The Soviet Moskvitch Duet 2 coupe. Made in 2000. Moscow transport museum
Moskvitch (Russian: Москвич) (also written as Moskvich, Moskvič, or Moskwitsch) is a Soviet/Russian automobile brand produced by AZLK from 1946 to 1991 and by OAO Moskvitch from 1991 to 2001 and later returned to production in 2022. The current article incorporates information about both the brand and the joint-stock successor of AZLK.
OAO Moskvitch is a privatized venture name given to the former factory to avoid legal issues after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since the factory had no assembly branches outside Russia after 1991, its name is largely used today to refer to the building located in the lower eastern part of Moscow.
The word moskvich (Russian: москвич) itself translates as “a native of Moscow, a Moscovite”. It was used to point out the original location of the cars manufactured there.
