Fiat made some amazing cars. So amazing that they sometimes licensed their designs to be produced outside of Italy, resulting in some of the most famous Soviet cars around. The Yugo is one such car. While it got more than its fair share of ridicule, if you’re looking for something unique, but still arguably practical and demonstrably cheap, you can’t do much better than this. Low kilometers, no rust, recent import, and everything works. You can find it here on craigslist with a clean Ohio title. Special thanks to Pat L and Jim C for both letting us know about it!
Fresh off the boat from Slovenia, this Mexico blue Koral 55 features an engine from the Zastava 101, displacing about a liter, and driving the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. They don’t include any images under the hood, but I feel that it’s necessary to dispel any rumors that this car is powered by a 6 horsepower Briggs and Stratton. The seller states it will do the highway just fine, and while I agree with that, you won’t be doing any Plaid launches in this. Not that anyone needs that amount of power, just don’t expect to win any stoplight drag races. Although it will do 300 hectares on a single tank of kerosene.
They say there is no rust, and looking at the doorjambs and panel alignment, I’d say that’s a fairly accurate assessment. This Yugo is clean, and ready to motor around for as long as you’re able and willing to put in the maintenance. With something like this, you can’t just roll it into your local Yugo dealer, so this is as much an exercise in building and maintaining friendships with other like-minded people who decided that a cheap Soviet hatchback was the correct car to own and drive. There are online options for parts, but you’re probably going to get the most use out of eBay.
Inside looks like brand new. The dashboard is free of cracks and dings, the carpet is clean, and the seats have no rips or stains on them. All the trim is there, the original class is crystal clear, and the more you look at this car, you have to sit and admire that the original owner of this took such good care of it. It’s remarkable that it’s in the shape that it’s in, and that is what makes this car special. Who saves a Yugo? Someone who has unique taste and admirable patience.
Why on earth would anyone actually import a Yugo? Too bad they don’t have any under hood shots. I’m curious to know if they fitted throttle body injection in the domestic market or kept the carburetor. At least you will have one of one in the USA bragging rights because I can’t see anyone else importing another.
Maybe the Slavanian seller paid this seller $5000 to take it.
I don’t care how nice this is, or even if it’s a “one-off”. $7500 for a Yugo? I know the world is in a tilt right now, but $7500 for a car that cost maybe $2500 new and was a ripoff at that?
The seller is probably basing his asking price on this sale.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1986-yugo-gv/
My 1986 White Ford Escort Pony hatch back 4 speed is better than this.
Imma need a head-to-head matchup to confirm Charle’s claim
I’m goin with the Escort!
I’m putting my money on the Escort also!
The Escort wins!
Finally, this comment finds a proper home!
If you say the same stupid comment over and over again for every write up, eventually it will finally make sense.
These are some what collectible now that loudmouth Rawlins sold one a few years ago. My wife had one new. She said it was the absolute biggest POS she ever owned. He says this car can cruise the interstates. My 73 Corvette struggles to keep up with today’s 4 cyl cars. Like today on Rt 81 driving home from Corvettes at Carlisle. I am driving at 75 mph with engine screaming. Honda Civics blew me away. Interstate driving for this turd? Yeah on the back of a Kenworth.
Why you call this a turd? A smog motor 1973 Corvette is a nothing car that every one just walks by at car shows. The Yugo was never made for interstate driving for hours at 75 miles an hour. It was a local commuter car. It will drive the posted speed limit of 60 – 65 fine. Just because you don’t care for it doesn’t mean it is a turd. You are so much a typical narrow minded Corvette owner and that is why I don’t hang around with other Corvette owners.
Couple of typos – FIAT provided engineering and ‘tech’ – but this was never a FIAT model and Yugoslavia (as it was known) wasn’t part of the Soviet Union
Yugo/Zastava was not a Soviet car company, they were from the former Yugoslavia, built in Kragujevac, Serbia. You’ll note that Yugoslavia was never part of the Soviet Union and often played the Soviets and Americans against one another.
Didn’t the Yugo need a timing belt every 30k miles? Can you even still get one?
Yes, that’s true. It has an “interference engine”, like many other such cars. Some people never changed the belts, and the engines failed. Then again, some never changed the oil, or even *checked* the oil, assuming the low purchase price meant that the car was somehow “disposable” (!). These are tough, rugged and reliable cars with normal maintenance, and their only problem was they were sold too cheaply.
I have a true, and sad YUGO story.
One of my co-workers took her YUGO over Michigan’s Mackinaw Bridge, a magnificent but at times subject to gale force winds.
When she attenpted to cross the deck winds forced her YUGO up and over the curb onto guard rail.
In an apparent and obvious panic she must have hit gas and rode the guard rail over the huge cable., eventually plunging several hundred feet (?) to her death.
This is the only car to ever had this happen, I believe.
She was a wonderful person! (Please check out the Mackinaw Bridge site to experience it. …
Maybe if you shot some speed holes in it…
Yugo right to a cliff and put a brick on the gas pedal…
I’d pretty much rather ride a bicycle, or walk. Or stay home.
“This posting has been deleted by its author. ” In other words…. SOLD! Apparently somebody thought it was worth the price…. Didn’t even take very long to find that somebody!
Located in Cleveland, OH