Scaldia-Volga SA

The company was founded on April 23, 1964 as a joint-stock company with headquarters in Brussels with the number of employees 72 people.

The first models that entered the Western European market through a joint venture were export versions ZAZ-965 "Yalta", Moskvich-408 "Scaldia 1400 Elite" and its modifications and GAZ "M-21 Volga" ^[1] . In this case, part of the "Muscovites" supplied from the USSR without engines were installed British diesel engines Perkins , and on the "Volga", which came with vehicle kits, mostly installed also diesel engines of the brand Rover and Peugeot Indenor XUD ^[2]

By the mid 1970s with the advent of the Volga in Belgium, the GAZ-24-76 Scaldia , equipped with the Peugeot Indenor XD2P engine, began to be assembled, and this diesel version, despite its significantly higher cost, was much more popular than its carburetor version .

In the 1980s The company has reached the peak of development. The number of specialists increased to 252 people, subsidiaries were opened: Sadco SA in Luxembourg (since 1965) Gremi Auto-Import BV in the Netherlands , (since March 1971) the total number of dealers reached 435 (1984), sales and service were also organized in Germany . Deliveries of the entire AvtoVAZ product line have begun.

In 1983, in the port of Antwerp, Scaldia-Volga built a complex with an area of ​​115 thousand square meters, consisting of an extensive open parking lot and several production buildings for storing incoming cars, spare parts, as well as for pre-sale preparation. Next year, the total number of cars sold exceeded 250 thousand.

After the start of export to Western Europe of new models 2108-09, the company started improving the interior and exterior of cars - another trim was offered, moldings were added, a rear spoiler, and light-alloy wheels. Optics was borrowed from the BMW E30 - four round Hella headlights in a special frame. This modification is called LADA Carlota ^[3] . In 1990, the specialists of Scaldia-Volga, together with Togliatti engineers on the basis of the VAZ 2108, developed the Lada Natasha convertible and the sports version of the Lada Samara RSI with a forced engine ^[4] . From 1990 to 1995 The company has sold 456 convertibles.

Since 1992, the company's sales began to fall sharply. The number of employees from 170 people. in 1994 it was reduced to 15 people. in 1999. At the same time, Scaldia-Volga was able to retain a part of dealers who reoriented to the sale of predominantly Korean brands, continuing the service of previously sold cars.

In 2000, Scaldia-Volga began selling the VAZ-2110 , which accounted for some consumer interest associated with the devaluation of the ruble, when the retail price of the proposed model turned out to be significantly lower than competitors' cars ^[5] .

Commercial activity Scaldia-Volga ceased tentatively since 2006.

• Anniversary Prospect Scaldia-Volga 1964-1984 .