'Hello, Little Prince!': Riding a Rare 1990s Official Car in Omsk

The blue shiny body gleams in the sun, and two small Russian flags are attached to the hood. The wind flutters them. Such a car could be driven by some important person, but in the spacious interior, comfortably settled in leather seats and stretching out their legs, there are not officials or businessmen but two journalists. At the wheel is Andrey Shevanev, a mechanic.

He is 45, and his car is a rare «Knyaz Vladimir» (Prince Vladimir), which was conceived as a representative-class vehicle for Moscow government employees. Production began in the 1990s but was quickly curtailed due to financial difficulties. Only about 1,300 units were made. The car never became popular. Most purchased models are now either slowly rusting in garages or getting a second life with collectors and enthusiasts of unconventional transport.

Andrey«s »Knyaz Vladimir« is the latter case. NGS55.RU correspondent Ekaterina Shrayne and freelance photographer Kirill Bashinsky took a ride in the car. The story of how it went is in this article.

The base sedan Moskvich-2142 was developed in 1988–1990 at the AZLK plant based on the Moskvich-2141 hatchback. The first prototype was ready in 1990, but the car did not go into series in that form. Later, on this base, the production model «Knyaz Vladimir» (Moskvich-21422) was created, produced from 1997 to 2002. Its distinctive feature is an elongated body, which led to a 20-centimeter insert on the doors.

The car was equipped with UZAM 1.7-, 1.8-, or 2-liter engines, as well as Renault F3R and F7R. At the customer«s request, the package could be supplemented with a Clarion audio and video system, a mini-fridge in the rear armrest, and air conditioning.

Former Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, for example, drove a «Knyaz Vladimir».

“It«s like an operating room in here!” our photographer marvels as soon as we enter Andrey»s garage.

“Yes, everything is thought out and convenient,” he answers proudly.

All tools and spare parts are neatly arranged on shelves, with some hanging on the walls. On the ceiling is a convenient retractable lamp that can be rotated in different directions. This “operating room” even has a “patient” — an engine for a “six” (VAZ-2106). Andrey assembled it for Demid, a friend from the Omsk vintage car club. And on the day of our visit, he decided to do the first start-up.

The engine starts and roars loudly, a slight tremor runs through the walls and floor of the garage. Now all that«s left is to install the part in the car and drive.

In the retro club, Andrey is considered an excellent mechanic who can “fix even what wasn«t asked” — a humorous certificate with that inscription hangs in a prominent place in the garage.

The specialist restores the «Knyaz Vladimir» almost entirely himself. He started back in 2014 and still can«t stop — he fell in love with this car. He bought it in poor condition for only 30,000 rubles ($345) and decided to give it a second life. Now it»s his main car, which he drives every day.

“I got the car purely by chance. In 2013, an ad appeared online that a «Moskvich» — «Knyaz Vladimir» — was for sale for 100,000 rubles ($1,150). I went to look at it and left it at that. A year later, I went to a friend«s place to fix a car and saw that [the »Knyaz Vladimir«] was still in the parking lot — completely grown into the ground. The car was heavily stripped: no side window, a sluggish engine. We agreed on a price of 30,000 rubles ($345). I registered it in my name, and then restoration work began.”

The restoration took a lot of effort and time. Andrey replaced the sills and, with the help of an acquaintance who is a painter, repainted the body. The director of the plant where the mechanic works helped restore the interior.

The owner tries to restore the rare car as close to the original as possible. He takes many parts from other cars. Now the interior has a bar, soft red carpets, tables, and a radio. Andrey plans to install air conditioning and a mini-fridge for rear passengers.

“I gradually found and installed all the components. The bar here I made for ambiance. Carpeting on the floor. I sawed the tables myself according to a template. The first model turned out rough; now the second one is in place. I try to make it fully as it was from the factory. Parts can be taken from other cars. They are made in such a way that something from each model can be installed. The strut mounts, for example, are from a VAZ-2110. Front bearings are from a Logan, headlights from a Svyatogor,” the craftsman explains.

Now Andrey can«t imagine himself without the »Knyaz«, but a few years ago he seriously thought about selling the car and buying a Niva instead. In the end, he couldn»t part with the car he had put so much work into and is very glad about it.

“In 2019, I decided to sell it and get a five-door Niva. The car senses everything. It started running like a swallow for me. So lively, cheerful. Nothing broke. And the Nivas I went to look at were all kind of rusty, rotten, not running. In the end, I decided I would continue restoring this car. And off it went.”

“Let«s go!”

You can talk about a car in theory for a long time, but the best way to get to know it is to take at least a short ride. We get into the interior: I«m in the front, the photographer in the back. Andrey is at the wheel. The doors close easily and silently.

“We even take our shoes off in here,” the driver says.

“Like at home?” I ask him.

“Of course!”

The red soft rugs are not at all like the rubber ones usually found in passenger cars. It seems you«re really sitting not in a car but at some business meeting. It»s easy to settle in with maximum comfort: there«s enough legroom even in front, and the rear passenger can almost lie down and rest after a long workday.

The car starts moving and leisurely picks up speed. It rides softly and easily handles all the bumps along the way. Nothing prevents it from moving calmly and even majestically, as befits a car with such a proud name.

“What year is your car?” I ask our driver.

“2000.”

“It«s almost 30 years old, doesn»t it break down?”

“You drive every day, and it doesn«t break. This is a car with a soul, it»s alive. You come to the garage in the morning, you greet it: «Hello, Little Prince!» If you«re gentle with it, it»s gentle with you. It will get you home and break down at home, but on the road — never. In all these years, there was one serious breakdown when we went to Yekaterinburg. A bolt broke in fifth gear. In the end, we fixed it quickly anyway.”

The elongated car with Russian flags on the hood attracts a lot of attention. We«re standing at a traffic light, and passersby stare at us. Some just look at the unusual vehicle with curiosity, others nod respectfully. Andrey is used to this.

“Now they notice less, but at first there was a lot of attention. Once at a traffic light, a BMW X5 pulls up. Two young girls. One giggles and says: «Is “Knyaz Vladimir” your nickname?» I told them: «Girls, just read about this car online.» We drove off, and at the next traffic light they stopped next to me again. They must have read, asked to look at the car closer, even asked if it was for sale. Sometimes people say it«s from a special-purpose garage because of the flags,” the craftsman laughs.

“The main thing is a legacy for the younger generation”

We stop in a parking lot and get out of the car. Andrey looks at it tenderly, almost lovingly. He can«t name the exact amount he invested in the car and says money is not the main thing in this matter.

“When you work on a car like this, you don«t count money. The goal is one — to restore it, give the car life, so it brings joy to others. And the main thing is a legacy for the younger generation. I told my son that the car will go to him after me. If he doesn»t want to take care of it, he«d better give it to a museum. That way it will be preserved better than going to dealers to be torn apart.”

The craftsman plans to acquire another rare car for his collection — a Moskvich-2901. He says he has long been watching ads for sale.

“A very rare model. They were made in Ukraine for ambulance, fire, and utility services. I can«t wait. I»ve already bought paint for it. Some parts are even there. I have a plan for how to do what. The main thing is to acquire it, and then it will go on its own.”