Volga Siber Reviews "Volga Cyber": technical characteristics, tuning. GAZ Volga Siber (GAZ Volga Siber) New Siber

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The Volga Cyber ​​is a domestic mid-size sedan produced from 2008 to 2010. It was presented by the Russian company GAZ Group at the Interauto-2007 exhibition in Moscow on August 29, 2007. Although, during the demonstration, the model was called GAZ Siber, later it was renamed to Volga Siber. The entire range of GAZ.

History of creation

During the nineties, the design staff car factory in the city of Gorky, he was already working on a brand new Volga - a car that would replace the already obsolete car, which led its own pedigree from the one designed in the mid-1960s.

No matter how sorry, neither the "nomenclature" nor the Volga cars designed already during the post-Soviet period (3103, 3104 and 3111) could become models that would be mass-produced.

Even the fact that several hundred models were released did not save the situation, and multiple restylings, along with upgrades for the already old Volga, could not make it modern. The situation was not affected even by the presence of a sixteen-valve power unit.

The barge's pivotless suspension remained an archaism of its time, since the appearance and ergonomic component, regardless of the model, corresponded to the fashion of the twentieth century. In fact, a new age has already begun.

After the owner was changed at the plant in 2000, or rather, the controlling stake in OAO GAZ was owned by Oleg Deripaska's company, small innovations began. The owner was not happy with the current situation, which is why GAZ carried out a large-scale restructuring, during which they curtailed a whole list of projects and areas.

The main goal pursued by Oleg Deripaska's company was to turn a loss-making enterprise into a profitable production. The situation was a little repeated, the Gorky Automobile Plant must survive with the help of commercial vehicles, on which the main emphasis was placed.

More factory difficulties

It is clear that the division Cars"In the mid-2000s, they managed to improve the old Volga, however, it was competitive with foreign ones only in linear dimensions.

The Russian vehicle was losing ground in terms of comfort, ergonomics, reliability and safety. Everyone understood that it was required radically new car, which does not have common nodes with the previous database.

Since GAZ already had experience in buying foreign companies in order to develop its own model range(English company LDV Group), the company decided not to puzzle and act in the same way with passenger models.

Therefore, the owners of GAZ decided not only to acquire a license for the production of a foreign car, but even to buy assembly plant Sterling Heights Assembly for $150,000,000, owned by Daimler Chrysler.

This plant produced various cars, such as, and, and our Volga also had "twin brothers" Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Stratus. The idea cannot be called bad, since instead of the already morally backward Volga, the Nizhny Novgorod plant planned to produce fairly modern medium-sized cars, which, according to classification and intended purpose, acted as an analogue of the Volga.

It is also very important that the American car, if you do not pay attention to the layout with front-wheel drive, in the general concept was closer to the Gorky Automobile Plant than similar cars from Asia or Europe.

car base

Do not forget that the Russian company had overseas roots - the debut products were Ford A and AA cars. For the basis of the car, the length of which exceeded 4.8 meters, they decided to take the Chrysler JR41 front-wheel drive platform.

The model can hardly be called old, because Sebring and Stratus of this generation were launched on the conveyor in 2000, and the version for Europe was shown a year later.

For the Russian version, we decided to make an enlarged ground clearance, because the quality of the roads here, however, as always, is at a low level. What else was required? Everyone was sure that this is the ideal vehicle. And the company itself also set its own goals.

In the first year of production, they planned to produce about 10,000 sedans, and in 2009 - already 45,000. In the future, they planned to produce a good amount at the plant - 65,000 units. But the design capacity of the enterprise itself was as much as 100,000 copies!

Further life of the sedan

Sadly, but the car entered the Russian market at the very moment when the financial crisis broke out in 2008. March was marked by the release of a pilot batch, and in the summer they began to mass-produce Cybers.

August allowed the long-awaited deliveries of cars to begin, and a couple of months later, in October, anyone who wanted (more precisely, who had money) could freely purchase a sedan.

Following the fall in oil prices and the fact that the country had a large external debt, in 2008 Russian Federation financial and economic crisis broke out. Banks began to suffer heavy losses and very quickly removed their own loan programs.

But this could not but affect ordinary consumers, who were potential buyers of Siber. The plan for the production of sedans was immediately revised, and in 2008 it was decided to create 3,000 cars, and only 10,000 the following year.
It's a pity, but with a serious price tag, more than 500 thousand rubles, the Volga was not the most interesting offer in the rapidly collapsing market. Based on this, in 2008, out of 1,717 cars produced by the Gorky Automobile Plant, only 428 units were purchased by buyers.

In fact, it was an absolute collapse, therefore, the management was forced to complete production in the spring (March) of 2009. This year allowed to release only 200 sedans.

Although, in principle, the company had difficulties with the sale of cars already in the 4th quarter of 2008, after which the company stopped several times, which even affected the rest of the conveyors, which included commercial vehicles.

And the latter, just, was the main bread of the whole plant. It is easy to guess that due to the sharp drop in the sale of brand new cars, the plant began to owe about 20 billion rubles to its suppliers and creditors.

Attempts to help with implementation

At this stage, the plant even adopted a decision to freeze the production of standard Volga with the possibility of defrosting them in an improved situation, but this could not solve financial difficulties.

The company had no choice but to try to get out of the critical situation in another way - to cut about 10 thousand employees and switch to a shorter working week.

To increase the material component, the company was even able to quickly get rid of its own English asset - the LDV Holdings enterprise, which produced Maxus commercial vehicles.
The government came to the rescue by placing an order for the sale of more than 400 sedans to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation, since the car was included in the list of vehicles Russian production for centralized public procurement.

February 2009 allowed the Government of Russia to adopt a resolution on providing financial support to the GAZ Group. It is worth recognizing that despite this, 2009 was not a very successful year for Siber - a little less than 3,000 models were released and sold.

But the sedan was lucky - a state support program was released, which implies its inclusion in the list of cars included in the state recycling program, which allows saving about 50 thousand rubles.

The following year, 2010, the economy gradually began to recover, and the market of the Russian Federation began to gradually rise. But due to interruptions in the provision of production with components, production was again frozen, producing only 5,000 vehicles this year.

Recycling program

It was possible to raise the level of sales of an unclaimed car with the help of own program for the recycling of cars. Its essence was to provide an additional discount - 70 thousand rubles, which, together with the state recycling program, provided the consumer with the opportunity to save up to 120 thousand rubles.

When acquiring Volga Siber, both individuals and legal entities in any region of the Russian Federation. The company decided to throw all its efforts in order to "wake up" the inhabitants of a large country.

But that didn't help the situation. The model continued to be unprofitable for the plant, so it was decided to close its production in October 2010. It turns out that the car could only last a couple of years, and he never managed to survive the consequences of the financial crisis.

In total, less than 9 thousand copies were produced, but not all of them were sold. Comfortable cars worked under the Kuban-Express taxi at airports in the Krasnodar Territory. This project was launched by the company "Basel", which, just, was under the control of Oleg Deripaska.

It is worth noting that in pre-crisis times, the American car "shared" its own power unit with the "root" Volga. Starting from the summer of 2006, the GAZ-31105 came with the same 2.4-liter Chrysler engines produced in Mexico.

Exterior

It was quite difficult to distinguish Siber from overseas brothers in appearance. Yes, there were other bumpers, a different grille and optics that met Russian requirements.

However, this is probably where the differences end. Therefore, to call a car purely Russian simply will not raise a hand. Also very interesting is the fact that in the process of "Russification" the appearance of the American was finalized by a contractor from the outside - the English bodywork studio Ultramotive.

It's a shame that during the improvements by American specialists in 2003, the car had already lost its oval air intake, which perfectly fit the famous Volgovsky "whalebone" in the style of the debut 21st. Instead, a trapezoidal grille was installed on the Sebring, which was a bit like the bow of a German Audi.

The front of the Cyber ​​had the famous "whalebone" in the mouth of the air intake, which was still on the oldest 21st model.

If we talk about the Russified variation of Siber, then she still lost the Chrysler “bird” on the grille, which again evoked memories of. The rear-mounted lights had central projections downwards, while on the Siber they were straight. The front lighting of the American version looked better and more stylish.

The mirrors located on the sides of the GAZ car were larger, which was a more acceptable solution. The front bumper, together with the radiator grille of the Volga, was more modern, and the rear bumper of the American model was voluminous and without reflectors. You can see the resemblance in the photo.

Interior

If we talk about the interior space of GAZ Siber, then it was comfortable for him, since seats with a frame from Ford Fusion. The rear sofa had an armrest in the middle part, and headrests for passengers were installed on the side. "Sebring" did not have these elements. Moreover, it was spacious inside only in the Russian version of the American, which allows even tall people to comfortably sit in the cabin.

How else did the Volga differ from the American sedan? The Russian had white dials on dashboard, manual shifting capabilities of an automatic transmission, more luggage space and a stiffer suspension that felt more confident on bad roads. And these are the differences between the model and the American version. The salon itself, in general, was just heaven and earth in comparison with its predecessor.

Already the basic Comfort equipment had an air conditioner, a pair of airbags, ABS, traction control, electric adjustment of the driver's seat in 6 directions, an audio system and more.

The luxury version was already equipped with a leather interior with wood trim, and the driver's seat was regulated in as many as 10 directions.

The driver was presented with a comfortable and easy wheel, behind which were the turn switch, lighting and wiper control. The entire front panel was very ergonomic and stylish. There was a feeling that you really were driving a foreign car (although it was so).

A pair of white massive round sensors stood out on the dashboard, where the left one was responsible for the number of revolutions of the power unit, and the right one for speed mode. In the left corner there was a fuel level sensor, and in the right corner the engine temperature was displayed. There were also small information displays in the large circles, which showed information about the included speed, handbrake, and so on.

Salon features

The salon received a convenient and ergonomic arrangement of the climate system deflectors. On the center console were controls for the climate system itself, the music system and other options. To the right, on the panel itself, one could find a small glove box for storing the necessary small things.

It will be extremely difficult for a simple person to find many differences in the interior of Siber and Sebring, because they look different only in different trim levels. In addition, there are "gas" emblems, including those on the steering wheel.

On the left driver's door are the power window controls and other adjustments. The seats received good lateral support and head restraints. They are very comfortable to sit on, even the basic equipment has many electrical settings for the driver's seat.

Seat belts, of course, no one forgot. There is enough free space above the head. Between the driver and the passenger sitting next to him there is an opening armrest, in which you can also store the necessary things.

The rear row of seats can accommodate up to three adult passengers, with enough knee and headroom. There are also head restraints and seat belts. If two people are sitting, then a comfortable armrest can be pulled out of the back.

On the transmission tunnel there was a place for two cup holders. luggage compartment has never been flawed on the Volga, and Siber is no exception. The trunk turned out to be roomy and comfortable, with 453 liters of usable space.

Specifications

power unit

The specialists decided that only a couple of modifications would be enough, which differ only in the transmission. As a power unit, the presence of a four-cylinder sixteen-valve engine was provided, the working volume of which was 2.4 liters.

The motor allowed to reach 143 Horse power. This could not be called the limit, and he could not argue with the German "charged" sedans, but for quiet ride on the Russian road it was quite enough.

It is also important that the engine was not carburetor, but already injection. The car gained the first hundred in 11.5 seconds, and its maximum speed was 200 km/h. Fuel consumption was not critical, but it was also impossible to call it minimal.

Transmission

It was either a four-speed automatic transmission or a five-speed manual.

Suspension

For improved movement on Russian roads, experts made tuning the suspension of the sedan, increasing the rigidity of the elastic elements, which could have a good effect on handling. Rear suspension turned out to be independent, however, like the front one. Springs are installed along with hydraulic shock absorbers.

Steering

It had a hydraulic booster, which made it possible to drive a rather big sedan without any difficulties.

Brake system

Already in the basic configuration Volga Siber had ABS system and was supplied with disk brake mechanisms on all wheels. Moreover, the front ones were also ventilated.

Crash test Volga

Price and configuration

You can buy a solid sedan of "Russian-American" production at a price of 200,000 rubles. The higher the cost of the car, the newer it is, in the best content, which is important, because new sedans are no longer being produced. Also, the price tag may depend on the level of equipment.

The standard "Comfort" package provides for the presence of an air conditioning system, anti-lock braking system ABS, anti-slip control ASR systems, hydraulic power steering, electric mirrors with heating function (can be folded using electric drive), CD receiver with speakers, audio amplifier, central lock on all doors, a steering column with height adjustment and an electric drive for adjusting the seats in six positions.

All configurations of Siber received a galvanized body, which has increased resistance to corrosion.

The dashboard, along with the steering wheel, has a pair of airbags - for the driver and the passenger sitting next to him. Sun visors received tinted mirrors with anti-reflective coating. There is also a full-size spare tire. It is easy to see that even the standard equipment has received a solid “stuffing”.

The “Lux” package already has genuine leather seats, a dashboard with lacquered wood inserts, a heating function for the driver’s seat and the passenger sitting next to him, cast wheel disks and tires with a radius of R16 (standard equipment has 15-inch), front foglights and an increased number of seat settings (10 directions). The sedan could be painted in 4 colors - the car could be black, silver, gold and dark blue.

The premiere of the Volga Siber sedan took place at the Interauto show in Moscow in 2007. The car was presented under the name GAZ Siber. The car was developed on the Chrysler JR41 front-wheel drive base, which was used in the Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Sebring. The design of the car was developed by the English studio UltraMotive. The designers were given the task of using American developments to create a car with classic features. Russian cars. GAZ Volga Siber differs from American models on the same platform by a radiator grille, bumpers and headlights. To adapt to Russian roads, the ground clearance was increased and the stiffness of the suspension was increased. Serial production of the model began in the summer of 2008. At the same time, deliveries of GAZ Volga Siber to large corporate customers began. The car appeared on free sale only in the fall. It was originally planned to equip the car with engines of 2 and 2.4 liters. But only cars with 2.4-liter engines were launched into mass production. The first cars were equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission gears. In April 2010, Volga Siber received a five-speed manual transmission.

Specifications GAZ Volga Siber

sedan

Medium auto

• width 1 792mm
• length 4 858mm
• height 1 409mm
• ground clearance 140mm
• places 5

At the Interauto automobile exhibition, held in the summer of 2007 in Moscow, GAZ Group presented to the public a new front-wheel drive sedan GAZ Siber - a "licensed copy" of Chrysler Sebring, which inherited from the American "source" both technical component and design elements. Exactly one year after the debut, the car entered mass production, and under the trade name Volga Siber, but before individuals he "arrived" only in October 2008.

The three-volume truck did not last long on the conveyor - in the fall of 2010, he completed his "career" due to too low demand and the project was unprofitable for the Gorky Automobile Plant.

Outside, Volga Siber has, if not the most charming look, but it looks quite nice, although from some angles it is not quite proportional. At the front, the car flaunts cunningly squinted headlights and a trapezoidal “shield” of the radiator grille, “poured” with chrome, and at the back - original lights and a relief-folded bumper.

In profile, the sedan evokes some associations with "four-door coupes" due to the squat hood and sloping roof, but the upturned stern with a long "tail" of the trunk adds to its heaviness.

"Siber" is a representative of the "middle class" (aka "D" segment): it is 4858 mm long, 1792 mm wide, and 1409 mm high. A wheelbase with a length of 2743 mm fits between the axles of the car, and a clearance of 140 mm can be seen under its “belly”. In curb form, the four-door weighs from 1525 to 1555 kg, depending on the configuration and type of gearbox.

Inside, Volga Siber looks old-fashioned, but does not cause rejection: the sedan has a rather nice interior with a four-spoke steering wheel, sporty whitish instrument cluster dials and a laconic front panel with a modest air conditioning unit and a radio with a small matrix display on the center console.

The build quality and materials are average: hard plastics are used in the car interior, diluted with wood-like and aluminum-like inserts, and the seats (depending on the version) are dressed in dark fabric or leather.

The interior of the four-door meets the driver and front passenger with massive armchairs with a wide back, a long cushion and a large set of electrical adjustments. On the second row of seats there is a triple sofa with a hospitable profile and a large supply of legroom (but the sloping roof will clearly cause discomfort to tall passengers).

For cargo transportation, "Siber" is well adapted - its trunk is designed to carry 453 liters of luggage. The usable volume can be easily increased by folding the back of the “gallery” in two sections and thus obtaining a solid rectangular opening between the saloon and the “hold”. In a niche under the raised floor are a full-size "reserve" and a set of tools.

Specifications. Only one gasoline unit is provided for Volga Siber - the engine compartment of the car is filled with an atmospheric “four” with a volume of 2.4 liters (2429 cubic centimeters) with an aluminum cylinder block, a 16-valve DOHC mechanism and a distributed “power supply” system. It develops 143 horsepower at 5200 rpm and 210 Nm of torque at 4200 rpm, and directs the entire power reserve to the front wheels through a 5-speed “mechanics” or a 4-speed “automatic”.

Acceleration from standstill to the first “hundred” is done in 11.4-13.4 seconds, and reaches a maximum speed of 185-190 km / h. In the combined cycle of movement, he "drinks" from 9.1 to 10 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers, depending on the type of gearbox.

The Cyber ​​runs on the Chrysler JR41 front-wheel drive platform, which it borrows from the Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Stratus. The car has a steel body of a load-bearing configuration, and power point it is located transversely in the frontal part.
Both front and rear, the sedan has independent suspensions: in the first case, these are the classic MacPherson struts, and in the second, a multi-link architecture (“in a circle” - with transverse stabilizers and coil springs). The four-door “flaunts” rack and pinion steering with hydraulic booster and disc brakes on all wheels (ventilated on the front axle) with ABS.

Prices and equipment. Buy Volga Siber at secondary market Russia in the spring of 2017 is possible at a price of 180-190 thousand rubles.
Even the most simple equipment the car is: two airbags, ABS, power steering, electric front seats, a six-speaker audio system, electric windows for all doors, air conditioning, as well as external mirrors with heating and electric adjustment. The most “fancy” options can additionally boast: leather trim, heated front seats, fog lights, illuminated rear passenger cup holders, light-alloy “rollers” and headlight washers.

The Volga Siber is, in a certain sense, the antipode (if you do not take into account that it is also a front-wheel drive sedan): the car was put on the assembly line in Nizhny Novgorod a little earlier, in 2008, right before the crisis, it was assembled using the SKD method from American car kits (according to the project, the final localization was no more than 50%), and the foreign nameplate Chrysler Sebring (or Dodge Stratus) in its Russian version changed to Volga Siber ... Note that the Russian public liked the car and still likes it. But it's certainly not without flaws...

Hate #5: The battery in the bumper

By design, the car is very balanced, it is "American" in the best sense of the word. Its first incarnation, the Chrysler Sebring, has been produced in the States since 2001, and by the time the assembly was introduced on the assembly line in Nizhny, the JR41 platform had been worked out to the smallest detail. However, Russian operation revealed a nuance in the layout engine compartment. The battery in Siber is located on the left side of the front bumper, and, as the rumor says, if he sat down, then in order to remove it and take it to the heat for charging, you need to jack up the car, remove the wheel and fender liner, then unscrew the two terminal nuts and a couple more nuts securing the battery itself. However, under the hood, Siber, like the American progenitor, has remote terminals that are useful for de-energizing the car or for lighting up. Moreover, in fact, it is not necessary to remove the wheel to remove the battery: all manipulations are detailed in the repair manual and are performed simply with the wheels turned all the way to the left.

Love #5: A Good Resource

This reason to love Siber slightly softens the reason to hate him, described above. The batteries in Siber were good, they take care of 5-6 years and even more with gentle operating conditions without any problems. The same goes for the main units: 4-cylinder 2.4-liter Gas engine with 143 hp, which remained the only one for Siber (both 2-liter versions and a 2.7-liter V6 were planned) and a couple of boxes - a 4-speed automatic transmission and a 5-speed "mechanics" that went in 2010, not give owners no problems for many, many years. In addition, they are quite simple to maintain - for this, no super skills are required from the locksmith, except for basic knowledge and properly growing hands. And the body metal (cold-rolled galvanized steel was supplied from Detroit and painted in Nizhny) is quite durable and resists corrosion well.

Hate #4: High fuel consumption in the city

This is often said by those who at one time moved to Siber from a smaller car - and definitely not from an “American”. Objectively, Saber's consumption is at the level of the progenitor of Sebring, who does not differ in particularly increased appetite against the background of his fellow class and origin. Nevertheless, Saiber's appetite can really surprise the Russian consumer: cars with an "automatic" in the city burn 12-14 l / 100 km. Cars with "mechanics" are more economical, but not by much.

Love #4: good design

Outwardly, Siber is distinguished from the purebred "American" by slightly different bumpers, mirrors and a radiator grille. The changes are purely cosmetic, designed to bring the car closer to the look of classic GAZ passenger cars. But in fact, the appearance remained American - and, we admit, very successful. A wide body with a squat three-volume profile, squinted lighting technology, a solid interior with familiar nameplates ... Needless to say, in terms of appearance, Siber was quite drawn to the status of the "new Volga". And the buyers of these machines were quite in agreement with this.

With the general ease of maintenance of Siber (excluding the battery described above, of course), dissatisfied replicas for the repair and replacement of some elements still take place. Firstly, there are questions about the chassis - it is not always enough for our "roads", and the shock absorber struts sometimes die ahead of schedule. Although much (if not all!) Here depends on the accuracy of the owner. But wheel bearings, which are also weak point chassis, all 100% of the owners are forced to change the assembly with the hub - this is one of the rather costly design features.

Love # 3: space in the cabin

The owners of Sibers note these moments among the most important advantages - the interior of this sedan is really outstanding - in terms of ease of fit, spaciousness in the head, shoulders and legs, this is a clear representative of the D segment. But the trunk is inferior to most modern "B-classers" - it has a volume at 453 liters, but objectively speaking, most often the owners of large sedans have enough for their eyes.

Hate #2: Lack of momentum

The “resource” Chrysler engine, especially in combination with a 4-speed automatic transmission, has its own “ reverse side coins”: Cyber ​​does not like traffic light races. Acceleration according to the “passport” on a car with an “automatic” takes 13.4 seconds, with a “mechanics” - two seconds less (which is approximately true), and you must admit that this is not at all fast. On the other hand, there are very few people who would buy this car for the sake of dynamics. In this sense, they are fully consistent with the target group that once bought the classic Volga. But on the next occasion for love, Sebring clearly surpassed its predecessors.

Love #2: Accessibility

By now, GAZ dealers have actually completely abandoned the service of Cybers, and even when this car was on the conveyor, not the entire network of the Gorky Automobile Plant was engaged in its service. However, the owners have no problems with servicing: the vast majority are serviced in multi-brand services according to the Chrysler regulations, and the rest do not shun self service in the garage, which has a comparative simplicity of design. Spare parts, contrary to the stereotype, are mostly inexpensive - for example, bumpers, lighting equipment, shock absorber struts are only slightly more expensive than spare parts for Lada. And the car itself is completely uninteresting to both hijackers and even petty thieves - well, to whom will you sell a used mirror from Siber? The car is inexpensive in the secondary market - a good copy will cost you about 400,000 rubles. This is for a big, reliable, cute, and even a limited edition car with an interesting name.

Hate #1: low ground clearance

Along with slightly modified appearance The Russian Cyber ​​also received a suspension modified in relation to the American Sebring. But the whole modification came down to increasing the stiffness of the springs, but the ground clearance remained what it was. In fact, it is not large - these 140 millimeters may not be enough to overcome some of the Russian road collisions, and the curbs on the streets of our cities are sometimes “installed” so that the door on a low car can not be opened. The situation is exacerbated by a rather large front overhang. Owners get out of the situation in different ways: someone buys a “whale” and lifts the car, while someone comes to terms with the idea that he has an “American” and learns to drive more carefully.

Love #1: high comfort

This is also a Volga classic and at the same time - the biggest pride of the owners. In reality, for little (especially considering the state program and GAZ's own discount) money in the early 2010s, you could buy a large sedan with comfortable lounge, a warm stove, an efficient air conditioner, two airbags, an electrically adjustable driver's seat, "music" for 6 speakers, four power windows, heated and folding mirrors ... At the same time, the car has an energy-intensive suspension, a long base and a low landing, which allows it to feel great on track.

By and large, there are no obvious reasons to hate this car. This is a car that feels great in the Russian open spaces, despite the low ground clearance and atypically located battery. But, as we know, the crisis hit shortly after the launch of this model, and the original ambitious plans for the production of 50,000 Sabers a year had to be adjusted several times. As a result, from 2008 to 2010, only a little less than 9,000 cars were produced. Bo Andersson, at that time the president of the GAZ Group, stopped the production of Cybers on October 31, 2010, having decided that the ambitious plans of the former management to revive the Volga brand were not worth trying to fight for the profitability of assembling cars from American car kits in the midst of a crisis. Now, seven years later, GAZ is doing well, developing its truck line by leaps and bounds. And yet the last "Volga" is a little sorry ...

Release this car was started back in 2008 and only lasted a couple of years. Already in 2010, mass production was closed. Why? Probably due to low consumer demand for this car, but more on that later. Indeed, it is not so common on the roads, and little is known about such a “beast”. Let's look at the main consumer reviews in this article. "Volga Siber" nevertheless deserved the attention of a separate category of the population and still remains popular.

Back to the Future

"Siber" cannot be called exclusively domestic car. The fact is that the equipment of the American Chrysler plant was bought by representatives of GAZ. Moreover, the Volga Cyber ​​is a complete copy of such cars as the Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Stratus. Key changes affected only the front and rear bumpers, as well as optics, which were somewhat redesigned and improved. To adapt to Russian roads, the engineers of the Gorky Automobile Plant had to increase the stiffness of the suspension, as well as make the handling more accurate. All fasteners that received metric threads have also been redesigned. It was extremely uncomfortable to work with an inch, and this was taken into account at the plant.

Why, in fact, did the Americans sell the equipment to GAZ? The thing is that neither the Stratus nor the Sebring received due attention in the United States and were sold very sluggishly. In general, these were cars for the poor. They were often used by the police or taxis. But we can not say that the cars are bad. Not at all, they have a whole range strengths, which we will definitely talk about, but now we move on.

Start of sales in Russia

At the end of March 2008, the first batch of the Volga Siber car was launched. They were supplied to large corporate customers, such as banks, government agencies, law enforcement agencies, etc. But already in October, retail sales started. As for localization, as noted above, the front and rear bumpers, as well as optics and rear-view mirrors, were redesigned from the external parts. The interior has also undergone minor changes. In particular, the dashboard was no longer in miles, but in kilometers, as it should be. In general, they tried to change it, which turned out very well. Minor improvements have also been made to the interior.

The main spare parts (Volga Siber), for example, cold-rolled steel for the body, were imported from the USA. This also applies to many parts of the suspension and engine systems. Own production of components was planned only in case of high sales and best quality domestic parts compared to those brought from America.

Expectations were not met

If you look at consumer reviews. "Volga Siber" is a very good car both externally and technically. But sales in Russia definitely did not go. In 2008, the plant planned to produce about 10,000 cars, in 2009 already 45,000, and then 65,000. But in fact, 1,717 models were assembled in 2008, of which no more than 430 were sold. Already in 2009, the first information appeared on the closure of production due to unprofitability. The information was confirmed by management. In the first 6 months of 2009, only 445 vehicles were manufactured, after which serial production was suspended.

But soon the state order for 500 vehicles for the police and the Ministry of Emergency Situations was received. In addition, Volga Siber was sold, which was located in dealerships in different cities. According to the results of 2009, only 2151 models were manufactured. In 2010, about 5,000 more copies were produced, after which, on October 31, due to insufficient demand and unprofitable production, the release was stopped. During the work, about 9,000 models were sold. All this, of course, is good, but reviews do not allow this car to be unprofitable. "Volga Cyber", according to the owners, is much better than many modern cars. Whether this is actually the case, we will now see.

Vehicle appearance and dimensions

Before us is a mid-size sedan, which is most often referred to as the D-class. The length of the body is 4.85 meters, which is very much. The overhangs are long, which is more of a disadvantage than an advantage. Due to the large dimensions and overhangs, as well as the lack of parking sensors, at first many people cling to everything that is possible. This is facilitated by the clearance, which is only 140 mm. Usually for Russian roads it is increased, but then the developers decided to leave everything as it is. That is why it is recommended to install protection of the box and engine immediately after purchase.

As for optics, everything here is very budgetary and without any frills. Halogen front and rear lights, no diodes or anything. True, there are fog lights, which removes a dark spot near the car when driving in high beams. Special attention should be paid to the fact that the hood smoothly turns into windshield. Because of this, the torpedo in the cabin is simply huge, and numerous consumer reviews speak of this. The Volga Cyber ​​looks very aggressive, so there is a slight hint of sport here, which is especially true when paired with a 2.7-liter engine.

Simply American

The car "Volga Siber" has a very impressive size. This most directly affected the amount of space in the cabin. It's more than enough. Even 3 adults sitting on the back sofa can feel quite good. As for the driver and front passenger, they were even luckier. Power seats for tilt and reach allows you to choose the most comfortable position. In addition, despite the low cost of the car, the seats have lateral support. Often this is not on more expensive models.

As for the dashboard, everything is simple, but at the same time convenient. The center console is the simplest. There is a control unit for air conditioning and a stove, and a little lower is a radio and a CD changer. The plastic of the upper part of the torpedo is quite soft, this also applies to door cards. Basically, there are no complaints about the interior. Yes, it is not the same as in modern cars, there is not much electronics, but it is spacious, and behind the wheel you feel very comfortable and confident. However, there is everything you need, namely:

• illumination of mirrors on peaks;
• electric dimming rear-view mirror;
• electrically adjustable mirrors;
• power driver's seat;
• air conditioning;
• audio system;
• ABS, ESP;
• on-board computer and diagnostics from the key.

Considering that the price tag for this car is not so big, this is more than enough equipment. But this is far from all that Volga Siber can offer us. The engine is another distinguishing feature this car.

Motor choice - 2.0, 2.4 or 2.7?

It was originally planned to offer the buyer a choice of three powertrains. This is a 2.0-liter ICE with 141 horsepower paired with mechanical box gears. The most powerful engine is V6 2.7 for 203 hp. with., which would allow its owner to fully feel the power of American power units.

But the reality turned out to be somewhat different, and the developers had to abandon the mass production of cars with a 2.0 and 2.7 engine. Only the "Chrysler" 2.4-liter engine with a capacity of 152 horsepower remained. But in order to achieve Euro-4 environmental standards, the engine was “strangled”, and the number of horsepower fell to 143. Initially, at the GAZ plant, Volga Cyber ​​was produced only with a 41TE automatic transmission of a torque converter type, which is also considered a completely American development. But in the future, the consumer was offered a 5-speed manual.

Reviews about her are mixed. The box is very thoughtful and not very popular, and it is difficult to call it reliable. The 2.7 engine makes the car more responsive, but such a power unit has its drawbacks. Firstly, the timing chain type is expensive and makes a lot of noise when stretched. Secondly, the oil must be changed as often as possible, since oil starvation for 2.7 is not uncommon. Most often, it fails precisely because of this.

Are there any repair issues?

American cars on Russian market are not in high demand. This is due high cost parts to be ordered from the USA. But now it has become a little easier. In large cities, there are special online stores that allow you to buy original spare parts and their analogues for American cars and Volga Cyber. The Volga itself is not cheap to maintain. The car's suspension provides maximum ride comfort, but is quite complex. For example, to replace the rear upper ball joints, it is necessary to remove the subframe. For one side, many service stations ask from one thousand rubles. In this scenario, parts are cheaper than labor.

There are usually no problems with the engine. This is an extremely reliable American motor with a huge resource. Approximately 200-300 thousand kilometers pass before a major overhaul with proper care. Automatic transmission is also very reliable and proven. Its repair is often limited to replacing the block of solenoids and oil with a filter. Some suspension parts and body parts are manufactured at the GAZ plant, so their price tag is more than acceptable. Considering that the original goes for quite a long time, then once you can spend money.

American measured

It's no secret that spacious, powerful cars are highly valued in the US. Spacious "Sebring" and "Stratus" can be called, but powerful - with tension. The inline 4-cylinder engine performs very well. But "Volga Cyber", specifications which we reviewed, is more suitable for moderate driving. A sharp start is definitely not for this car. But the whole essence of the car is fully manifested when driving on the highway. Dynamics even after 140 km / h is not lost, and the car continues to accelerate. As for aerodynamics, due to the "slickness" of the front of the car and low ground clearance at speed, the car sticks to the road and keeps very confidently.

Here she is - "Volga Siber". The technical characteristics of the car cannot be called outstanding, but even today it is a worthy competitor to expensive Asian and European cars. Of course, in some moments, “Volga” is lagging behind, while in others, on the contrary, it is in the lead. Take spare parts for example. "Volga Siber" in this regard is no more expensive than "Hyundai Solaris" or "Kia Rio". But sometimes they are surprised by the inflated prices for the work of masters in car services. Generally speaking, this nice car. Let's take a look at what consumers say about this car.

Volga Cyber ​​2.4: advantages

Many motorists really love this car. It is worth noting that the quality of its assembly was also affected by the fact that most of the spare parts are American. The resource of their work is much more than domestic or Chinese parts. That is why many consider the Volga to be very reliable. vehicle. The body of the car deserves attention. It is galvanized and made of cold rolled steel. You can't really call it "foil". The high strength and safety of the driver and passenger is clearly seen in crash tests. A large distance from the front bumper to the driver often saves lives. In addition, there are 4 airbags (front and side curtains).

Well, the most attention goes to the chassis. High ride smoothness and excellent suspension performance on small potholes. As a result, small irregularities are not felt at all. When the suspension is in good condition, the car enters corners perfectly with minimal roll. If the stabilizers or shock absorbers fail, then driving performance deteriorate significantly. Therefore, it is advisable to repair the Volga Cyber ​​as soon as possible in order to regain the old confidence on the road. Well, now let's go further and consider the main disadvantages of this car. There are also enough of them, although many are accustomed to not paying attention to them.

Cons to be aware of

First of all, I would like to note that the low ground clearance, only 140 mm, does not allow driving on broken roads. In addition, the car has not the most reliable and strong suspension. A large number of ball joints, which must be constantly monitored, can be a big nuisance on the road. Often, the original parts are of very high quality and last a long time, which cannot be said about the substitutes for the Volga Cyber ​​car. Tuning this car is practically irrelevant, since there is almost no body kit. Another drawback is poor sound insulation. Sometimes it seems that it does not exist at all. The noise from under the wheel arches is especially audible. But this design flaw is easy to fix on your own. By taking care of the whole car, you can significantly improve the acoustic comfort and sound quality of your music system.

It is worth saying that the battery is also inconvenient. Volga Cyber, Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Sebring are designed in such a way that the battery is installed under the front fender. To remove the battery, turn the wheel to the extreme right position, remove the fender liner and only then remove the battery. Not very convenient, especially if something happens in the winter. But you can "light up" from under the hood. There are negative and positive terminals. As you can see, the design is not without flaws, but there are no significant disadvantages here.

Summing up

Many drivers leave their positive and negative reviews. "Volga Siber" is quite easy to repair with your own hands. This is her advantage. At the same time, it has an impressive size. "Volga Siber" is almost five meters long. Of course, this is spaciousness and comfort in the cabin, but a car is not suitable for a metropolis and parking in a limited place. But everything comes with experience, so you should not focus on this special attention.

There is one more minus, which was not considered in this article. It consists in the fact that the steering rack is mounted on a subframe. This led to the idling vibrations are transmitted to the steering wheel. Along with torn engine mounts, this causes discomfort and discomfort. It is worth paying attention to one more detail. "Volga Cyber" does not like overheating. The motor head is aluminum and afraid high temperatures. When boiling, metal can lead. In that case, you have to do overhaul. Approximately 70% of engines fail precisely because of overheating. The remaining 30% are due to untimely replacement engine oil and improper maintenance.

The main problem with this car is the chassis. On the other points everything is in order. Currently, "Siber" can be bought in good condition. But you need to look. Remember that a mileage of 100-200 thousand kilometers is not the limit for this engine. It has two repair sizes and runs up to 800,000 kilometers. Today, for about 250-300 thousand rubles, you can buy a Volga Cyber ​​2008-2010 with a mileage of about 100,000 kilometers. Much more important is how the car was serviced. In particular, it is worth paying attention to the condition of the chassis and the motor as a whole.