AZLK Moskvitch Moskvitch 408 (diecast 1:43, Agat)

This is Moskvitch 408 in scale 1:43. The model is made by Agat after the fall of The Soviet Union. The model has working suspension and the hood opens.
The development of the Moskvitch 408 began in 1959 and the first cars rolled off the production line in 1964. Four prototypes were created between 1961 and 1963 with pre-production cars being built in 1963. This was one of the first Soviet vehicles to undergo a frontal crash test and to be fitted with front seat belts.

The car was widely exported both to Eastern Bloc countries and to the West. The car exported to Western Countries was called the Moskvitch Elite in some countries, Scandinavia for example. In 1968 55% of the output of the 408 was exported. Buyers in the West were attracted by the build quality and equipment level available on a car which sold at a lower price than any competitor of the same size.

At its launch the car looked up to date with it’s three box styling and 13 inch road wheels. Until 1969 there were two and four headlight versions with four headlights being more common on export cars. In 1969 a facelift design was introduced for both the 408 and 412 . A modified front end with rectangular headlights , new sidelights and radiator grille was adopted. To the rear the tail lights were made horizontal not vertical as they had been since 1964. By 1973 the interior of the 408 was upgraded to that used till then in the 412. By this time the car was competing against the recently introduced AvtoVaz 2101.

The car was launched with an engine derived from that fitted to the 403 it replaced. The engine was 1.3 litres but was an ageing design though it could still power the car to over 70 miles per hour.

The car was built in several variants including those built to export specifications, those specially built for hot climates, and right hand drive cars.

The popularity of the car in Western Europe is underlined by fact that Dinky France introduced a model of this car in 1968. This was also made for Atlas in their series of Dinky Replicas.