Intro: UAZ (Ulianovsk Automobile Plant) was established in August,1941 when a number of Russian companies were evacuated to the Volga region. ZIS was heading to Ulianovsk a small town along the Volga river. After the War production to civil vehicles started in the 1950s and the first self-developed commercial vehicle was introduced in 1954.
Later production of the GAZ-69 light-weight cross-country vehicles was taken over from GAZ. In 1959 the GAZ-69 was exported to 22 countries in the world.
In 1959 designing a new passenger vehicle was commenced to replace the ageing GAZ-69. In 1965 after thorough designers' work on the cab, suspension, axles final tests of UAZ-469 were performed, then the vehicle documentation was transferred to the engineering department. The UAZ-469 which was officially introduced in December, 1972 remained one of the key products for almost two decades.
In 1992 the company was restructured into an open joint-stock company "Ulyanovsky Avtomobilny Zavod".
Between 1996-2000 UAZ completed the first stage of modernizing the produced vehicles, having put to serial production the new UAZ-3160 jeep. Between 1998-2000 UAZ engineered the new UAZ-3162 "Simbir" long-base jeep. Serial production of the vehicle was started in January 2001. Sales of UAZ 3160, 3162 series never took off
In October, 2003 a new platform, based on the existing 3150-series was introduced with new suspension etc. First model off the platform is the 3150-derived 315195 Hunter, but the 3160-series has also been rearranged to fit into this new platform.
In April, 2004 the Simbir-based 2360 pick-up went on sale to partially replace the ageing 3909 pick-up series.
In the Summer of 2005 a modernized Simbir, called Patriot was launched.
UAZ now belongs to Severstal-Avto which recently bought the ZMA small car factory, where assembly of SsangYong products will commence at the end of 2005.