01
Origins
The ZIL-114 of 1967 renewed the Kremlin's garage: a seven-litre V8 limousine of severe rectangular dignity, hand-built by the Likhachov works' special shop for the Politburo's exclusive use. Disc brakes, automatic transmission and near-silent running met armour options and specifications written by the KGB's ninth directorate. Brezhnev — a car enthusiast entirely unembarrassed by the privilege — presided over its era from the deep rear seat. Production numbered a few dozen; maintenance was a state function performed like liturgy. The 114 defined late-Soviet power's visual grammar: the black rectangle sweeping down the reserved centre lanes, curtains drawn, a superpower's authority expressed at fourteen kilometres to the litre and total silence. The ninth directorate wrote demanding specifications; the special shop exceeded them as a matter of course.
1972 Лимузин ЗИЛ-114 , Zil-114 Limousine - Flickr - denizen24 · denizen24 · CC BY 2.0
