 2003 until 2015. He also ...
's Rolls-Royce Ghost
The Rolls-Royce Ghost is a full-sized luxury car manufactured by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The "Ghost" nameplate, named in honour of the Silver Ghost, a car first produced in 1906, was announced in April 2009 at the Auto Shanghai show. The produ ...
. After a police
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and th ...
chase after a supposed bank robbery
Bank robbery is the criminal act of stealing from a bank, specifically while bank employees and customers are subjected to force, violence, or a threat of violence. This refers to robbery of a bank branch or teller, as opposed to other bank- ...
, James May
James Daniel May (born 16 January 1963) is an English television presenter and journalist. He is best known as a co-presenter of the motoring programme '' Top Gear'' alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond from 2003 until 2015. He also ...
decides to drive the Yugo off a cliff, rather than fall into police custody. It was not a Yugo, however, it was a Zastava Skala
Zastava Skala (), also known as Yugo Skala (), is a generic name for a family of cars built by Serbian manufacturer Zastava Automobili. Based on a Fiat 128 sedan, it was introduced in 1971 and sold as Zastava (Yugo) 128 with a restyled rear pane ...
.
A Yugo is also prominently featured in the music video for the 2008 song "The Day That Never Comes
"The Day That Never Comes" is a song by heavy metal band Metallica, and the lead single from their ninth studio album, ''Death Magnetic''. The song was released to the radio and for digital download on August 21, 2008.
The working title of the ...
" by Metallica.
In the 1999 film '' Bowfinger'' a poster in movie producer Bobby Bowfinger's office advertises his fictional film ''The Yugo Story''.
In the 2011 film ''Good Luck Charlie, It's Christmas!
''Good Luck Charlie, It's Christmas!'' (also known as ''Good Luck Charlie: The Road Trip Movie'' in the United Kingdom and Ireland) is a 2011 American Christmas road comedy television film directed by Arlene Sanford and written by Geoff Rodkey, ...
'', Teddy and Amy Duncan rent a Yugo for $50. Amy describes the car as "10 years older than eddy
Eddie or Eddy may refer to:
Science and technology
*Eddy (fluid dynamics), the swirling of a fluid and the reverse current created when the fluid flows past an obstacle
* Eddie (text editor), a text editor originally for BeOS and now ported to Lin ...
" and "made in a country that no longer exists."
In the 2018 animated film '' Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse'', a fictional modern version of the Yugo is advertised in Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...
.
A Yugo was used and appears in Mura Masa
Alexander Crossan (born 5 April 1996), also known by the stage name Mura Masa, is a Guernsey-born electronic music producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Crossan is best known for his song " Lovesick", which reached number one on the ...
's song ''Deal Wiv It.''
It also appears in '' Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2'' and '' Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3'' as a civilian car in Afghanistan, Brazil, India and Somalia.
Seen in the season 1 episode of My Name Is Earl, "Something to Live For."
See also
* Zastava Florida (also known as Yugo Sana)
* Zastava Skala
Zastava Skala (), also known as Yugo Skala (), is a generic name for a family of cars built by Serbian manufacturer Zastava Automobili. Based on a Fiat 128 sedan, it was introduced in 1971 and sold as Zastava (Yugo) 128 with a restyled rear pane ...
(also known as Zastava 101)
* Zastava 10
* Zastava 750
References
Notes
Sources
* Georgano, G.N. (1985): ''The complete encyclopaedia of motorcars: 1885 to present''. George Rainbird Publishing. .
*
Automobil Revue - Revue Automobile Yearbooks
External links
Yugo sales training video (1988)
{{Zastava
Koral
Front-wheel-drive vehicles
Subcompact cars
1990s cars
2000s cars
Cars introduced in 1980