ZIS-101

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ZIS-101
Overview
Manufacturer	ZIS
Production	1936–1939 (ZIS-101) 1939–1941 (ZIS-101A)
Body and chassis
Class	Limousine
Body style	4-door sedan (ZIS-101) 4-door convertible (ZIS-102)
Powertrain
Engine	5.8L ZIS-101 I8
Transmission	3-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	3,605 mm (141.9 in)
Length	5,750 mm (226.4 in)
Width	1,890 mm (74.4 in)
Height	1,870 mm (73.6 in)
Chronology
Successor	ZIS-110

The ZIS-101 was a limousine produced by the Soviet car manufacturer Zavod Imeni Stalina from 1936 to 1941. Its chassis was reverse-engineered from a Buick 33-90, except for the front suspension, engine, exhaust and battery carried over from 1933 experimental limousine L-1, itself an unlicensed Buick 32-90 copy,^[1] but the body was designed by Budd Company for $1,500,000 while the stamps were made by Hamilton Foundry & Machine Company for another $500,000.^[2] It was equipped with an 5.76 L (351 cu in) straight-eight OHV engine (a metric copy of Buick 345) producing up to 110 PS (81 kW)^[3] and giving a top speed of 115 km/h (71 mph).^[4] The car was fitted with a 3-speed manual gearbox.^[4]

It was followed by the ZIS-101A that had improved the engine giving 116 PS (85 kW)^[5] and a new top speed of approximately 130 km/h (81 mph). Production ended in 1941 with over 8,000 cars built.

In 1939, a two-seat sport version designed by Valentin Nikolaevich Rostkov called 101-Sport was built.^[4] The engine was the same as in the 101-A, but boosted to 141 PS (104 kW) and a top speed of 162 km/h (101 mph) (although a Pravda article claimed 170–180 km/h). It was, however, not made in more than one or two copies.