On February 16, 1976, the first KAMAZ truck rolled off the main assembly line of the automobile plant.
The Kama auto giant was built in record time: on December 13, 1969, the construction of the plant in Naberezhnye Chelny began, and already on February 16, 1976, the first truck, KAMAZ-5320, rolled off the main assembly line. This became the main event of the six-year construction period of the auto giant and a striking fact not only in the history of the top Russian truck maker, but also in the history of the domestic automobile industry.
From February 24 to March 5, 1976, the XXV Congress of the CPSU was held in Moscow, and as a sign of the successful implementation of the party’s plans, the first KAMAZ vehicle arrived on Red Square under its own power. The truck with serial number 0000001 was driven by test driver Valery Peretolchin. Also the first honorary crew of the KAMAZ-5320 on-board vehicle included installer Dmitry Zagrebelny and KAMGESENERGOSTROY employee Rafis Sabirzyanov.
It is noteworthy that this truck has survived to this day. After leaving the assembly line, it was handed over to the consumer, worked for a long time in Bashkiria, then was bought by KAMAZ and restored. Today, the first truck is one of the valuable exhibits of the KAMAZ Museum, which invariably arouses great interest among visitors.
KAMAZ-5320 was produced until 2000. Over 24 years, more than 393 thousand of these trucks were assembled.
Today the company is at a new stage of development, a full-scale modernization of production is underway, and the model range is actively expanding. Now fifth-generation trucks are rolling off the KAMAZ main assembly line, which are radically different from their predecessors. The flagship of the new K5 line is the KAMAZ-54901 truck. The premium segment tractor unit was developed by the company's engineers as a worthy alternative to trucks from the Big Seven. The truck is not inferior to foreign analogues in its technical characteristics and comfort.
The KAMAZ-54901 model was launched on the market in 2020 and in a short time won the trust of consumers, becoming especially in demand in the Russian logistics services market. The high demand for the K5 flagship from carriers is due to its operational and consumer properties. The truck is equipped with a new KAMAZ-910.52-460 engine (Euro 5) with a displacement of 13 liters, a power of 482 hp and a torque of 2403 Nm. The use of modern high-tech design solutions made it possible to increase the service interval to 120 thousand km, and the engine life to 1.5 million km, while reducing fuel consumption by 10% compared to previous generation vehicles. The tractor is also equipped with a new 12-speed automated transmission, which has low noise levels, high efficiency and reduced fuel consumption.
Separately, it is worth noting the modern, spacious cabin with a flat floor and two berths, which provides an increased level of comfort for the driver’s work and rest, which reduces fatigue and, as a result, increases the safety of cargo delivery. Also installed in the cabin is a multimedia system with a 15.6" diagonal touch screen with the functions of a navigator, radio, public address system, music playback, online or offline video viewing, control of vehicle parameters, control of the cabin heater and pre-heater.
Today, the KAMAZ-54901 vehicle is produced on a new sanctions-resistant component base. Due to the fact that suppliers and manufacturers of automatic transmissions, drive axles, fuel systems and other components have been replaced, its production no longer depends on the supply of components from unfriendly countries. This allows KAMAZ to guarantee its customers the availability of spare parts and high-quality service for the supplied equipment.
At the end of last year, the company produced more than five thousand KAMAZ-54901 vehicles, and it plans to produce 15 thousand different models of K5 generation vehicles this year.