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Photo of a Moskvich 412

Moskvich 412

Researched November 9, 2026 from 27 sources

Also called

  • Izh-412Popular shorthand for Izhevsk-built cars, which kept the official Moskvitch-412 name despite their Izh grille badge.1
  • Pazniy IzhUsed for the later Izh sedan; its 1982 refresh brought a black grille and recessed door handles.12

At a glance

0100200
61.1–80 hpPower
01020
16.2–19 s0–100 km/h
0100200
139.5–148 km/hTop speed
0150300
114 N·mTorque
07501,500
1,000–1,100 kgWeight

The coral arc spans the family, from its mildest version to its wildest.35781213

Engine
1.478 L UZAM-412 OHC I4 (A-76: 67 hp); Scaldia 1.76 L Perkins diesel159
Layout
Front engine, RWD; front wishbones, rear leaf springs110
Gearbox
4-speed manual; synchronized forward gears811
Built at
AZLK, USSR; Izh, USSR/Russia; Balkan, Bulgaria; Scaldia conversions, Belgium15
Units built
2,317,439 Izhevsk-built 412 sedans911

The story

Launched in 1967 as a stronger, pricier 408, the 412's aluminum OHC engine drew on BMW ideas but used its own design. Moscow and Izhevsk built it in parallel, with the Izh version surviving for decades.134

1967: 412 launch: a stronger 40819671969: British debut and export identities · 412IE: new lights, new safety brief19691970: London-Mexico team bronze19701972: 28 class wins, two British titles19721974: A 412 is AZLK's two-millionth car19741975: AZLK ends with a 2140-style rear19751982: Izh's 412IE-028 makeover19821997: 30 years of the Izhevsk 4121997 Moskvitch 402/407/403 (402 / 407 / 403): 1956–1965Moskvitch 408 (M-408): 1964–1976M-408Moskvitch 412 (original) (M-412): 1967–1969Moskvitch 412IE (Moscow) (M-412IE): 1969–1975M-412IEIzh Moskvitch 412IE (M-412IE): 1969–1982M-412IEIzh 2125 Kombi (2125 / 21251): 1973–19972125 / 21251Moskvitch 2140 (2140): 1976–19882140Izh Moskvitch 412IE-028 (412IE-028): 1982–1997412IE-028 1960197019801990200020102020
GenerationsBefore and afterMilestones1259141718
Show the numbers
YearWhat happened
1956–1965Moskvitch 402/407/403 (402 / 407 / 403)
1964–1976Moskvitch 408 (M-408)
1967–1969Moskvitch 412 (original) (M-412)
1969–1975Moskvitch 412IE (Moscow) (M-412IE)
1969–1982Izh Moskvitch 412IE (M-412IE)
1973–1997Izh 2125 Kombi (2125 / 21251)
1976–1988Moskvitch 2140 (2140)
1982–1997Izh Moskvitch 412IE-028 (412IE-028)
1967412 launch: a stronger 408
1969British debut and export identities
1969412IE: new lights, new safety brief
1970London-Mexico team bronze
197228 class wins, two British titles
1974A 412 is AZLK's two-millionth car
1975AZLK ends with a 2140-style rear
1982Izh's 412IE-028 makeover
199730 years of the Izhevsk 412
  1. 1967

    412 launch: a stronger 408

    Parallel Moscow and Izhevsk production begins; the new 412 packages more power and equipment around a 2,400 mm wheelbase.1

  2. 1969

    British debut and export identities

    UK sales begin; Satra renames it Moskvitch-1500 in 1974. Finland sells the family as Moskvitsh Elite 1500 M.1

  3. 1969

    412IE: new lights, new safety brief

    The 412IE enters production on November 26 with rectangular FER headlights; its code marks compliance with new safety requirements.15

  4. 1970

    London-Mexico team bronze

    Three of five 412s finish, with the best taking 12th overall. The bronze award is for the team result.6

  5. 1972

    28 class wins, two British titles

    Tony Lanfranchi wins both production-saloon championships, exploiting rules that group cars by their pre-tax price.7

  6. 1974

    A 412 is AZLK's two-millionth car

    On August 16, AZLK builds its two-millionth car: a 412 already fitted with the dashboard of the forthcoming 2140.5

  7. 1975

    AZLK ends with a 2140-style rear

    Late November-December transitional 412s gain 2140-style rear lamps and vents; the final AZLK cars leave in December.56

  8. 1982

    Izh's 412IE-028 makeover

    February's facelift brings a black grille and recessed door handles, defining the 412IE-028's long-lived final form.1

  9. 1997

    30 years of the Izhevsk 412

    The Izhevsk-built 412 is still in production three decades after its 1967 start.18

Every generation

  • Moskvitch 402/407/403
    402 / 407 / 4031956–1965
  • Moskvitch 408
    M-4081964–1976
  • Moskvitch 412IE (Moscow)
    M-412IE1969–1975
  • Izh Moskvitch 412IE
    M-412IE1969–1982
  • Izh 2125 Kombi
    2125 / 212511973–1997
  • Moskvitch 2140
    21401976–1988
  • Izh Moskvitch 412IE-028
    412IE-0281982–1997

Versions

12 versions worth knowing, with their power.

  • Standard

    412 / 412I (first series)

    1967–1969

    75 hp

  • Standard

    412IE (AZLK)

    1969–1975

    75 hp

  • Standard

    Izh 412IE-028

    1982–1997

  • Standard

    412E export

  • Standard

    412 De Luxe

  • 427 wagon

    Standard

    427 wagon

    1969–1976

    75 hp
  • 434 van (Izh)

    Standard

    434 van (Izh)

    1967–1973

    7,396 built

  • Special

    412M medical sedan

  • Special

    412U driving-school car

  • 412 transitional sedan

    Special

    412 transitional sedan

    1975

  • Racing

    Izh-Rally

  • Racing

    412R record car

    1972

How to spot one

Look for

  • Early sedans have vertical rear lamps; facelift cars stack triangular indicators over horizontal lamps.1
  • Facelift cars: Moscow usually has rectangular lamps; Izh usually has round lamps and a two-bar grille.29
  • Some cars carry C-pillar parking lamps with a white front half and red rear half.1
  • An Izh grille emblem identifies the Izhevsk-built version.1

Year by year

  1. Late 1969

    Moscow sedans gained rectangular headlights and a new rear with horizontal lamps topped by triangular turn signals.12

  2. 1970–1982 (Izh)

    On Izh sedans, two grille bars replaced three; round lamps remained usual, with rectangular headlights mainly for small export batches.129

  3. Second half of 1972

    AZLK 427 wagons and 434 vans adopted a one-piece tailgate, while retaining their tailfins and vertical rear lights.1

  4. Late Moscow production

    Late Moscow sedans gained round instrument dials; Izh cars never received that instrument cluster.9

  5. Late November–December 1975

    Transitional 412 sedans received the 2140-style rear end, with rear-fender ventilation grilles and different taillights.6

  6. From 1982 (Izh)

    Izh gained a black grille, flush handles and black bumper overriders; hubcaps and front vent windows were phased out.12

Don’t confuse it with

  • Moskvitch 408

    Early cars usually need a trunk-badge check: 408 or 412. Facelift sedans can be externally identical.117

  • Moskvitch 2140

    The 2140 loses the fins and adds flush handles and black trim at both ends; rare transitional 412s already share its rear bodywork.614

  • Izh 2125 Kombi

    The Kombi has a liftback tailgate that opens upward; the 412 sedan has a separate trunk lid.111

Against its rivals

  • BMW 1600

    412 vs BMW 1600

    Standing 400 m lower is better

    41220.9 s
    BMW 160018.8 s
    19
  • Renault 16 TS

    412 vs Renault 16 TS

    Standing 400 m lower is better

    41220.9 s
    Renault 16 TS19.1 s
    19
  • VAZ 2103

    412 vs VAZ 2103

    Standing 400 m lower is better

    41220.3 s
    VAZ 210320.2 s
    12
  • Fiat 125P/1500

    412 vs Fiat 125P/1500

    Standing 1000 m lower is better

    41237.8 s
    Fiat 125P/150038 s
    12

The rest of the story is in the app

The full file tells why each version matters, the legend behind the car and what to check before buying one.

  • Versions

    • Why each of the 12 versions matters

  • Legend

    • 14 stories from its legend
    • “500 km at 177.82 km/h”
    • “Four starters, four finishers in Sydney”

  • Generations

    • The story of each of the 8 generations

  • Market

    • 6 things to check before buying one
    • Where prices are heading, and why
Read the full file in SPOT

SPOT is free on iPhone. Full car files come with SPOT Plus.

Sources

Every fact on this page links to the source it rests on.

See all 27 sources
  1. Moskvitch 412 - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  2. К истокам «пазнего Ижа»: зачем на военном заводе начали выпускать легковушки kolesa.ru
  3. Лучше BMW: этот советский двигатель знали и ценили во всей Европе zr.ru
  4. Москвич из прошлого на тестах «За рулем»: машина — огонь! zr.ru
  5. Элитный «Москвич» | МОДЕЛИСТ-КОНСТРУКТОР modelist-konstruktor.com
  6. Москвич-412: вот как советские инженеры переделали двигатель BMW zr.ru
  7. The car that came in from the cold February 2002 - Motor Sport Magazine motorsportmagazine.com
  8. История Ижавто. Москвич-412 :: Официальный сайт ОАО «ИжАвто» izh-auto.ru
  9. Матч Москва-Ижевск: какой Москвич был лучше zr.ru
  10. «Москвич-412»: контроль времени zr.ru
  11. ИЖЕВСКИЙ АВТОЗАВОД - StaticContent ladaizhevsk.ru
  12. Test automobilu Moskvič 412 - Moskvich 412 - Moskvitch 412 - Moskvitsh 412 - Москвич 412 moskvichklub.cz
  13. モスクヴィッチ／ヴァルトブルク／ラーダ　英国で歓迎されたソ連の大衆車　前編（AUTOCAR JAPAN） | 自動車情報・ニュース - carview! carview.yahoo.co.jp
  14. Moskwitsch 403 bis 2140 kaufen: Kaufberatung, Preise & Schwachstellen | NAZD DE nazd.de
  15. Расшифровка индексов Москвича-412: что скрывается за буквами / Авто и транспорт / iXBT Live ixbt.com
  16. DO YOU REMEMBER – THE MOSKVITCH 412? (1) | Lancaster Insurance lancasterinsurance.co.uk
  17. Moskvitch 408 - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  18. Moskvitch 402 - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  19. Test automobilu Moskvič 412 - Moskvich 412 - Moskvitch 412 - Moskvitsh 412 - Москвич 412 moskvichklub.cz
  20. Moskvitch 400-420 - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  21. Как Москвич-412 «рвал» и Ford, и Alfa Romeo zr.ru
  22. Государственная премия — автомобилестроителям - Январь 1975 года - архив За рулем zr.ru
  23. «МОСКВИЧ-412 РАЛЛИ» | МОДЕЛИСТ-КОНСТРУКТОР modelist-konstruktor.com
  24. ГОНЩИКИ | Энциклопедия KM.RU km.ru
  25. IGCD.net - Internet Game Cars Database igcd.net
  26. Пять причин любить и ненавидеть Москвич-412 kolesa.ru
  27. Опыт владения и реставрация Москвич-412: олдтаймер с нашего двора kolesa.ru
  • en.wikipedia.org
  • kolesa.ru
  • zr.ru
  • modelist-konstruktor.com
  • motorsportmagazine.com
  • izh-auto.ru
  • ladaizhevsk.ru
  • moskvichklub.cz
  • carview.yahoo.co.jp
  • nazd.de
  • ixbt.com
  • lancasterinsurance.co.uk
  • km.ru
  • igcd.net

Photo credits

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