Kutaisky Avtomobilny Zavod

Kutaisi Auto Mechanical Plant (KAS) ( Russian Кутаисский автомобильный завод (КАЗ) ; Georgian ქუთაისის საავტომობილო ქარხანა , kutaissis saawtomobilo karchana; translated Kutaissier car plant, also abbreviated KAZ ) is a former commercial vehicle manufacturers of the Soviet Union . KAS was founded in 1951 in the city of Kutaisi in the Georgian SSR . In the same year, the production of trucks was started. In 1991 the production of motor vehicles was ended. A trade cooperation with MAN has existed since 2009 .

Truck models

A KAZ-4540 from the 1980s (2014)

Front view of the vehicle

KAZ-150

The first vehicle was the KAZ-150 truck, a slightly modified variant of the ZIS-150 , which had been manufactured in the Stalin factory (SIS, later SIL) in Moscow since 1947 . The components of the KAZ-150 were supplied by ZIS and assembled in Kutaisi. From 1961 KAS manufactured the parts itself.

Other models from the 1950s were the KAZ-585 and KAZ-600 tippers, which were very similar to the ZIS-MMZ-585 , and the KAZ-120T tractor unit , which was specially developed for the transport of cotton in combination with the KAZ-716 semi-trailer had been.

KAZ-606 and successor

The most frequently built truck by KAS was the KAZ-606 Kolchida , which was produced from 1958 to 1991 with its modifications and successor models KAZ-606A, KAZ-608 and KAZ-608B. The original version was a five-ton truck with a six-liter V8 engine that developed 140 hp (103 kW). The short wheelbase of the truck made it extremely manoeuvrable when negotiating mountain passes. In the 1980s, the types KAZ-4502 and KAZ-4540 were also produced.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ New Soviet trucks. In: Motor Vehicle Technology 4/1958, pp. 138-139.
2. ^ The automobile industry of the USSR in the seven-year plan from 1959 to 1965 . In: Motor Vehicle Technology 7/1959, pp. 275-279.

Web links

Commons : KAZ  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files