Lada Gnome / VAZ 1151

The VAZ 1151 Gnome concept car was developed in 1990 and unveiled at the Moscow Motor Show in 1992.

This miniature city hatchback, just 2.65 metres long, featured a 2+2 seating layout, with two adult seats in the front and two reduced “children’s” seats in the rear. The car’s curb weight was 490 kg.

The VAZ 1151 Gnome was built using components and assemblies from the ‘Oka’, including its two-cylinder carbureted engine with a displacement of 649 cc and an output of 30 hp. The expected top speed was set at 140 km/h.

It was originally planned to put the car into series production, with one option involving assembly at the facilities of the Teza company in the town of Shuya in the Ivanovo region.

The concept allowed for further variations, including a pickup version, as well as an open beach model developed under the separate name Elf. On April 25, 1996, both the Gnome and the electric Elf were displayed at the 66th International Automobile Salon in Turin, Italy.

However, the project was ultimately never realised due to a lack of investment. The prototype was sold to Deutsche Lada, and the technical documentation of the micro-car was put up for auction at the Togliatti Universal Exchange.

Lada Gnome-Electro

In the early 1990s, an electric vehicle called the Gnome-Electro was developed on the Gnome platform. Its curb weight, including the NKP-90 battery pack, was 1,300 kg.

The driving range at a constant speed of 40 km/h was 110 km, while the top speed reached 90 km/h. The car was demonstrated at the Turin Motor Show in 1996.

Remaining a one-off concept, the Gnome is currently on display at the AvtoVAZ museum in Tolyatti.