Russia revives Soviet-era Moskvich brand with Chinese model

A view shows a car under the Soviet-era brand Moskvich during a ceremony marking the launch of the production at the Moscow Automobile Factory Moskvich in Moscow, Russia, November 23, 2022. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

After a two-decade hiatus, Russia on Wednesday launched production of the Moskvich car brand at a plant near Moscow given up by the French carmaker Renault, with a new, modern Chinese design that barely resembles the Soviet-era classic.

While the last Moskvich ("Muscovite") was a basic three-box saloon or pedestrian hatchback, the Moskvich 3 is a muscular-looking petrol-powered crossover hatchback with alloy wheels, LED slit-headlights and a large central touchscreen display.