by The automotive industry in Ukraine is currently in a rather complex situation. At the moment, there is no full cycle of car production in the country. The Ukrainian label ‘Made in Ukraine’ is placed on vehicles assembled in Ukraine from foreign kits or refitted from chassis. However, it was not always like this. Let’s dive into history and explore the fastest cars ever produced in Ukraine. After all, we really have something to be proud of!
Jet car HADI-9
This is probably the most famous high-speed car of Ukrainian production. It was developed by the Kharkiv Automobile and Road Institute (hence the name). The project started in 1969, and the finished vehicle was presented only in 1978. At that time, it was a truly powerful car with an engine from a MiG-19 fighter. That’s why its design resembled more of a wingless aircraft than a car. The car had three wheels, a dart-like aerodynamic profile, and weighed over 2 tons. The braking system was parachute-based.
The purpose of creating this monster was to accelerate to 1200 km/h, which would break all records. This was not possible to verify as a suitable track for this purpose was not found. Abroad, obviously, no supercar has been released. The maximum speed that could be verified at the Chuguyev airfield was 300 km/h. Unfortunately, the HADI-9 never realized its full potential. After the filming of the movie ‘Speed,’ where the supercar drove on Lake Baskunchak, it was returned to Kharkiv. There, the car was covered with corrosion, as no one even washed it after the trip to the salty lake.
Overall, the Kharkiv Automobile and Road Institute produced many dragsters. These are special sprint cars. Production of these supercars was closed just before the start of the annual Formula-1 championships that replaced world championships for racers. Who knows, maybe now Formula-1 bets would look different.
‘Tavria-Orange’
The ‘Tavria-Orange’ rally car is a great example of how a regular production car can be turned into a racing car. This modification reached speeds of up to 210 km/h, and the engine power reached 180 hp. The supercar had all-wheel drive, rear engine placement, and turbocharging. It is worth noting that ZAZ managed to create only two models of ‘Tavria-Orange.’
Humpback ZAZ-GTR
ZAZ-GTR is not a production car, but a significantly modified version of the ZAZ-965, also known as the ‘Zaporozhets.’ The ZAZ-GTR project was implemented by the Sumy Racing Team in Sumy. They turned the car into a powerful dragster that won competitions several times.
The original engine was replaced with a more powerful 5.4-liter V8 with turbocharging. This engine can generate up to 2000 hp. The original car had only 27 hp. The design became more aerodynamic, with only the headlight form and overall front-end features remaining from the old model.
What caused the decline of the automotive industry in Ukraine?
Despite significant achievements in vehicle manufacturing, the Ukrainian automotive industry declined for several reasons:
Economic crises. Ukraine experienced several economic crises, including the 2008 global financial crisis, the 2014 crisis caused by the Russian annexation of Crimea and the onset of war. The full-scale war, which virtually destroyed the country’s industrial potential, led to significantly reduced investment in the industry.
Outdated production capacities. Many automotive plants in Ukraine were built during the Soviet era and require significant modernization and renewal. The lack of sufficient investment in modernization and technological development led to the obsolescence of production facilities and a decrease in the competitiveness of products. Many car concerns closed even before the full-scale invasion, such as the ‘Bogdan’ company.
Corruption and instability. Problems with corruption, bureaucracy, and government instability have also complicated the development of the automotive industry. Political and regulatory unpredictability could have discouraged potential investors and reduced interest in the development of the automotive industry in the country.
Competition from imports. Ukraine also faced stiff competition from imported cars due to the lack of protective tariffs and high taxes on automobiles. This led consumers to prefer imported cars, reducing the demand for domestic car manufacturers. Moreover, our ‘Lanos’ cars are inferior in quality to ‘Skoda’ and ‘Toyota.’
Perhaps after the war, there will be a leap forward in the auto industry. Hopefully, we will still see our cars and make online bets on motorsports and auto races involving Ukrainian cars.
