GAZ

GAZ or Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod, Nizhny Novgorod, translated as Gorky Automobile Plant (Russian: ГАЗ or Го́рьковский автомоби́льный заво́д), started in 1929 as NNAZ, a cooperation between Ford and the Soviet Union. The name changed when the city was renamed after Maxim Gorky. From 1935 to 1956, the official name was augmented with imeni Molotova (literally, named after Molotov).

The factory's first model was the medium-priced Ford Model A, sold as NAZ A at first, and Ford Model AA under GAZ AA marque. "A" production commenced in 1932 and lasted until 1936, during which time over 100,000 examples were built.

The A was succeeded by the more modern GAZ M1 (based largely on the Ford V8), produced from 1936 to 1942. The M letter stands for Molotovets ('of Molotov's fame'), it was the origin of the car's nickname, Emka (Эмка).

Experience with the A and the M1 allowed the GAZ engineers to develop their own car model independently of Ford. Called the GAZ M2, this more upscale model entered production in 1942 and remained in limited wartime production until 1946. The M2's bodyshell entered limited production in 1941, mounted on a four-wheel drive chassis and sold in small quantities as the GAZ-61 (quite possibly the world's first all-wheel drive passenger car).