Latest news with #Zastava
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I own one of the last 'worst cars in history' and I love it! I can't wait to see the new one that's coming out...
There are many reasons why people buy classic cars. Nostalgia is one, as drivers source older motors they drove or family members owned in the past - or vehicles they pined over as youngsters but couldn't afford at the time. Then there's the investment opportunity involved, with some models soaring in value as numbers dwindle and collectors scramble to get their hands on surviving examples. And some simply want to continue using cars from yesteryear that are more engaging to drive and far easier to repair than tech-laden modern vehicles in showrooms today. However, one of the less common justifications for acquiring an old motor is that it is widely considered the 'worst car in history'. But that's what Allan Smyes, 50, did five years ago when he took ownership of a Yugo 45 - a comically cheap small car from the 1980s that was made in the former Yugoslavia and earned the unwanted moniker. With the infamous Eastern Bloc name set to make a return as part of a Yugo Automobile relaunch before the end of the decade, Allan tells us if the original is as bad as everyone believes... With the Yugo brand set to make a dramatic comeback, Allan gives his verdict to This is Money on the former Yugoslavian manufacturer's return to the market Allan, 50, from just outside York, is the proud keeper of a 1988 Zastava Yugo 45. Available in the UK from 1981 for around £3,000, the Yugoslavian motor significantly undercut rivals of the era, like the Austin Mini Metro, Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Nova. Zastava sold around 3,000 units per annum in Britain in the initial years, with tens of thousands snapped up at the tempting budget price. But few survive today. Do you have a funny Yugo tale? We want to hear from you... If you - or a family member or friend - previously owned a Yugo, we want to hear your stories. Email Include your name, age, when you owned the car and any tales you have about living with a Yugo. And please attach any images of your Yugo if you have them. In fact, Allan believes his car is one of just two examples remaining after 'they all rotted away' over the last four decades. However, Yugos might not be a rare sight on our roads for too much longer... Earlier this year, German entrepreneur Dr. Aleksandar Bjelić confirmed he had not only bought the rights to the Yugo name but has his foot firmly on the throttle to bring it back to life before the end of the decade. The first car in the reborn Yugo Automobile line-up will be a compact three-door hatchback called Siaj - a modern-day representation of the Yugo 45 that promises to retain its budget-friendly ethos. And another five Yugos are in the pipeline, including a two-seat roadster and an SUV, Bjelić exclusively confirmed to This is Money. Bjelić says the first 'new' Yugo will be this Siaj - a three-door hatchback that's the modern-day successor to the original 45. It will cost under €20,000 (£17,000) 'It would be great if the name does return - I think it's a brilliant idea,' Allan told us, as he referenced other car makers bringing back former names in recent years. 'Look at what Renault has done recently with the 5. Even when they've turned it electric it's been a huge success. 'The new Yugo could do the same. It looks really quirky and will be totally different to the cars on the market at the moment.' But can it really succeed with the original's 'worst car in history' reputation hanging over it like a dark cloud? Allan believes so. 'I think the people who made fun of it back in the day will understand what Yugos are all about these days. 'If it retains the same characteristics as the original, I think more drivers will appreciate it as a cheapish form of motoring – though it all depends on how well built it is.' He tells us that his Yugo attracts plenty of attention from the driving public whenever he uses it - which is sparingly. 'I can turn up to a petrol station in mine and pull up alongside a Ferrari or a Lamborghini and everyone wants to ask about the Yugo. 'You just don't see them anymore, but everyone remembers them and wants to tell you their tales about friends or family who had one.' Allan, who works in the motor trade, has fastidiously cherished his Yugo, which he says he's fallen in love with since buying it from a friend a few years ago We asked Allan if the original Yugo deserves to carry the dismal reputation given to it. 'If you would have asked me this in the 1980s I would have probably agreed, but I wouldn't say it's the worst car in history now that I have one and appreciate it for exactly what it is. 'They really were basic transport with no frills. Maybe people expected too much from them. 'I love mine, partly because it's so clunky and poorly built,' Allan tells us. 'Mine is a sea of caramel inside. The interior looks like a Caramac bar! It's all one colour inside. It's glorious but in an awful way. 'It has a factory-fitted bodykit, but it's literally just riveted onto the bottom of the bumper. It flaps around like crazy at speed - that's how badly made they were. 'Fortunately, it's been stored inside all its life. Had it lived outside or been used a lot on salty roads, I doubt it would still be here. They all rotted away.' Allan tells us that he can pull up to a petrol station next to a Ferrari and more people will flock to the Yugo to tell him their stories about the car from the past The Yugo 45 arrived in the UK in 1981 as a rebodied Fiat 127 with a simple box shape penned by famed styling house ItalDesign and a crude cabin. Under the bonnet was a choice of three Fiat petrol engines, all modest capacities from 903cc to 1,301cc. It even sold a 'convertible' variant with a power roof While Allan says tens of thousands Yugos sold in Britain in the 1980s rotted away, but his has always been stored inside and covered very low mileage, making it one of the best survivors there is So, what's it like to drive? 'It's slow,' he chuckles. 'It can do 70 but it only has a four-speed gearbox, so it would be a push. 'It's comfortable at 60mph but you wouldn't want to do much faster – and you certainly wouldn't want to hit anything!' The Yugo 45 arrived in the UK in 1981 as a rebodied Fiat 127 with a simple box shape penned by famed styling house ItalDesign and a crude cabin. Under the bonnet was a choice of three Fiat petrol engines, all modest capacities from 903cc to 1,301cc. It even sold a 'convertible' variant with a power roof. And it was seriously cheap. By the time UK imports ceased in 1991 due to the outbreak of the Yugoslav civil war, dealers were desperately offloading them at a remarkably low price of just £2,795 - that's the equivalent of just £8,600 today. The Yugo was also sold in the US, with 142,000 registered on the other side of the Atlantic between 1985 and 1992. Costing just $4,000, it was instantly renowned for being poorly engineered, ugly, and rudimentary. It rapidly became the butt of every automotive joke, as detailed in Jason Vuic's 2010 book The Yugo: The Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History, which explains: 'Six months after its American introduction in 1985, the Yugo had become a punch line; within a year, it was a staple of late-night comedy.' Allan's Yugo 45 parked alongside a Yugo Sana - the model that followed it, which was based on the Fiat Uno Allan, who buys and sells cars into the trade, is a keen motor collector. But he likes vehicles with a difference - which explains the Yugo's place in his garage. 'I like older cars but particularly those that weren't particularly loved back in the day. I have a collection of old random things.' And random they are. 'I've got a Skoda Estelle, a couple of Metros, two Rover 75s, Talbot Alpine, Peugeot 106, Vauxhall Cavalier, Citroen BX. In total, I have about 25 cars and it's a real mix,' he tells us as he struggles to recall the mass of motors he has locked away. 'The Yugo is one of my favourites. It only needs basic maintenance; if something goes wrong, I can fix myself. And, touch wood, since I've had it, the car's been really reliable.' 'They really were basic transport with no frills. Maybe people expected too much from them. 'I love mine, partly because it's so clunky and poorly built,' Allan told us The basic instrument cluster shows the Yugo's mere 8,000-mile history By the time UK Yugo imports ceased in 1991 due to the outbreak of the Yugoslav civil war, dealers were desperately offloading them at a remarkably low price of just £2,795 - that's the equivalent of just £8,600 today Did you - or a family member - own a Yugo in the eighties or nineties? We want to hear your stories about the much-maligned motor... Allan tells us that his Yugo was first owned by a lady called Christine for 25 years, who bought it new to replace her Mini that was written off outside her home in 1988. 'I'm still in regular contact with Christine who likes to checks up on the car,' he says. 'Every year, she sends me a Christmas card for the Yugo. She calls it Ruby.' When Christine decided to give up driving due to ill health in 2013, she donated her Yugo to Stondon Transport Museum in Henlow, Bedfordshire, free of charge with a mere 8,000 miles on the clock. It was displayed for two years before the museum closed in 2015 and one of Allan's friends - and another car collector - snapped it up for £3,500. When they moved overseas In 2020, Allan added 'F94 GFJ' to his collection and has cherished it ever since. 'I've put about 700 to 800 miles on it in the last five years,' he says. 'It's one of those cars you quickly fall in love with.' If you - or a family member or friend - previously owned a Yugo, we want to hear from you. Email with your name, age, when you owned the car and any tales you have about it. And please attach any images of your Yugo if you have them. Want to see more forgettable and mundane motors from the past? This is a car show you'll LOVE... If you're a fan of mundane cars from the past, then there's an annual UK motor show that will be right up your street. 2025 marks the 11th year of Hagerty's Festival of the Unexceptional - the only event to celebrate the brilliance of basic when it comes to forgotten vehicles from yesteryear. This year's even takes place on 26 July at Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire. It hosts the cars you won't find in glossy auction catalogues. Instead, it's dedicated to motors adults will relate to, because they either owned them, or our parents owned them, in the past. The event is a celebration of the ordinary automobiles, commuter cars, repmobiles and family motors of the 1970s, '80s and '90s. And there's even a 'Concours de l'Ordinaire' - an award ceremony for the best motor on display.
Daily Mail
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
America's worst car, which once served as a cautionary tale for automakers, is making a comeback
A dirt-cheap car practically laughed out of the US decades ago is making a surprise comeback Yugo, a two-door European hatchback that ceased US sales in the 1990s, just released pictures of an upcoming model. The company hasn't produced any vehicles since 2008. The potential revival comes after decades as an American punchline. In the 1980s, Yugo hit US dealerships with huge fanfare. The hatchback was a simple, small car that boasted a sub-$4,000 price and a tiny engine. At the time, America was going through a historic bout of inflation and huge gas shortages caused by geopolitical tensions. The car sounded revolutionary on paper — a no-frills commuter with the pricetag of a clunky TV that competed with large American gas guzzlers. Built by a European firm called Zastava in a factory with Cold War-era tooling and limited quality control, the Yugo was based on an old Fiat engine and came with equally dated engineering. The company's brand image fell apart once rubber met US roads. Yugos were famously unreliable, unsafe, and frighteningly slow. Drivers even reported that the car struggled to start in cold temperatures, and the company's reputation crumbled under the weight of blistering punchlines and poor press. American economic sanctions in the mid-1990s against the communist regime of Yugoslavia, the home country for the car, was the final death knell for the hatch's American sales. For years, Yugo has remained a cautionary tale in the American automotive industry, as brands attempted to avoid being labeled 'cheap.' But Yugo's potential revival, which expects to produce a full-scale model in 2027, comes at an equally fractious time. The globe has struggled with massive inflationary pressures in the aftermath of pandemic-era supply chain struggles, and many cars have become too expensive for consumers. Last year, the average American financed $48,000 for a new vehicle. Over 70 percent of Americans make less than $100,000. Financial experts say most Americans should have monthly bills of $400 or less on their cars, but the current market has pushed the average monthly cost for a new car over $700. The company said it will keep the famous vehicle's two-door hatch style with new modern touches The car is available with both automatic and manual transmissions and may have some 'electrified' powertrains The Yugo might not come to the US - but the car company has a long American history The Yugo came to the US in the 1980s with a ton of fanfare - but the car was practically lauched out of the market following years of terrible reviews Yugo hopes to slot back into the expensive car conversation with another small, cheap model. But this time, it is hoping to catch headlines for bringing back a car that actually caters to consumer demands. The new Yugo will have a combustion engine, an option for a manual gearbox, and just two doors. The company has not announced plans to bring the vehicle to the US, and will likely face President Donald Trump's 25 percent tariffs if they try. But the company is hoping to get ahead of other carmakers that are starting to scale back growingly unpopular and expensive tech. Volkswagen just announced that it will scale back its attempts to digitize interior climate controls, while Ford filed patents to bring manual transmissions to EVs. Slate, an EV pickup company with funding from Jeff Bezos, is also .
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
The 'worst car in history' is set to return: Infamous cheap 1980s model is making a dramatic comeback
Wind the clock back to the early 1980s and drivers of a certain vintage will recall a car entering the UK market with big ambitions and a bargain price tag of just £3,000. While it undercut rivals of the era like the Austin Metro and Ford Fiesta during a pivotal period when Britain was in the depths of recession, it still managed to spectacularly fail - and hasn't generated much of a nostalgic collector fanbase since. Flimsy, poorly made, unreliable and noticeably dated compared to the opposition, its laughable affordability was arguably its only redeeming factor. While thousands per year were initially snapped up, DVLA records show just seven remain on the road today, which is testament to its infamously terrible build quality. But the name is set to make a dramatic return. The project, spearheaded by a Serbian university professor, has been revealed this month as the first step in his plan to bring it back to the market in 2027... Do you remember this infamous 1980s cheap motor? It is widely reconginised as one of the worst cars ever sold in Britain. But in the next two years, its name is being reborn... The car in question is the Zastava Yugo - widely considered one of the biggest automotive travesties ever sold in Britain. There's even a book dedicated to it called: The Yugo: The Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History. The Yugoslavian brand - hence the name - introduced the Yugo 45 to the UK market in 1981, as a rebodied Fiat 127 with a simple box shape penned by famed styling house ItalDesign. It borrowed the Italian manufacturer's engine line-up too, selling with a choice of three petrol options of varying capacity, from 903cc to 1,301cc, carried over from Fiat's 128. It even sold a 'convertible' variant with a power roof. And it was seriously cheap. The Eastern Bloc product cost as little as £2,795 by the time imports ceased in 1991 when the Yugoslav Wars broke out, making it by far the least expensive new car sold in Britain. And it even made it across the Atlantic to the US, where it too bombed in terms of sales despite being the cheapest thing on American soil with four wheels. Get £20 off an MOT: This is Money Motoring Club The This is Money Motoring Club is designed to make car ownership cheaper and simpler for This is Money and MailOnline readers. Powered by MotorEasy it's the place to keep on top of tax, MOTs and servicing - and manage important documents and receipts that keep your car's value. You can also save money on maintenance and repairs. All new members will receive a one-off gift of £20 in reward vouchers to spend. You can use this for a raft of motoring discounts, including getting £20 off an MOT with one of MotorEasy's listed providers. At the height of popularity in its early days, Zastava sold around 3,000 units per year in the UK. Some 794,428 Yugos were produced in total, though only a fraction of these were sold in Britain. By 2018, official registrations data showed just 19 still on the road. Half a decade later, UK numbers dwindled to just nine - and today there are only seven remaining. In 1997, one example came to a grizzly end when cavalry officer Hew Kennedy and his friend Richard Barr built a replica 13th century catapult - known as a trebuchet - and, to showcase its slinging capacity, attached a red Yugo. The pair had spent £12,000 building the catapult at Acton Round, near Bridgnorth, Shopshire, to settle an argument about whether a weapon could be produced for laying siege to castles. It effectively launched the Zastava through the air, obliterating it when it eventually hit the ground - as you can see in the footage below (skip forward to 2 minutes to see the Yugo being flung tens of metres into the sky). The Zastava car factory in the central Serbian town of Kragujevac, some 75 miles from the capital Belgrade, was heavily damaged during air strikes in 1999 Incredibly, Zastava's Koral (the name given for the domestic market) stayed in production in its Serbian home market until 2008 before the final model rolled off the assembly line on 21 November that year. A decade later, Group Zastava Vehicles and its subsidiaries entered a bankruptcy procedure. But the name Yugo is now set to embark on a dramatic return... Yugo reborn Debuted earlier this month at the Car Design Event 2025, in Munich, Yugo Automobile unveiled its 1:5-scale vision for what the Yugo could look like some 35 years after it vanished from Britain's showrooms. The company - and owner of the Yugo naming rights - is Dr Alekasandar Bjelić, a university professor with links to the automotive industry in Germany and an ambitious relaunch vision. Alongside Serbian designer Darko Marčeta, the pair showcased how the eighties-inspired supermini might look. The styling compact car features slim LED lights front and rear, large alloy wheels and squared haunches more befitting of a period hot hatch rather than the basic, utilitarian runaround sharing the same name. A fully working prototype has been promised for the Belgrade Expo in 2027 Bjelić says it will initially be sold as an 'affordable' two-door model, though there is potential for 'different body versions' to follow. To keep costs down, it will - if all goes to plan - debut with a petrol engine and choice of manual or automatic gearboxes. However, Yugo Automobile also says 'electrified versions are possible'. Promising a 'fun-to-drive car' that 'meets all relevant safety standards,' Yugo Automobiles hints that it will use a shared platform borrowed from a 'cooperation partner'. A fully working prototype has been promised for the Belgrade Expo in 2027. Given the original Yugo is widely considered one of the worst cars ever to be sold in Britain, surely the only way is up for Bjelić's project.
The Sun
08-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
First look at 80s-inspired supermini being brought back to life almost 20 YEARS after long-forgotten carmaker went bust
A LONG-forgotten car brand has returned after decades away with an 80s-inspired supermini. Zastava Yugo, most commonly marketed as Yugo, was originally designed as a shortened version of the Fiat 128. 2 2 Its production began in the 1980s and ceased in 2008. The fresh vehicle - revealed as a 1:5 scale model at Car Design Event in Munich, has drawn inspiration from the Fiat's model. Dr Aleksandar Bjelić, a Serbian professor, has enlisted compatriot designer Darko Marčeta, who has lifted the lid on what the future Yugo will look like. The latter's eye-catching design will give the Yugo a modern aesthetic - complete with slim LED lights front and rear, bulky alloy wheels and flush-fitting door handles. As more brands announce plans to introduce cheap entry-level EVs to encourage motorists to make the switch away from petrol and diesel cars, the revival of Yugo couldn't be more timely. For those not ready to make the switch just yet, the upcoming Yugo will be available in either a petrol or electric powertrain. The owner hopes to launch the new hatchback in 2027, but plans to introduce the car to the UK remain unknown. Serbia to Mount Kilimanjaro. The trip is a recreation of one originally made by the company in 1975. ENGINE RESTART It comes after a huge car brand looks set to be brought back after 14 years with an "entirely new vehicle" that will rival one major off-roader. Flying car wows Clarkson, Hammond and May on Grand Tour episode The sparkling set of wheels is catching the attention of off-roaders now the Chinese-funded motor is back on the scene. Spanish 4x4 manufacturer Santana has been given a new lease of life thanks to backing from Chinese firm Zhengzhou Nissan. Together they have produced a brand spanking new model which offers a choice of diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains. The motor is "designed for -if-road enthusiasts" and is said to contend with the iconic Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster - a rugged, trusty pick-up truck. Information about Santana's new vehicle has been kept very hush-hush with images simply showing a cloaked car. The sultry silhouette of the motor teases its chunky shape, but that's about it. Santana promised fans it would reveal the entire model range at the end of 2-25. The motors are being produced in the former Santana plant in Linares, Spain. Spain a couple of years later.
Top Gear
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Hold onto your cevapi: the Yugo is back, and it'll get a manual gearbox
Retro The Eastern European cult hero is back, and it'll be an affordable, petrol-powered three-door hatchback Skip 9 photos in the image carousel and continue reading They will be partying on the streets of Kragujevac tonight, because the Yugo is back. Yep, entrepreneur, engineer, automotive exec and university professor Dr. Aleksandar Bjelić has acquired the naming rights to Zastava's communist cult hero, and he's teamed up with Serbian designer Darko Marčeta to produce this 1:5 scale model that previews a future production car. Looks super cool, doesn't it? That's possibly the first time anyone has ever described a Yugo in that way, but we're seeing a retrotastic cross between a Lancia Delta Integrale and a modern-day Hyundai Ioniq 5. Advertisement - Page continues below And don't worry, because the Yugo isn't about to become yet another identikit crossover. The newly formed Yugo Automobile showed off its model at the Car Design Event 2025 and said that the production car would be a B-segment hatchback, so it'll rival things like the Toyota Yaris, the Renault Clio and the Volkswagen Polo. It will also be a three-door! Its makers say that the layout 'underscores the affordability and the sportiness of the new model'. This is sounding excellent. It gets better too. The new Yugo will apparently launch with combustion engines and a choice of either manual or automatic gearboxes. A small, affordable manual hatchback in this day and age? Hurrah! We're also told 'electrified versions are possible, as well as different body versions'. Reborn Yugo Cabrio? Yes please. You might like Despite being launched in 1980 using shortened Fiat 128 underpinnings, production of the original Yugo in Kragujevac continued all the way through to 2008. Almost 800,000 were built in total, with the dinky hatch providing basic, affordable transportation for the masses. Also provided the punchline to many, many jokes. This new one shouldn't be, though. In fact, the next step will apparently be the 'announcement of a sporty derivative' alongside further technical details at CDE Classic later in the year. We'll then be treated to a fully functioning prototype at the 2027 Belgrade Expo. Fingers crossed it has slightly more than the 45 horsepower of early original Yugos. Advertisement - Page continues below Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
