Volga sedans make up a large portion of the aging offical fleet in Russia — like Crown Vics are for American cops. A firm in Russia offers a full-service soup-up for them that includes "high-powered Toyota engines, DVD players and refrigerators."
For years, the Kremlin has been ordering bureaucrats to abandon their BMWs and Mercedes in favor of the boxy Volga, which is made by GAZ. The idea was first floated in 1997 by Boris Nemtsov, who was deputy prime minister at the time.
"A local bigwig might want to drive a foreign car, but his status won't allow it," said Vladimir Sevastyanov, who has chauffeured Tekhnoservis' director for the past 12 years.
Even his boss prefers to drive a Volga to work, though he owns three foreign cars, including a Range Rover, Sevastyanov said…
The 1961 Volga on display at Tekhnoservis' stand at the motor show was custom-made for a high-ranking Communist Party member and now belongs to a wealthy client.
After a 10-month, $50,000 refit, the car is capable of traveling at speeds of up to 140 kilometers per hour with its 152-horsepower Toyota motor.
Another car displayed at the show was a 1971 Chaika that boasted a DVD player, automatic transition and rather conspicuous Bridgestone tires.
Tekhnoservis' clients are wealthy Russians who want to feel like vintage party bosses on the weekends, Zemskov said, without revealing any names. Tekhnoservis receives a handful of orders for overhauling classic cars every year — so far all of them from Russia.
(via Fark)
