Forgotten prototypes: Lada Peter Turbo Concept (2000)

The concept was also presented at the Paris Motor Show and remained a strange and original prototype without an engine ...

By: Alberto Carmone

Feb 10, 2024 at 4:55am ET

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The Niva, the unstoppable Russian off-road vehicle that has been sold for over 40 years, is undoubtedly the best-known Lada in the world. In the history of Lada, however, the brand was about to develop another important model. We are talking about the Peter Turbo. A curious saloon that was presented at the Paris Motor Show in 2000 and caused quite a stir among designers and the press at the time.

From the novels to the road

However, the Peter Turbo did not make its first appearance in Paris, but at the International Motor Show in Moscow, where it was an immediate success. Although it was a mock-up, a scale model without engine and mechanical components, its lines struck a chord with the experts. For the Paris Motor Show, the Peter Turbo was then further refined visually and fitted with a dummy interior.

Lada Peter Turbo Concept (2000) – der Innenraum

It had five separate seats, a steering wheel with a spoke and its own instrument panel. A rather unusual interior, at least as unusual as the name. "Peter Turbo" was apparently a reference to the island of Crimea, a 1986 novel by Vasily Axinov, in which the protagonist uses a car with the same name.

Impressive at first glance

The Peter Turbo was developed by the AvToVAZ team under the direction of Sergei Sinelnikov and had a robust, futuristic saloon car look with dynamic lines that seemed to keep the car moving even when stationary.

Lada Peter Turbo Concept (2000)

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The slim, small headlights at the front were contrasted by a very elaborate rear end with the lights distributed over two levels. The car's design was characterised by a concave element that extended over the entire side of the car and into which the exterior mirrors were integrated. The roof was also concave in order to further improve the aerodynamics of the Lada.

Despite these favourable conditions, the concept was not followed by a production model. The Peter Turbo therefore remained a curious styling experiment by the Russian manufacturer.