GAZ-11-73 — Auto Legends of the USSR

The GAZ-11-73 was essentially a copy of the legendary GAZ-M1 “Emka”, but with different paintwork and a different engine. Production began in 1940, when manufacture of the GAZ-11 engine was established. Main production was curtailed in 1941 because large pressings made from cold-rolled sheet steel were unavailable during the war. A small number of additional cars were assembled after the war, mainly using leftover parts.

Production had been established just before the war, so almost all the cars were sent to the front, where they served as command vehicles for senior officers. The car performed reasonably well off-road despite lacking four-wheel drive. For camouflage, the vehicles were repainted in protective green, while chrome parts were either removed or painted over. In total, 1,250 GAZ-11-73s were assembled by 1948.