Gaz · 1956–1970

GAZ-21

The GAZ M21 Volga is an automobile produced in the Soviet Union by GAZ (Gorkovsky Avtomobilniy Zavod, in English "Gorky Automobile Factory") from 1956 to 1970. The first car to carry the Volga name, it was developed in the early 1950s. Volgas were built with high ground clearance (which gives it a specific "high" look, contrary to "low-long-sleek" look of Western cars of similar design), rugged suspension, strong and forgiving engine, and rustproofing on a scale unheard of in the 1950s. The Volga was stylistically in line with the major American manufacturers of the period in which it was introduced, and incorporated such then-luxury features as the reclining front seat, cigarette lighter, heater, windshield washer and three-wave radio. The GAZ M-21 Volga became the biggest and most luxurious car officially sold to individual owners in the USSR in large quantities; though its very high price made it unavailable for most car buyers, 639,478 cars were produced in total.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: GAZ-M20 Pobeda · Successor: GAZ-24

All Gaz GAZ-21 data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

The three series of GAZ-21

Three series GAZ-21 were released, most easily distinguished by the grille. The first series (1956–58), known as the Star, featured a lattice of three large horizontal bars in the centre of which was a medallion with a star. Vehicles of the second series (1958–1962), known as the Shark, featured a grille with 16 vertical slits. Finally, the third series (1962–1970), known as the Baleen, featured a grille with 34 thin vertical rods. First series (1956–1958). The design process leading to the GAZ-21 began in November 1953. Alexander Nevzorov, head of the design team, was given a free hand to develop whatever he wanted to reach the objective of competing with American automobiles. Designer Lev Eremeyev decided to follow the fashion set by the Chevrolet Bel Air, Plymouth Savoy, and Ford Mainline; the finished product bears a resemblance to the 1952 Mainline, although according to archive documents, the GAZ-21 was just stylistically inspired by the American Ford and was not mechanically reverse engineered and developed from it. In addition, the two cars are almost completely different mechanically and their dimensions are also slightly different. The prototype appeared in the first quarter of 1954, powered by an inline four with overhead camshaft (driven by chain) and cross-flow hemispherical head. Since the OHV engine was not ready in time, production M21s had a 65 PS (48 kW; 64 hp) 2,432 cc (148 cu in) sidevalve four, based on the GAZ-20's. The Volga was offered with a three-speed transmission, either manual (with synchronized second and third gears) or automatic. Front suspension was independent, while the rear was a live axle with semielliptical springs; lever shock absorbers were on all four corners. Lubrication was by a central oiling system, from a drum and foot-opera

Models

The car's large size and tough construction made it popular in the police and taxi trades, and V8-powered versions (designated GAZ M23) were produced for the KGB. An automatic transmission was briefly offered in the late 1950s, but later discontinued due to lack of service stations; through the 1960s, they were used only on the KGB's V8 version, with the controls being very similar to the discontinued "civil" automatic. The M21 Volga was produced in sedan form from 1956 to 1970 and station wagon form (GAZ M22 Universal) from 1962 to 1970. Over the course of the 1960s, the design began to look outdated, and GAZ developed a boxier, more modern replacement; in 1970, the M21 platform was discontinued. Until the late 1970s, however, spare parts were produced by various plants all over the USSR, and some plants were rebuilding M21s using spare parts, and wrecked and junked cars. In 1988, about 80,000 M21 Volgas were registered in the USSR. A number of pick-up trucks based on the GAZ-21 were also built by various autonomous auto-repair plants all around the country. As these plants worked separately, there was no single design for these vehicles. The Deluxe variant had additional chrome trim around the windows and spanning the front and rear headlights, with the rear trims being fin-shaped. This model usually also included the 79 hp (59 kW) engine instead of the standard 69 hp (51 kW) one. One M21 was given to Yuri Gagarin after his orbital flight; Gagarin was very fond of his Volga. The UAZ-469 all-terrain vehicle uses a GAZ-21A engine, and the RAF-977 minibus used the GAZ-21 engine and drivetrain. A special-variant GAZ-23 Volga was produced for Soviet special services only, with the 160 PS (118 kW; 158 hp) 5.53-litre V8 engine from the Chaika. These were also equipped with t

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: GAZ-21
Production: 1956–1970
Assembly: Soviet Union: Gorky, Belgium: Antwerp (Sobimpex N.V.)
Predecessor: GAZ-M20 Pobeda
Successor: GAZ-24 Volga
Wheelbase: 2700 mm
Length: 4810 mm
aka: Scaldia-Volga M21 (export markets), Dongfanghong BJ760 (China)
Kerb weight: 1460-1523 kg
Width: 1800 mm
Height: 1610 mm
Body style: 4-door saloon (GAZ-21, GAZ-23), 5-door wagon (GAZ-22)
Class: Executive car (E)
Engine: 2.5 L M-21 I4 (GAZ-21/22), 5.5 L M-13 V8 (GAZ-23)
Transmission: 3-speed automatic (initially), 3-speed manual
Manufacturer: GAZ

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1922450CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAZ-21CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1375607741 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hammond_Slides_Russia_20.jpgCC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Thomas Taylor Hammond (1920-1993) · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.