Gaz 3102 Volga (1982 to present)

Volga was the symbol of power and prestige in the Soviet Union. It was difficult to acquire, because just having money did not suffice for the acquisition of a Volga. First, the government had to issue a purchasing permit, but these were distributed based on strict restrictions, and there were not enough Volgas to even satisfy the select few. For the most part, only the most important officials and highly placed people in the society were able to ride in Volgas.

The Gaz 3102, which was introduced in 1982, was the top Volga model.  The Gaz 3102 was totally inaccessible to private citizens, since based on a directive of the Minister of Transport the Gaz 3102 was not classified as a private vehicle in the Soviet Union. It was intended primarily for the government sector and the leadership of the most important state and military institutions. However, a few people who had performed “special services” for the state were able to acquire them. The Gaz 3102 vividly symbolized the inequality that prevailed in the country and the supremacy of the nomenklatura over the populace. Since these cars primarily belonged to the government, most also had special government “ЭCT” license plates. Traffic rules did not apply to vehicles with these license plates and they could not be stopped by the police. Therefore, older people remember the black Gaz 3102 as a car for which no rules applied.

This specific “0160 ЭCT” license place belonged to Karl Kortelainen, the local Estonian KGB chief.