The GAZ-3115 is often called the "last real Volga", a car that could have given the domestic auto industry a new round of development. The project was created in the early 2000s as a modern D-class sedan with advanced technologies and characteristics, capable of competing with foreign counterparts. However, it never reached mass production, leaving the car in the status of a legend and a missed opportunity.
The idea of the GAZ-3115 arose after the closure of the GAZ-3111 project. The plant needed not just an update to the lineup, but a completely new car for the mass market after the cessation of production of "Moskvich". This is how a car appeared, less pretentious, but more technological and modern, with a reliable platform for future modifications.
In technical terms, the GAZ-3115 differed from its predecessors. Instead of the classic rear axle, engineers introduced an independent multi-link suspension, disc brakes on all wheels, rack and pinion steering and ABS. Under the hood of the basic version was a 16-valve ZMZ engine with a capacity of about 130 hp, with the potential for more powerful engines, including a V6. The car became more compact than the previous "Volga", but retained the signature visual "scale" with a large radiator grille and recognizable body plastic.
The main problem was the start of production. This required a large-scale modernization of the plant and investments of approximately one billion dollars. Even with optimistic calculations, the market price of the car would have to be about 10 thousand dollars, which made it too expensive for the mass buyer and not competitive enough compared to foreign models already present on the market.
Financial risks and the lack of government support played a key role. The fresh memory of the failure of the GAZ-3111 and the unstable economic situation of the early 2000s led to a conservative decision: to abandon its own modern sedan and look for an alternative through localization and adaptation of foreign platforms. The result was the Volga Siber, in fact a transitional compromise, almost losing touch with the classic philosophy of the brand.
The GAZ-3115 remained a symbol of a lost opportunity - a car that could have brought the brand into a new segment and become a rare example of a domestic D-class sedan with modern technology. The idea of the "last real Volga" lives on in the memory of car enthusiasts as a project with great potential, stopped by economic reality.
Today, the GAZ-3115 is remembered with nostalgia. The irony is that the concept of a large domestic D-class sedan may return, but in a new form. According to unofficial information, the basis for the future model under the Volga brand will be the Chinese Geely Preface, which emphasizes how economic and strategic realities have changed the path of the domestic auto industry.
