In the early 1990s, the Gorky Automobile Plant launched the production of the model 31029 car. The body of the car combined elements of the more expensive Volga 3102 and the original design of the front part using Gazelle, a promising light at the time. The machine created at an emergency pace turned out to be quite successful and allowed the plant to stay afloat in difficult years.
New restyling of the GAZ-31029 sedan
By the mid-90s, interest in the base model began to decline. The quality of the machines and components was low, the body was not resistant to corrosion. A growing role was played by the growing import of used cars, against which GAZ products looked clearly outdated.
Due to the good demand for Gazelle in the second half of the 90s, the plant had working capital. Due to this money, modernization of the production of cars took place.
The transition to the new model under the GAZ-31 10 Volga index began in stages from the end of 1996. Transitional versions in the back of the previous model were equipped with new front wheel brakes, power steering, new 15-inch wheels and other components.
Hybrid cars were produced for some time, in them a completely new body and interior were combined with the front end from the GAZ-31029. There were very few such cars. The fully updated GAZ-31 10 began to be assembled in May 1997.
New look
The designers of the plant had a difficult task - to get a new look for the car while maintaining the central part of the body. The front of the car received new wings, a hood, a front panel with a grille. It was not possible to introduce new headlights on the Volga 31 10, so they remained from the previous model.
The rear of the car has changed a lot. The new rear of the GAZ-31 10 was shorter than its predecessor by almost 10 cm. Due to the rounded corners, it was possible to visually narrow the silhouette of the car, eliminating the feeling of heaviness. The boot lid was brought almost to the edge of the bumper. This solution allowed to reduce the loading height and facilitate loading and unloading of the luggage compartment.
But such changes did not leave room for a spare wheel in the wing niche. The spare wheel was transferred to a stand deep in the boot. This arrangement of the wheel greatly reduced the boot volume of the Volga 31 10. But the volume of the gas tank increased to 70 liters. Some cars were equipped with an old tank of 55 liters.
New salon
Big changes have occurred in the car. The car received a new instrument panel with a housing made of soft plastic. The instrument cluster was equipped with a tachometer, which had never before been on serial GAZ cars. The new steering wheel could theoretically be equipped with an airbag. But not a single GAZ-31 10 was equipped with it. One thing remains unchanged - the steering column with a lateral shift relative to the instrument cluster.
The salon was equipped with seats of a modified form with the possibility of adjustment on the driver's seat of lumbar support. Molded door cards began to be made of plastic, although the early GAZ-31 10 could have old cards from the previous model.
Engine and transmission
The new Volga also received a new engine. The new ZMZ-406 engine made it possible to significantly improve the technical characteristics of the GAZ-31 10. The engine was equipped with four valves per cylinder, a fuel injection system and developed up to 150 forces (later corrected by 145 hp). It is worth noting that a small part of the GAZ-31 029 in 1996-1997 was already equipped with such a motor.
Part of the GAZ-31 10 was equipped with an old carburetor engine ZMZ-402. The motor existed in two versions, differing in the degree of compression. A92 gasoline engine developed up to 100 hp, derated version for A80 - no more than 90 hp It had a simpler design and was easier to repair and maintain. These circumstances led to its high popularity among buyers.
Both engine options were equipped with a new five-speed gearbox with synchronizers in all forward gears. Optionally, the machine was equipped with power steering, front disc brakes of an improved design and a new rear axle. The latter received a construction with a continuous crankcase and was popularly called the "Tchaikovsky".
To improve manageability, the designers changed the angles of inclination of the front suspension units and applied tires with a larger tread width.
Subsequent upgrades
In 2000, the car received new plastic bumpers with body-colored elements and a chrome trim on the top. A year later, the technological process of painting was improved and metallic paint was introduced into the color gamut. In the spring of 2003, the king pin was removed from the front suspension, replacing them with ball bearings.
Further changes in design and construction led to the appearance in 2004 of the next modernized Volga GAZ-31105. With the beginning of the release of this version, the production of the GAZ-31 10 ceased.