Z-88526

Skoda in Norway?!

+1

Skoda is a very popular brand here in Norway. The Superb, Octavia, Kodiaq are very popular models in Norway. However, it's not very common to see Skoda's that are this old though.

+4

Yeah, that`s what I meant. Thought that Czechoslovakia didn`t export its cars to the West in 70-s.

+1

Well, this car was sold brand new in Norway, so it's most likely imported from Czechoslovakia. I'm not so sure how popular Skoda was here in the 70's, but they got imported, that's for sure!

+2

Skoda was a big seller in Norway in the 60's and there is a community around them. Many are also used for oldtimer rallies.
Skodas from the 70's and 80's are actually very rare here, because they had bad reputation compared to the Russians. I think I have only once seen a 120 on Norwegian plates. I occasionally see Favorits and Felicias but I don't think many collectors are interested in them, so in a few years they are probably gone.

+2

It may seem strange, but old Skodas are probably even more rare here in Russia (and all ex-USSR) than in Norway. That`s because USSR didn`t import Skoda cars (only trucks).

+1

Were any non-USSR cars even available in the USSR? Like Wartburg, FSO, Trabant and Dacia?

Actually in a family photo that I saw that was taken during a visit to the border town of Nikel in Murmansk in the 90's you can see a parked Skoda 120 in the backround, but the plate is not visible. So I wonder if it was a Russian with a rare car, or a Norwegian visitor?

+1

Actually, none of Western or even Polish, Czech, DDR or Romanian cars were on sale in the USSR until 1991. Though it was possible to buy foreign cars in other countries for those who worked abroad (diplomats, sailors, etc.) and import them in the USSR (but they were very few). Also, it was possible (for some) to buy second hand cars sold by foreign diplomats in Moscow in case they didn`t want to take those cars with them when they were leaving USSR for other countries (also very few). Everything changed after 1991, when huge amounts of used foreign-made cars flooded Russia and other ex-USSR countries.

+2