IMZ-NAMI-A50 Belka

This scale model of the Belka microcar faithfully reproduces the real concept car, which could not be put into production for practical reasons. The IMZ-NAMI-A50 Belka was developed by specialists at the Irbit Motorcycle Plant with support from NAMI.

The first prototype was delivered to Moscow on 16 November 1955. Its development followed the motto '5×5': seating for five, a weight of 500 kg, fuel consumption within 5 litres per 100 km, a 0.5-litre engine and a range of 500 km on one tank. In practice, none of these targets was achieved.

Many interesting legends surround this little car. Unconfirmed stories claim that Roma coppersmiths from a camp near Irbit were invited to make the body panels. There are also accounts that Nikita Khrushchev included the car in the state plan only after seeing photographs of it fording the Nitsa River.