5) Mara Zvezda (since 1993)
Sedan, Hatchback, Coupe, Wagon - Progress I4 2.0i, 2.3i– 2021 Automation Car Meet (1990 theme): 1998 coupe SX 2.3 AMM: Automation Virtual Car Meet (AVCM) @ 2021 - #21 by AndiD
– 2021 24h clunker run (3rd place): 2010 coupe SX 2.3 AMM: The 2021 24 hour clunker run (Epilogue part 1) - #67 by AndiD
– Best buy for under 14k 1993 (11th place out of 30): 1993 wagon: Best buy for under 14K 1993 (Final verdicts: page 5/5, final conclusion!) - #70 by AndiD
First generation (1993-2010)
After the global market liberalisation in 1990, Mara discovered that their stalwart Irena was hardly competitive in other countries outside of the rock bottom budget categories (with the panel van and ute being an exception for the most part). Their first priority therefore was to engineer a domestically and internationally competitive replacement for the large volume markets (family, family utility, commuter, city) to bring Mara into the 1990s.
Three similar - but also quite different - siblings
The resulting Zvezda (‘star’) turned out to be quite ordinary on the one hand, but on the other hand also quite revolutionary - at least for Mara, since it was their first mass-production transverse FWD MacPherson strut/Torsion beam car. While they had developed the odd transverse FWD prototypes in the 1980s, those had not gotten the green light to go into production. At least they least helped them to cut down engineering time to a reasonable amount.
The all-new Progress I4 engine shares a quite similar story: while it also turned out to be a quite ordinary affair (a 2L cast iron SOHC-2V with an aluminium head and SPFI), it was still quite a leap upwards in technology over the 60s vintage OHV Perspek I4 which still powered the Irenas at that time (but at least had become fuel injected by the 1990s). Power output initially was around 52 kW at 4900 rpm and fuel economy was quite respectable below 7l/100km despite the large displacement, partially thanks to some basic form of VVT. The Progress I4 also became the standard engine for the Irenas from now on.
An early AMM version of the Zvezda coupe (the stock Zvezda coupes did not have a spoiler)
Alongside the sedan, hatchback and wagon, Mara also developed a 2-door coupe with a stiffened suspension and a more powerful engine tune. Shortly after the introduction of the regular coupe, a further enhanced version by AMM - Mara’s new performance division - became available with the Progress I4 enlarged to 2.3L and re-tuned for a power output of initially 110 kW.
Panel van and ute versions of the Zvezda were prototyped but were not developed further due to the continuing success of the Irena van and ute versions on the relevant markets, along with the success of the more specialised Reyndzher / Kanyon SUV and utes. The 1st gen Zvezda stayed in production until the late 2000s (the AMM version a bit longer), kept up to date mainly with new interior options (although cassette players remained available until the final facelift) before the 1st gen Zvezda was replaced with an entirely new generation.
What others say
Best buy for under 14K 1993 (Final verdicts: page 5/5, final conclusion!) - #167 by Knugcab
Second generation
TBD - either once LC4.2 hits stable or a challenge requires a car.
6) Mara Zorya (since 2005)
Hatchback - Troika I3 1.1i
The Zorya (‘dawn’) was developed as a fuel-efficient city car with a small footprint. Since the Progress engine did not fit the small engine bay, the three-cylinder 9V SOHC Troika engine was developed alongside the Zorya.
(More TBD)
Concept Cars
1) Mara Kraplya (1995)
Hatchback - Troika Concept I3 1.1i– 2021 bad car design challenge (8th place): Bad Car Design Challenge - #13 by AndiD
See link to the challenge above for the car’s history.
