ZIL-111

The ZIL-111 was a limousine produced by the Soviet car manufacturer ZIL from 1958 to 1967. It was the first post-war limousine designed in the Soviet Union. After tests with the shortlived prototype ZIL-Moscow in 1956, which gained a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest passenger car in the world,^: 33 the ZIL-111 was introduced from ZIL in 1958. The body style was in the American tradition of the time and resembled the mid-1950s cars built by Packard, although, apart from being in tune with current trends, it was an original design and had nothing in common with them, except in general layout.^: 33 The interiors were trimmed with top quality leather and broadcloth and decorated with thick pile carpet and polished wooden fittings.^: 35 It featured a comprehensive ventilation and heating system and a 5-band radio, all of which could be controlled from the rear,^: 37 electric windows, vacuum-operated screen wash, windshield and front door window defrosting.^: 36 It was powered by a 6.0 L V8 engine producing 200 hp (150 kW) connected to an automatic transmission (similar to that of Chrysler's PowerFlite and influenced by it, but different in design) giving a top speed of 170 km/h (106 mph), hydraulic drum brakes with a vacuum servo booster,^: 36 coil and wishbone IFS.^: 33 The car won a top prize at the Brussels Expo World Fair in 1958.

Apart from a basic version ZIL-111, the manufacturer produced ZIL-111A with air conditioning, which had a smaller and flatter rear window due to air tubes, and the convertible ZIL-111V (ЗИЛ-111В in Russian), of which only 12 were built.

In December 1962 the car was completely restyled, now being in tune with the latest trends and having a wide chrome grille with quad headlamps similar to the one used on the 1961 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five, and was available both as sedan ZIL-111G and convertible ZIL-111D. It was fitted with a 200 hp 5,980 cc (365 cu in) V8. For U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower's visit, Yevgeny Molchanov designed a special version of this car. Air conditioning was standard. The ZIL-111G went out of production in 1966. The first ZIL-111D was built in 1963, six months after the new ZIL-111 appeared; only about eight were built, half with grey exteriors, and all were fitted with microphones. Fidel Castro received a ZIL-111D as a gift.

As a rule, the ZIL-111 was available only as state-owned transport for members of the Politburo. About 112 units of all models were made from 1958 to 1967, which 26 of them were ZIL-111Gs.

A minibus based on the ZIL-111, the ZIL-118 Yunost (Youth), was also developed and produced in small numbers.

The ZIL-111 would be replaced in 1967 by the ZIL-114.