(first posted 12/2/2015)   (The Deadly Sin designation has been used here almost exclusively for GM cars that directly contributed to the death of that corporation. I described their nature and purpose here. When I saw this, it created a bit of a doctrinal crisis for me, since Mercedes never died. But then I revisited the actual doctrinal meaning of the Deadly Sins; according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a mortal or deadly sin is believed to destroy the life of grace and charity within a person. That applies well enough here.  PN)

I had the brochure for these. In my mind they were just about the coolest cars in the planet back in ninety-something-or-other when that title changed every time I got a new brochure or saw a new car on the street. I still find them extremely good looking. Sadly, they fell from grace in my head the second I came to understand the definition of the words “Quality” and “Reliability”
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The Soviet Union may have disappeared 30 years ago, but some of its industrial legacy is still current. Nothing can best the (sole) Antonov 225’s ability to ferry bulky cargo, no international space program could do without the R-7 rocket, no assault rifle can rival the AK-47 in terms of ruggedness or popularity. In the automotive realm, the Lada Niva is still with us, as is the UAZ-469. But the oldest four-wheeled legacy product, clocking at 55 years and counting, is the UAZ-452.

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