[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/supercars\/russias-first-supercar\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/supercars\/russias-first-supercar\/","headline":"RUSSIA’S FIRST SUPERCAR?","name":"RUSSIA’S FIRST SUPERCAR?","description":"The tale of the Lada Raven is a somewhat curious tale; forums have been awash with users proclaiming their surprise after seeing the word Lada on the rear. But this car is not a Russian made Lada, it\u2019s a supercar concept designed by a Russian designer called Dmitry Lazarev. Dmitry had a notion that it was about time that Russia joined the prestigious supercar market following the demise of Marussia, a Russian sports car manufacturer that began life in 2007 […]","datePublished":"2015-11-24","dateModified":"2015-11-26","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Feature.jpg","height":649,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/supercars\/russias-first-supercar\/","about":["SUPERCARS"],"wordCount":446,"articleBody":"The tale of the Lada Raven is a somewhat curious tale; forums have been awash with users proclaiming their surprise after seeing the word Lada on the rear.But this car is not a Russian made Lada, it\u2019s a supercar concept designed by a Russian designer called Dmitry Lazarev. Dmitry had a notion that it was about time that Russia joined the prestigious supercar market following the demise of Marussia, a Russian sports car manufacturer that began life in 2007 and sadly closed it\u2019s doors just seven years later.There is a catch though; in that Lada has turned down the chance to be involved in building the Raven. Lada\u2019s owners, AvtoVAZ, are quoted as saying that \u201c…a low-riding sports car without\u00a0a trunk is not our style…\u201dI can only hope that they don\u2019t come to regret that decision, as Lazarev has now found a manufacturing partner for this concept car \u2013 a partner that plans to make the Raven a reality. Vector Construction is planning to build 100 Lada Ravens and turn Dmitry\u2019s dreams turn into reality.In fact, Vector\u2019s construction plans are apparently already underway, with a slight name change from Lada Raven to Vector Raven.It\u2019s still early days yet, and the team are actively looking for experts in various fields, including suspension, aerodynamics and a marketing team to thrash out a good price point for the Vector Raven. I suspect we may have some time to wait before this impressive looking beast hits the road.Lada\u2019s reluctance reminds me of Volkswagen\u2019s reluctance to beef up the Beetle in the sixties, offering similar reasons for staying away from producing what would be arguably a more exciting version of the popular car. Of course, it was left to Empi to take on the role of making the Beetle a more exciting proposition for young people and help guide it into a cooler niche.The creation of a sportscar can – if the car is received well – be a slice of marketing genius for a car manufacturer; you only have to take a look back into recent history to see how Nissan were perceived, prior to the introduction of the 350Z and the regeneration of the Skyline as the GT-R, plus a series of more funky cars like the Juke. There was even a car called the Cedric\u2026Lazarev has not entirely given up hope of working with Lada in the future though, and I am sure their eyes and ears will be keenly listening and watching for any further developments on the Vector Raven. Watch this space.  Images: Dmitry Lazarev, mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net, diseno-art.com"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Supercars","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/supercars\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"RUSSIA’S FIRST SUPERCAR?","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/supercars\/russias-first-supercar\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]