Believe it or not, check it, but this is a new domestic car. Meet TagAZ Aquila. The most detailed story about the new product from the Taganrog plant.
As usual, we express our deep gratitude to the owner of Aquila, Timofey, for the opportunity to be one of the first to become closely acquainted with this car. In addition, Timofey provided us with contacts of other owners and an assembler from the factory, which helped us to even more fully highlight all the features of the new product. First things first.
Until last year, the TagAZ automobile brand was familiar to many for the production and sale of passenger and commercial vehicles under the Tagaz, Vortex, Hyundai and BYD brands. “Aquila” has acquired many legends during its short life; we will touch on only a few of them. In 2008, a prototype called “Vega” was assembled by the plant’s designers, but immediately after that a scandal broke out with accusations of industrial espionage against the plant’s employees: they allegedly stole the Chevrolet Lacetti drawings and used them to create the “Vega.” The paradox is that it was developed in a department located in Korea.
Without going into details, let’s say that now relations with Korean suppliers have been established, the production of components has been resumed, although the car has changed its name to “Aquila”, and has completely changed in appearance.
Looking ahead, let's say that it is precisely because of this that owners have to wait so long for spare parts: they come not from the plant in Azov, since production is still limited, but from that same unit in Korea (delivery time on average takes about a month). Initially, the body had only two doors, but at the request of the Russian side they became “traditionally” four.
The main feature of Aquila is its design, which is based on a spatial frame. The bottom line is that it is a rigid skeleton onto which all body elements are attached using glue and self-tapping screws (hence the considerable mass of the car - 1.4 tons). The body, in turn, is completely fiberglass. It’s worth making a small disclaimer right away: this example is from the first series and the car is assembled using the so-called “screwdriver assembly” method.
Appearance, of course, is the main trump card of this car. The red color, low roof and sweeping silhouette of the Aquila really resembles a famous supercar. First of all, images of “crazy Italians” such as Lamborghini or Ferrari emerge. At the same time, designers from Tagaz managed not to simply copy, but to create their own image “based on”. There is no arguing about tastes, but in the presence of charisma and the fact that the car is memorable, there is no doubt.
Let’s move on from the images to the worldly qualities of the car. The extravagant appearance and, mainly, the sporty low roof forces you to bend over quite a bit when getting in and out. An obvious drawback is the thick A-pillars coupled with small window openings. This greatly impairs visibility; pedestrians are especially difficult to see. You shouldn’t be afraid of screws and self-tapping screws on the thresholds: if the assembly is not small-scale, these components will look completely different. 
The rear door opening is incredibly narrow; the opening angle is clearly not enough to get in there without difficulty. Although, for the young and flexible - it’s quite suitable! 
In front there are buckets covered with leatherette, the color matches the color of the body (by the way, there are four of them - there are also yellow, black and white). There are only two adjustments - length and backrest tilt. The steering wheel is adjustable only in height. A comfortable position can be found, but we noted that the location of the pedals is not the most convenient. 
The trunk itself is not small, the volume is 392 liters. But the opening is definitely too small. Once again, you pay for the appearance, although when positioning the car for young people, there should be no problems: bags and sports bags will fit perfectly, and the quality of the finish of the trunk itself is quite decent. 
This is the view from the rear sofa. In our opinion, the stylish buckets can be easily replaced with standard ones, albeit with a more civil seating position and less pronounced lateral support. 
Legroom for rear passengers can be considered sufficient, but headroom is the same as in a typical sports coupe. 
In the cabin, in contrast to the provocative appearance, everything is more than traditional. There are still complaints about the quality of materials and the assembly itself (the video version of the test contains visual examples). 
As one of the assemblers of these cars told us, the plant is already working on interior lining and the use of various fabrics. In the meantime, the interior noticeably “crunches” when driving over bumps. And there is also a problem with sound insulation: a rumble appears in the cabin after 60 kilometers per hour. Moreover, to a greater extent, the sounds come from the road surface: from the arches and, according to our feelings, from under the bottom. 
And now about the pleasant things. First, the box. In our opinion, and many owners note this, the gears are switched on very clearly. The Aquilas are equipped with Aisin-F5M41 boxes, which were installed on the Mitsubishi Colt of the 1996-2000 model years at birth. Today they are assembled in China and installed on Geely cars. The first owners complained about problems with the gearbox cable, it is being replaced under warranty, and the factory employees assure that they are already working on fine-tuning this unit. 
The engine is also a “good old” 1.6-liter naturally aspirated Mitsubishi with a power of 107 hp. It is the engine that makes the Aquila a “sporty-looking” car. If the appearance speaks of a sporty disposition, then it is impossible to achieve the corresponding dynamics with this engine. Is this bad? To do this, you should take a close look at the price tag. 
Today, the official price for a TagAZ Aquila car is on average 450 thousand rubles (according to one of the official dealers in Moscow). The only configuration includes one airbag, full power accessories (there are also problems with the wiring, more details in the video version of the test), ABS, air conditioning, 18-inch alloy wheels. And yes, the car passed official crash tests, which once again confirms the fact that Aquila has outgrown the project stage.
Although there is not enough power, the car moves very comfortably: this is largely due to the front MacPherson-type suspension at the front and rack-and-pinion steering with hydraulic booster. Disc brakes are all-round, the force is easy to predict. 
In any case, the appearance and constant work of the plant on Aquila gives us a reason to say that our auto industry can pleasantly surprise. “Big Test Drive” sincerely wishes success and further development of the story with the Aquila model. It is truly amazing, memorable and gives hope that Russian cars will be able to evoke not only skepticism, but also healthy interest and sincere delight.
P.S. "Aquila" is translated from Latin as "Constellation Eagle". Well, have a nice flight, Aquila! 
Believe it or not, check it, but this is a new one. domestic
automobile. Meet TagAZ Aquila. The most detailed story about the new product of the Taganrog plant, the history of its creation, reviews from the owners and, finally, the opinion of the “Big Test Drive” team about the most extravagant project of the Russian automotive industry is in our exclusive material. 
As usual, we express our deep gratitude to the owner of Aquila, Timofey, for the opportunity to be one of the first to become closely acquainted with this car. In addition, Timofey provided us with contacts of other owners and an assembler from the factory, which helped us to even more fully highlight all the features of the new product. First things first.
Until last year, the TagAZ automobile brand was familiar to many for the production and sale of passenger and commercial vehicles under the brands "Tagaz", "Vortex", "Hyundai" and "BYD". “Aquila” has acquired many legends during its short life; we will touch on only a few of them. In 2008, the plant's designers assembled a prototype called "Vega", but immediately after that a scandal broke out with accusations of industrial espionage against the plant's employees: they allegedly stole the Chevrolet Lacetti drawings and used them to create the "Vega". The paradox is that it was developed in a department located in Korea. Without going into details, let’s say that relations with Korean suppliers have now been established, the production of components has been resumed, although the car has changed its name to “Aquila”, and has completely changed in appearance.
Looking ahead, let's say that it is precisely because of this that owners have to wait so long for spare parts: they come not from the plant in Azov, since production is still limited, but from that same unit in Korea (delivery time on average takes about a month). Initially, the body had only two doors, but at the request of the Russian side, there were “traditionally” four of them.
The main feature of "Aquila" is its design, which is based on space frame . The point is that it is a rigid skeleton onto which all body elements are attached using glue and self-tapping screws (hence the considerable mass of the car - 1.4 tons). The body, in turn, is completely fiberglass . It’s worth making a small disclaimer right away: this example is from the first series and the car is assembled using the so-called “screwdriver assembly” method.
Appearance, of course, is the main trump card of this car. The red color, low roof and sweeping silhouette of the Aquila really resembles a famous supercar. First of all, images of “crazy Italians” such as Lamborghini or Ferrari emerge. At the same time, designers from Tagaz managed not to simply copy, but to create their own image “based on it”. There is no arguing about tastes, but in the presence of charisma and the fact that the car is memorable, there is no doubt.
Let's move on from the images to the worldly qualities of the car. The extravagant appearance and, mainly, the sporty low roof forces you to bend over quite a bit when getting in and out. An obvious drawback is the thick A-pillars coupled with small window openings. This greatly impairs visibility; pedestrians are especially difficult to see. You shouldn’t be afraid of screws and self-tapping screws on the thresholds: if the assembly is not small-scale, these components will look completely different.
The rear door opening is incredibly narrow; the opening angle is clearly not enough to get in there without difficulty. Although, for the young and flexible - it’s quite suitable!
In front there are buckets covered with leatherette, the color matches the body color (by the way, there are four of them - there are also yellow, black and white). There are only two adjustments - length and backrest tilt. The steering wheel is adjustable only in height. A comfortable position can be found, but we noted that the location of the pedals is not the most convenient.
The trunk itself is not small, the volume is 392 liters. But the opening is definitely too small. Once again, you pay for the appearance, although when positioning the car for young people, there should be no problems: bags and sports bags will fit perfectly, and the quality of the finish of the trunk itself is quite decent.
This is the view from the rear sofa. In our opinion, the stylish buckets can be easily replaced with standard ones, albeit with a more civil seating position and less pronounced lateral support.
Legroom for rear passengers can be considered sufficient, but headroom is the same as in a typical sports coupe.
In the cabin, in contrast to the provocative appearance, everything is more than traditional. There are still complaints about the quality of materials and the assembly itself (the video version of the test contains visual examples).
As one of the assemblers of these cars told us, the plant is already working on interior lining and the use of various fabrics. In the meantime, the interior noticeably “crunches” when driving over bumps. And there is also a problem with sound insulation: a rumble appears in the cabin after 60 kilometers per hour. Moreover, to a greater extent, the sounds come from the road surface: from the arches and, according to our feelings, from under the bottom.
And now about the pleasant things. First, the box. In our opinion, and many owners note this, the gears are switched on very clearly. The Aquilas have Aisin-F5M41 boxes, which were installed on the Mitsubishi Colt of the 1996-2000 model years at birth. Today they are assembled in China and installed on Geely cars. The first owners complained about problems with the gearbox cable, it is being replaced under warranty, and the factory employees assure that they are already working on fine-tuning this unit.
The engine is also a “good old” 1.6-liter naturally aspirated Mitsubishi with a power of 107 hp. It is the engine that makes the Aquila a “sporty-looking” car. If the appearance speaks of a sporty disposition, then it is impossible to achieve the corresponding dynamics with this engine. Is this bad? To do this, you should take a close look at the price tag.
Today, the official price for a TagAZ Aquila car is on average 450 thousand rubles (according to one of the official dealers in Moscow). The only configuration includes one airbag, full power accessories (there are also problems with the wiring, more details in the video version of the test), ABS, air conditioning, 18-inch alloy wheels. And yes, a car passed official crash tests , which once again confirms the fact that Aquila has outgrown the project stage.
For this money, the Lada Granta Sport can be called the closest in every sense. We also wrote about it (link here). It is also small-scale, with a more prosaic appearance, but also used O Greater driver's enthusiasm.
Although there is not enough power, the car moves very comfortably: this is largely due to the MacPherson front suspension and power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering. Disc brakes are all-round, the force is easy to predict.
In any case, the appearance and constant work of the plant on Aquila gives us a reason to say that our auto industry can Nice surprise . "Big Test Drive" sincerely wishes success and further development of the story with the Aquila model. It is truly amazing, memorable and gives hope that Russian cars will be able to evoke not only skepticism, but also healthy interest and sincere delight.
P.S. "Aquila" is translated from Latin as "Constellation Eagle". Well, have a nice flight, Aquila!
A detailed story about the car: as always, with humor, a demonstration of all the advantages and disadvantages and important comments from the owner of the car.
A sports car called Tagaz Aquila has appeared on the Russian market. The car was made at the Taganrog TagAZ plant. Externally, the sports car resembles several sports cars at once. There is something from Ferrari, something from Chevrolet Camaro and even something from Porsche.
The only obvious visual difference is the presence of a rear door; the sports car turned out to be quite family-friendly. In terms of technical characteristics, the new car also came out closer to a station wagon than to an aggressive sports car.
Under the hood is a 1.6-liter engine producing 107 horsepower. The package includes alloy wheels, 5-speed manual transmission, 1-disc CD with MP3, AUX, leather upholstery, ABS, power steering, driver airbag, remote gas tank and trunk release and other useful applications.
The Akila nameplate is not typical for Russian cars - the logo is made in the form of a formidable eagle and resembles the Ferarri logo. For the proud title of a sports car, the technical capabilities of the car are still quite modest and more consistent with the criteria of popular city sedans. For example, the Chevrolet Lacetti has a 1.6-liter engine with 107 horsepower. The cost of a Russian Ferrari is 480 thousand rubles.
TagAZ Aquila is a new domestic car created by craftsmen from the Taganrog plant. Read on for a detailed story about how the new car was created, reviews from owners, as well as the opinion of the “Big Test Drive” team.
As usual, we express our deep gratitude to the owner of Aquila, Timofey, for the opportunity to be one of the first to become closely acquainted with this car. In addition, Timofey provided us with contacts of other owners and an assembler from the factory, which helped us to even more fully highlight all the features of the new product. First things first.
Until last year, the TagAZ automobile brand was familiar to many for the production and sale of passenger and commercial vehicles under the brands "Tagaz", "Vortex", "Hyundai" and "BYD". “Aquila” has acquired many legends during its short life; we will touch on only a few of them. In 2008, the plant's designers assembled a prototype called "Vega", but immediately after that a scandal broke out with accusations of industrial espionage against the plant's employees: they allegedly stole the Chevrolet Lacetti drawings and used them to create the "Vega". The paradox is that it was developed in a department located in Korea. Without going into details, let’s say that relations with Korean suppliers have now been established, the production of components has been resumed, although the car has changed its name to “Aquila”, and has completely changed in appearance.
Looking ahead, let's say that it is precisely because of this that owners have to wait so long for spare parts: they come not from the plant in Azov, since production is still limited, but from that same unit in Korea (delivery time on average takes about a month). Initially, the body had only two doors, but at the request of the Russian side, there were “traditionally” four of them.
The main feature of "Aquila" is its design, which is based on a spatial frame. The point is that it is a rigid skeleton onto which all body elements are attached using glue and self-tapping screws (hence the considerable mass of the car - 1.4 tons). The body, in turn, is completely fiberglass. It’s worth making a small disclaimer right away: this example is from the first series and the car is assembled using the so-called “screwdriver assembly” method.
Appearance, of course, is the main trump card of this car. The red color, low roof and sweeping silhouette of the Aquila really resembles a famous supercar. First of all, images of “crazy Italians” such as Lamborghini or Ferrari emerge. At the same time, designers from Tagaz managed not to simply copy, but to create their own image “based on it”. There is no arguing about tastes, but in the presence of charisma and the fact that the car is memorable, there is no doubt.
Let's move on from the images to the worldly qualities of the car. The extravagant appearance and, mainly, the sporty low roof forces you to bend over quite a bit when getting in and out. An obvious drawback is the thick A-pillars coupled with small window openings. This greatly impairs visibility; pedestrians are especially difficult to see. You shouldn’t be afraid of screws and self-tapping screws on the thresholds: if the assembly is not small-scale, these components will look completely different.
The rear door opening is incredibly narrow; the opening angle is clearly not enough to get in there without difficulty. Although, for the young and flexible - it’s quite suitable!
In front there are buckets covered with leatherette, the color matches the body color (by the way, there are four of them - there are also yellow, black and white). There are only two adjustments - length and backrest tilt. The steering wheel is adjustable only in height. A comfortable position can be found, but we noted that the location of the pedals is not the most convenient.
The trunk itself is not small, the volume is 392 liters. But the opening is definitely too small. Once again, you pay for the appearance, although when positioning the car for young people, there should be no problems: bags and sports bags will fit perfectly, and the quality of the finish of the trunk itself is quite decent.
This is the view from the rear sofa. In our opinion, the stylish buckets can be easily replaced with standard ones, albeit with a more civil seating position and less pronounced lateral support.
Legroom for rear passengers can be considered sufficient, but headroom is the same as in a typical sports coupe.
In the cabin, in contrast to the provocative appearance, everything is more than traditional. There are still complaints about the quality of materials and the assembly itself (the video version of the test contains visual examples).
As one of the assemblers of these cars told us, the plant is already working on interior lining and the use of various fabrics. In the meantime, the interior noticeably “crunches” when driving over bumps. And there is also a problem with sound insulation: a rumble appears in the cabin after 60 kilometers per hour. Moreover, to a greater extent, the sounds come from the road surface: from the arches and, according to our feelings, from under the bottom.
And now about the pleasant things. First, the box. In our opinion, and many owners note this, the gears are switched on very clearly. The Aquilas have Aisin-F5M41 boxes, which were installed on the Mitsubishi Colt of the 1996-2000 model years at birth. Today they are assembled in China and installed on Geely cars. The first owners complained about problems with the gearbox cable, it is being replaced under warranty, and the factory employees assure that they are already working on fine-tuning this unit.
The engine is also a “good old” 1.6-liter naturally aspirated Mitsubishi with a power of 107 hp. It is the engine that makes the Aquila a “sporty-looking” car. If the appearance speaks of a sporty disposition, then it is impossible to achieve the corresponding dynamics with this engine. Is this bad? To do this, you should take a close look at the price tag.
Today, the official price for a TagAZ Aquila car is on average 450 thousand rubles (according to one of the official dealers in Moscow). The only configuration includes one airbag, full power accessories (there are also problems with the wiring, more details in the video version of the test), ABS, air conditioning, 18-inch alloy wheels. And yes, the car passed official crash tests, which once again confirms the fact that Aquila has outgrown the project stage.
Although there is not enough power, the car moves very comfortably: this is largely due to the MacPherson front suspension and power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering. Disc brakes are all-round, the force is easy to predict.
In any case, the appearance and constant work of the plant on Aquila gives us a reason to say that our auto industry can pleasantly surprise. "Big Test Drive" sincerely wishes success and further development of the story with the Aquila model. It is truly amazing, memorable and gives hope that Russian cars will be able to evoke not only skepticism, but also healthy interest and sincere delight.
P.S. "Aquila" is translated from Latin as "Constellation Eagle". Well, have a nice flight, Aquila!
