ZIL - Zavod imjeni Likchaceva (Ivan Likchacev was a director of the works and later became Minister of Transport and Highways).

AMO ZiL, more commonly called ZiL , was a major Russian automobile, truck, military vehicle, and heavy equipment manufacturer that was based in Moscow, Russia. The factory was founded on 2nd August 1916 as the Moscow Automotive Society or AMO.  After the final ZiL limousine was built in 2012, the Moscow factory administration stopped truck production and the company was declared bankrupt in 2013. Now ZiL still exists as a legal entity, but produces no vehicles.

In 1929—1931, the factory changed its name to Automotive Factory No. 2 Zavod Imeni Stalina (ZIS or ZiS). After Nikita Khrushchev denounced the cult of personality of Joseph Stalin in 1956, the name was changed again to Zavod imeni Likhachyova, after its former director Ivan Likhachev.

 

Headquarters Moscow, Russia

4104 1980

The ZIL-4104 was a limousine built by ZIL from the late 1970s to the early 1980s, when it served as the transport of the elite of the Soviet Union. It is estimated that no more than fifty cars were produced each year.

Originally designated ZIL-115, the ZIL-4104 was an update of the ZIL-114 with which it shared the same chassis and over half its mechanical components. Despite sharing the same chassis, the ZIL-4104 was as much as 314 kg heavier than the 114.

Mechanically, the ZIL-4104 also improved on the 114. The pushrod V8 engine of the 114 had its capacity increased from 6959 cc  to 7695 cc, which was throughout the model's lifespan one of the world's biggest passenger-car engines (Cadillac produced a 7,730 cc engine, enlarged to 8200 cc). This engine developed 315 hp SAE Gross at 4400 revs per minute and a substantial 608 N⋅m at 2500 rpm. The car weighs 3400 kg.

Among its special features were special laminated windscreen and triple-layered windows, supposedly offering protection from radiation in case of nuclear attack, plus duplicated systems, including dual ignition, two 74-amp batteries in parallel, and two fuel pumps.

The console and dash were covered with Karelian birch 10 mm thick, and the rear seat controlled radio (a Riga receiver), power windows, heater, and air conditioner; in the console in front was a Vilma cassette player.

By 1984, a new three-speed automatic transmission had replaced the much outdated two-speed type that had been used by ZIL dating back to the first ZIL-111 in 1958.

As official state cars, the ZIL-4104s were "built under conditions of strict secrecy" and were "maintained in closed garages by a special division of the KGB", with everyone involved in building and servicing them sworn to secrecy.

Zil 4104 (youtube.com)

1918-1931

1931-1936

1936=1945

1945-1956

1956-1965

1965-1967

1967-1971

1971-1987

1987-2012

2012-2020