The ZIM-12 was a Soviet full-size luxury car produced by the Gorky Automotive Plant (GAZ) from 1950 until 1960. It was the first executive car produced by GAZ and the first one to have the famous leaping gazelle hood ornament. The car was built to serve high and medium rank Soviet nomenklatura, but was also readily available as a taxi and ambulance. Unlike its successors, ZIM was the only Soviet executive class full-size car that was actually made available for private ownership. A total of 21,527 examples were built.
GAZ-12 ZIM
ZIM-12 convertible
A ZIM-12 in Donetsk
ZIM draisine on the bridge over Southern Bug on Haivoron narrow gauge railway
GAZ or Gorkovsky avtomobilny zavod is a Russian automotive manufacturer located in Nizhny Novgorod, formerly known as Gorky (Горький) (1932–1990). It is the core subsidiary of GAZ Group Holding, which is itself part of Basic Element industrial group. JSC Russian Machines is the controlling shareholder in OAO GAZ.
GAZ plant site main entrance
Horizontal flags featuring the GAZelle logo near a GAZelle car shop in Astana
GAZ-14, produced 1977–1988
GAZ Volga Siber, introduced in 2008