MY85 Bogliq Vrabie
Conceived in the 70’s as an attempt to show the West that the CCCP was capable of making fun to drive cars, the first generation Vrabie was a reasonable success. This was to be expected when you had a captive audience and the alternatives were banned!
This changed for the 2nd generation; the first Vrabie to emerge from under the Iron Curtain. Bogliq Europe imported a number of Vrabies to attempt to corner the niche, ultra cheap, convertible market. Sales started in 1979 and met with mixed success, mainly due to the Vrabie having a DOHC, 2v triple instead of the usual OHV fours of it’s logical rivals.
In 1985, the Vrabie was updated with single point fuel injection and a compression increase to compensate for the new unleaded fuel regulations. However the 4 speed manual and basic interior was retained which meant that the Vrabie would still retain its “cheapest new convertible” market position.
The price for the updated 1985 version was an amazing $7,000 which meant that a Vrabie was in reach of even first car buyers and Bogliq’s renowned parts support meant that Vrabie owners would be able to source maintenance and replacement parts long after the car would cease production.
Driving the Vrabie is a joy, the lightweight steering and lack of interior distractions mean that, along with the willing twincam triple, the Vrabie is capable of whisking a determined driver along a B road at a decent pace. The car is theoretically capable of 181Km/h although our testing at the ATT only saw about 170Km/h reached.
Grip is good for the class and there is no wheelspin so the Vrabie feels secure in the corners, never threatening to bite, and mild understeer is the result of carrying too much speed into a corner. The brakes are fade free and provide a nice pedal feel and the 4 speed manual shifts cleanly and securely.
The interior is sparsely furnished but there is a full suite of gauges for the driver and there is plenty of storage space with decent bootspace and room behind the two seats to store a soft bag or two.
So the Bogliq Vrabie is a real drivers car that could be lived with every day, but don’t just take my word for it, check one out at your local Bogliq dealer; you may be pleasantly surprised that you did!
Buy better, buy Bogliq
