The Yugo was manufactured by Zastava Automobiles in the former Yugoslavia from 1980 to 2008, though U.S. sales were only between 1985 and 1992. The little car, based on a Fiat, was much maligned during its tenure in the U.S. mostly for its poor workmanship and reliability. Though more than 141,000 of them were sold in the States, only a few hundred are thought to exist today. The GLV, like the seller’s edition, was a GL with a little better trim. This is a project car that may come with all of the parts needed to get it back on the road.
Malcolm Bricklin, the famous businessman, thought there would be a market in the U.S. for an inexpensive import (aka cheap), so he managed to set up a fledgling dealer network to market the little vehicles. A Yugo was the cheapest new car you could buy in the U.S. at the time, which probably explains why so many we sold, with nearly 50,000 units in 1987 alone. Depending on model year, the cars were mostly powered by a carbureted inline-4 with a displacement of 1.1 liters (there were some 1.3-liter engines with EFI).
The AutoCheck report provided by the seller says the car was sold new in Memphis, Tennessee in early 1989. At an auction in 1994, the car had amassed 58,000 miles and that’s where the history ends. The seller bought it from a friend a few years ago to restore but never got around to doing it and put maybe another 3,000 miles on the odometer. The spark to do the work is no longer there, but the parts are. At a minimum, a new clutch needs to be installed (provided) and the parts cache coming with the Yugo are said to be worth $800.
While the interior looks good, the body has a few dents and dings which would warrant repair if perfection was your goal. But is perfection something anyone needs or wants out of a Yugo, which explains why the bidding is only $1,025 so far here on eBay. The car is in Greensboro, North Carolina, and will need to be trailered even though it sports new tires. If it doesn’t take a year’s worth of work or thousands of dollars to get this Yugo back out on the highway, you might have some fun with it at Cars & Coffee. After all, how many of these might show up?
So many questions. First (5) Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?
Exactly, why ? So many other worthwhile car projects for about the same $$$ money that are worthwhile. There was a movie a few years back, I don’t recall which one where they kept wrecking normal cop cars and were given a Yugo and told it was the finest in Serbo Croation Technology!
Yu(NO)Go was a “project’ the minute it left the assembly line!
Leslie Pluhar…Sept 22, 1989..lost control on 48MPH wind on the Mackinac Bridge..found the wreck 5 days later in 152′ of water…what a way to go…in a tin can!!!
The true story is that she hit a center gate which sent her out of control. Authorities state that wind had nothing to do with the tragic accident.
Can’t fault the Yugo too much. It sold like hotcakes in its brief life and the customer got everything they paid for!
Not really, between 1985 and 1992 there were 141,651 Yugoslav sold in the US, with 1987 being the pinnacle at 48,812. The highest selling car in 1987 was the Ford Escort at 382,360. If you want to include pickups that was the Ford F-series at 550,125.
Steve R
Just came to read all the nasty comments from people that never owned one but think it makes them look cool.
Agreed. I don’t even like them but I hate to see any car get put down, whether by a clueless buffoon or a self-appointed expert.
Oddly, i think it’s a lot harder to find a “Plymouth” Cricket or Arrow, or Hyundai Excel today.
Might b worth buyin just 2c if the COLD R12 a/c still works.
I didn’t know that 2 wipers were optional on these.
The 110 MPH speedometer showed a lot of optimism.
LOTS of optimism !!!
C’mon, get down to Earth, what do you mean? It could hit 100 easily. Also 90% of all cars’ speedometers, numbers are usually exaggerated way more in percentage numbers.
Who would be crazy enough to try to go 100mph in a Yugo, assuming you could?
Looks like a good starting point
Sold for a high bid of $1,200.
Steve R
Item sold on Fri, Oct 4 at 7:17 AM.
US $1,200.00
5 bids
Exactly, why ? So many other worthwhile car projects for about the same $$$ money that are worthwhile. There was a movie a few years back, I don’t recall which one where they kept wrecking normal cop cars and were given a Yugo and told it was the finest in Serbo Croation Technology!
So the design was “based on a Fiat” but, what? All the Fiat reliability was removed? Also, the photos do not show whether this had the handwarmer option, too much glare on the back window view.
The Yugo was based on the Fiat 128, as a shortened version of that platform using basically the same SOHC engines and transmissions as the 128 and X1/9, so many enthusiasts of those Fiat models also have a fondness for the Yugo due to the commonality of parts and familiar maintenance and hot-rodding techniques.
Gimme that $750 Nova or this!