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As you know, the most "bad guys" - scammers, bandits, killers - traditionally prefer the most best cars. The best of those that are available at a particular time in a particular country. In our long-suffering Motherland, there were, in fact, only a few such cars, but they all left a bright mark on the history of the dashing nineties. Today we will talk about gangster cars 90 x

But these were few. It was much more real for lovers of a luxurious life in the USSR to illegally acquire a Volga decommissioned from some state institution, and if there were good funds and connections, even a Chaika. Ordinary "hucksters" and criminals, God himself ordered to drive a VAZ "classic", the best car available at that time. But Zhiguli, even the most prestigious models of their time (VAZ-2106 and VAZ-2107), did not stand out from the general flow - after all, in principle, the whole country drove them. And the car became an indispensable attribute of the criminal world only at the end 80 x– beginning 90 x years, when the decline of the law enforcement system and a sharp rampant crime led to explosions, chases and shootouts right on the city streets ...

Perhaps the first "gangsta-mobile" in Russia was an ordinary VAZ "nine". At first, in the mid-80s, the Volga front-wheel drive, like any new car, were taken by many inhabitants rather cautiously, but over the five years since the start of production, the plant solved the main problems with spare parts and brought it to an acceptable (by Soviet-Russian standards) level of reliability. That's when everything came to the fore positive traits"chisel": good dynamics and controllability for those times, relative unpretentiousness and reliability.

Why did the nine that appeared later, and not the eight, become more popular? Yes, because four side doors favorably distinguished the VAZ-2109 from 2108 - they allowed the "team" of 4-5 people, if necessary, to get into the car very quickly or leave it. In the conditions of a dashing life with showdowns and shootouts, this was an important advantage of the car. No wonder the group Combination"She sang a song about the cherry nine - so many" tough guys "of the country dreamed of such a car. At the turn of the years, Samara turned out to be both an affordable and quite prestigious car; various representatives of the “shadow business” of our country did not shy away from driving it. The Volga has not yet lost its solid status: all sorts of black marketeers, swindlers, thieves often drove such people - in a word, representatives of the "intelligent" criminal professions.

Vaz 2109

In perestroika times, the prospect of switching to a foreign car for the first domestic "merchants" became quite real - they began to slowly seep into the country Mercedes And Volvo from the West Toyota And Nissans from the East. They were imported for the most part illegally - as a rule, for bribes at customs or hidden on foreign ships. Well, with the fall of the iron curtain at the very beginning 90 x a real flow of used foreign cars poured into the country. Both European and Japanese small cars for middle-class people and American dreadnoughts for those who are richer were imported to Russia.

Against this background, the prestige cherry nines" And black Volga faded very quickly. Yes, besides domestic cars build quality and parts dropped sharply. It is worth noting that AvtoVAZ itself, like many Russian plants, was in the first half of 90 x under the control of organized criminal groups - according to some reports, a tenth of all produced cars went straight off the assembly line to extortionists as various "ransoms". So many bandits of the Volga region actually got brand new Zhiguli for free - ride as much as you like. But for "serious people" domestic cars no longer relied on status. According to unwritten rules, in those days for any self-respecting "commersant" the first serious money was supposed to be spent on a decent foreign car.

At first, Russian businessmen and representatives of crime fell in love with the “Americans” very much. Newspapers and magazines 1991 —1994 years were literally full of advertisements for various American sedans - from mid-size Chrysler New Yorker And Pontiac Grand Am/Bonneville to huge Cadillac Deville And Lincoln Town Car. Their powerful unpretentious motors normally digested bad gasoline, huge bodies made of thick steel not only successfully accommodated a whole gang of bodyguards, but also gave additional chances to survive in accidents and skirmishes. No wonder " brigade» Sasha Bely at the beginning of her journey, she cut through it on the old Lincoln, and not on some kind of Mercedes. The hero of Viktor Sukhorukov also rode the "American" in the first film " Brother».

It should be noted that american cars at first 90 x there were many only in Moscow and the region - wide avenues and ring roads, still unloaded with traffic jams in those days, were perfect for multi-liter dreadnoughts. Petersburg, due to its proximity to Scandinavia, for a long time fell in love with Volvo And Saabs- they were driven from Sweden and Finland, and the supply of spare parts was also carried out from there. Quite strong and very prestigious, these cars turned out to be an indispensable attribute of business and crime in the North-West of Russia. In confirmation of my words - Volvo 940 flashes in the first episodes of "Brigade" along with the usual "nines" and "Americans". SAAB 9000 was also very popular in the beginning 90 x years in both capitals and adjacent areas.

Volvo 940

A province not secured by either good roads, neither spare parts nor service, for prestigious foreign cars at first turned out to be almost closed. However, very quickly, the "new Russians" from the regions found a way out - to buy used all-terrain vehicles. The most famous "gangster" SUV was, of course, Jeep Grand Cherokee .

It was this car that starred in the famous episode with the Maxim machine gun from the movie Brother-2. "Wide Jeep" was the best combination of high cross-country ability, speed, acceptable handling and comfortable lounge. Perhaps the only drawback is the high fuel consumption. But who considered it in those days when gasoline in Russia cost a penny? Jeep Grand Cherokee actually became the first executive-class all-terrain vehicle in the world. On Russian market he easily laid his competitors on the shoulder blades - Ford Explorer And Chevrolet Blazer . But, despite the rather simple and durable design, the Russian " new Russians"Managed to kill and Jeeps. Therefore, in the Urals and Siberia, where the situation with roads and spare parts was very bad, the local "brothers" were much more willing to take the "Japanese" - albeit less prestigious, but more reliable. Toyota LC80 And 4Runner, Mitsubishi Pajero , and Nissan Terrano took not the last place in the ranking of gangster cars of that time.

However, main disadvantage Jeep Grand Cherokee already felt then huge expense fuel (with 5.2 liters of volume and an uneconomical machine). Well, what with such liter engine he gave out some 220 hp. – these are rather the claims of today. Old-school "Americans" are just like that - wasteful, multi-liter, with a voracious machine gun and cubic optics ...

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Toyota Land Cruiser 80, or simply as the lads "Kruzak" called him, as always "Toned all around." Also an unforgettable car in 90 x. Starred in the film "Brigade"

Toyota Land cruiser

Mitsubishi Pajero, he is a real tank for shooters, with an elevated landing - ideal for dodging bullets. As for the swift bird "Pajero", then as a trump card, in addition to a more economical engine, he also had the image of a multiple conqueror of the "Dakars". In addition, the Japanese could boast of an ultra-progressive transmission for those times. Super Select 4WD, which allowed changing operating modes on the go up to 100 km / h, ideally adapting to any type of road and off-road.

Mitsubishi Pajero '94

Surprisingly, in the era of the primitive accumulation of capital, German cars were not very in demand among the Russian "lads". The break came somewhere in the middle 90 x years. Conservatism, sluggishness and mediocrity driving performance American and Swedish dreadnoughts by that time were already bored with the "elite" of the underground world. Fresh German models looked much more advantageous - just as powerful and prestigious, but more dynamic, elegant and modern.

After the opening of the borders, symbols of not only gangsterism, but also the era 90 x in general have become bmw 5 in the back E34, Mercedes-Benz G-Class (popular to this day) and, of course, the legendary "boar" - Mercedes-Benz S in the back W140. On the last one, the elite of the criminal world, "heliks", as a rule, traveled with an escort. "Fives" were used by bandits with a lower rank, but already risen.

In the first half 90 x brand new BMW 525i cost in Moscow only 35-40 thousand dollars, and a used one is even cheaper. With age, the Bavarians lost value significantly faster than Mercedes: a three-five-year-old could already be bought for quite reasonable money. To feel like a respected person, all that remained was to tone it tightly, and, if possible, get “beautiful” numbers. Indestructibility in the end bmw almost didn't give up Mercedes, and won in terms of driving performance. Fairly simple and unpretentious "five" E34 clearly came to the yard. Relatively light, with powerful engines (the 192-horsepower 2.5 on the 525i became the most popular), and a memorable design, it became a real “extortionist fighting machine” in 90s years. In the “Brigade”, a friend of Sasha Bely, Rafik, drove such a car, and in blindfolds the main characters rolled almost the entire film on a black “boomer” ... Perhaps, BMW 525i became the number 2 car in the criminal world of Russia - behind the "six hundredth", but ahead Grand Cherokee.

As a rule, risen bandits moved on such 5th behahs!
It was prestigious and honorable to have such a car among the criminals!

Listing films 90 x with the participation of this car, it is impossible not to remember the first Sasha "White" from the Brigade, who in 92 x years of riding E34, and some other guys from this movie, I think everyone remembers!

By the way, to replace Jeep himself from the Cherokee tribe in the second half 90 x came the true Aryan, Mercedes Gelandewagen . By that time, a simple army all-terrain vehicle was just overgrown with powerful engines and a lot of “bells and whistles” - what Russian citizens in power need! The prestige of gelendevagen was reinforced by very small, almost exclusive production volumes (about 7-8 thousand per year), and of course, the magical combination of cross-country ability and indestructibility, which is so important in our area. Cost "Gelik" in good condition not much smaller than the 500th passenger car, and yet the Russian elite considered it a matter of honor to have a pair of such cars accompanied. By the way, it was no coincidence that Gelendevagen became a security car - for the cones themselves, it was not comfortable enough - cramped, shaky and noisy. But for protection just right: albeit uncomfortable, but strong and impressive in appearance.

But the main and unconditional grandee, the object of admiration and worship, as well as the hero of numerous jokes about the nouveau riche, was Mercedes S 600. Launching the car for sale, the group's advertisers provided it with the slogan: "In the S-class you will find much that fans of other companies will receive only in the next generation of cars." And indeed it is. What is there - many options for this car, presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show 1991 years, you will not find in the basic equipment of many modern foreign cars of the middle class.

Electrical controls for everything you see. infrared system remote control blocking everything that is locked. Climate control for all riders and even for individual parts of their bodies. Possibility of installation of telephone and telefax for those who do not have pagers... Enumerate gadgets "six hundredth" - a thankless task. Who saw us will understand. And whoever hasn't seen it will still think that we forgot something. Towbar, for example. Or a steering wheel with four holes. Or optical Windshield"-3" - for myopic.

However, just having a ship in the 140th body was not enough. It was necessary that the treasured numbers flaunted on the trunk lid, making the car an idol. Actually, there were not so many six hundredths - of course, in relative terms.

Apparently, this did not bother even the President of Russia, who used the same car - albeit well armored, and besides, an exclusive extended version Pullman. Mercedes W140 was large, heavy, incredibly comfortable (the legend of double, and therefore soundproof windows is especially popular rear doors) - and terribly expensive. New S500L or S600L cost in Russia 90s years in the range of 130-180 thousand dollars - almost three times more expensive than Jeep Grand Cherokee. And this is only in the basic configuration. Armored "elephants", very relevant at that turbulent time, cost simply fabulous money - as a rule, $ 300-500 thousand. Probably for this money 90s it was possible to buy any of the most luxurious apartments in the center of Moscow. But the love of the then businessmen for the "many hundred" knew no bounds: they say there were people who lived in "Khrushchev" and dressed in the markets, but at the same time managed to drive brand new Mercedes! It is not surprising that such cars appear in almost every film "about good and bad" filmed in Russia over the past 12-15 years. Some time after the release W140 V 1998 year, one of the Russian TV channels even filmed documentary about the hard life of the "six hundred" in Russia.

By the way, contrary to popular belief about the mass character of the “six hundredth” Mercedes, only about 500-1000 cars in the back were bought new annually in Russia. W140. In a used condition from Europe were imported several times more cars. Most of them were really models S600, or at least S500- tight-fisted Germans willingly got rid of the old voracious "elephants", selling them for relatively little money to Russia ...

It's interesting that bmw 7 series in the back E32, traditionally the main competitor of the Mercedes S-class in the world markets, we clearly found ourselves in the shadow of the "six hundredth". It did not become too popular in Russia due to the rather pampered design of the chassis and the abundance of electronics - car repairs often resulted in too much money even for "dashing guys".

The Stuttgart concern often equipped its spacious handsome man with economical six-cylinder engines of 2.8 and 3.2 liters, with a capacity of 193 and 231 hp. respectively, as well as a V-shaped “eight” of 4.2 and 5 liters. But the most outstanding achievement is, of course, the S-class V12 with a 394-horsepower engine, which accelerated a 2650-kilogram car to a hundred in just 6 seconds ...

Despite the highest technical excellence, third-generation S-class cars for a long time did not find enough fans and potential buyers in Germany. It seemed too baggy to the Germans ... But what a misfortune - for 1/6 of the land for six hundred long ten years - a whole era! - a symbol of success, the ultimate of the wildest dreams. After all, in 90s in our country, a car was not just a hallmark of its owner - it was an object of culture (or subculture - someone will object), reverence, a reference measure of everything and everything.

Undoubtedly, this is number one on the list of cars with echoes. 90 x!

One way or another, even in a used condition, the "six hundred" or BMW "seven-fifty" were very expensive for street gangsters and mediocre businessmen. They turned their attention to smaller and cheaper cars. It would seem that the younger brother of the “elephant” - the body W124. The then E-class was much more affordable and massive, had a huge number of modifications. However, quite complex chassis did not tolerate bad roads very well, and besides, in Europe the car had a stable image of a taxi car. In addition, most of the cars from Europe came with low-power 4-cylinder engines, including diesel engines. In a word, Mercedes W124 was the car of economical burghers, but our "brothers" needed something more aggressive and dynamic.

And then came the August crisis 1998 of the year. It would seem that the level of crime in the finally mired in financial problems the country will only increase and a new round of criminal wars will begin. However, the initial redistribution of spheres of influence and financial flows has already taken place. Now, in order to steal something, you had to wait for someone to earn it. Under the new conditions, making money on the sale and purchase of bankrupt factories and enterprises has become even more profitable than robbing and killing. Dirty money was slowly laundered, the former "brothers" legalized their "business".

Perhaps the most iconic car of that time was an all-terrain vehicle. Toyota Land Cruiser 100- many people transferred to it from huge American all-terrain vehicles Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban, popular in the central part of Russia in the middle 90 x. Appeared in 1998 year, the "hundredth" for a good decade won the hearts of the powerful citizens of Russia. The highest reliability and cross-country ability made the car very popular in the regions. In addition, "Kukuruznik" (or "Kruzak", as it is usually called), even in the most expensive version, cost one and a half times cheaper than Gelendevagen and therefore seemed a rather pragmatic choice. Thanks to this "hundred part" was quickly loved not only by businessmen, but also by law enforcement agencies, especially the top of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the traffic police. So the "corn-grower" had a very peculiar "gangster-cop" image - but in any case, mere mortals usually bypassed such cars...

At the turn of the 21st century, it was time to update the car fleet of the "bigwigs" of local importance - the old "five" BMWs had already served their purpose, more modern, comfortable and solid cars were needed. Many "tough guys" of the country again made their choice in favor of German cars - they were the new "five" BMW (E39 body) and "pop-eyed" Mercedes W210. Both models went on sale in Germany back in 1995 year, but in Russia they became massively available only five years later - already imported second-hand. It is interesting that the new, “pop-eyed” E-class was coolly accepted in Europe (according to some reports, in 1995, during the W124 was discontinued and the transition to the new W210, taxi drivers even went on strike in Germany), but in Russia it clearly came to court. Very memorable appearance, improved equipment and more powerful motors compared to its predecessor made a decisive contribution to popularity. A scene from the movie "Boomer" with the participation of "big-eyed" Mercedes and Dimon Oshparenny eloquently shows what kind of people drove these cars.

A direct competitor of Mercedes, the BMW E39 also had every chance to continue the criminal glory of its predecessor ... However, one significant event occurred - at the end of 1998, a contract was signed to organize the assembly BMW cars in Russia. In the conditions of the flaring crisis, this decision looked almost like a mockery, because at that time more than half of the country's population could barely make ends meet! However, contrary to skeptics, a year later the first "boomers" rolled off the assembly line of the joint venture in Kaliningrad. And in 2000-2001, there was a fairly massive campaign to "transplant" Russian officials to the same BMW "fives" and "sevens" - under the slogan of support domestic manufacturer. In particular, the then Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin drove a BMW E39. This was probably the very first blow to the criminal image of BMW - the brand was slowly turning from gangster to government. And in general, in the early 2000s, the level of organized crime in the country finally began to decline ...

Under these conditions, it was the turn of the Russian elite to change their faithful horses - brutal Mercedes W140- for something more subdued. The Daimler-Benz concern was very dissatisfied with the criticism of its “suitcase” and prepared a new generation of the S-class for launch into the series - W220 which is very different from the old one. The change of generations, by the way, surprisingly exactly coincided in Russia with the August 1998 crisis. A more compact body, the rejection of double glazing for the sake of saving weight - skeptics itched that the new "two hundred and twentieth" had lost strength and comfort. In fact, many nouveau riche were at first simply put off by the unusual design. Against the background of the brutal solidity of the 140th, the new W220 looked too smooth, light and elegant. It should be noted that the share of the S600 model itself has noticeably decreased - the lighter S-class now had enough 8-cylinder engines. For the entire time of production, "two hundred and twentieth" did not come up with a single nickname - it was very unusual for the Russian "target audience". It cannot be said that the 220th body was not popular in Russia: it was still the sole leader in its class in the domestic market. About 1,000 cars a year were bought from us new, and used cars were imported a couple of times more. And yet, the glory of the predecessor was far away.

In those days, part of the political and criminal elite even moved from the old "six hundred" to Audi A8 And bmw 7-series. They looked much more severe and even gloomy against the background of the new S-class. The first one could boast all-wheel drive, however, due to a rather specific design (in particular, an extremely complex and expensive aluminum body to repair) A8 not very suitable for Russian operating conditions, and few were imported. In addition, it can be noted that the Audi company, unlike Mercedes and BMW, has never had a pronounced criminal image in Russia. Partly because in Russia in 90s For years, first of all, low-power and not very prestigious “barrels” and “herrings” were imported - they did not pull on bandit cars. In addition, Audi has always had a not-so-prestigious kinship with Volkswagen. They say that at the end 90 x a consignment of cars was imported to Russia Audi A6 And A8 for members of the government - this finally discouraged the representatives of criminals from driving such cars. Later, in the 2000s, quite a lot of Audi A6 sedans in the back of the 1997 model were imported into the country - but this was primarily a "director's" car, not a gangster one.

"Seven" BMW (E38 body), in turn, starred in the landmark film "Boomer" - and in the title role. But now the criminal glory of BMW was spoken about rather in the past tense. Yes, and the 38th body was not really popular with Russian criminals - primarily because of the undercarriage too gentle for our roads ...

The hero of the second part of Boomer, the BMW X5, became much more famous. Moreover, at the beginning of the century, a real boom in SUVs and SUVs began in Russia. Since 2003, the three-year-old BMW X5 has been pouring in from the USA. Very prestigious, with a characteristic appearance, high-speed, but at the same time not exorbitantly expensive - they turned out to be a desirable transport for the "tough guys" of Russia. For some time, "he-fifth" became perhaps the most fashionable car in the country. He made a very strong competition to the clumsy Gelendevagens and Land Cruisers. Yes, having excellent asphalt driving performance, he outright lost to real all-terrain vehicles in terms of cross-country ability - but who needs it if the paths of the "powerful" now pass mainly along the asphalt highways of the capital and other large cities of Russia. It is noteworthy that despite the general love for the X5, government departments almost did not buy these cars - apparently, they scared away the operating costs that were too high for Russian "state employees". Indeed, this BMW is very different expensive service, and therefore, as a more reliable and affordable alternative in the same years, the Lexus RX300 crossover became popular in Russia. Firstly, it became the first widely known car of this brand in Russia, and secondly, along with the compatriot Toyota Land Cruiser 100, it did not allow German manufacturers to “monopolize” the market. However, today, capital housewives and even taxi drivers are already rolling out used Lexuses with might and main ...

Nowadays, almost any luxury SUVs are popular with the "powers that be" in Russia - from range rover, Porsche Cayenne, Infiniti FX to Hummer H2 and Lexus LX470. Of course, they are far from being driven by street bandits and extortionists, but by quite “law-abiding” officials and businessmen…

All of the above is true, first of all, for the European part of Russia - from Kaliningrad to the Urals. Approximately the same "alignment of forces", obviously, was in Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. In Siberia and the Far East, due to the geographical proximity to Japan, the car market developed according to its own scenario, and completely different cars became popular there. Instead of BMWs and Mercedes beyond the Urals, the top models of Toyota and Nissans were much more popular...

As you know, the most "bad guys" - scammers, bandits, killers - traditionally prefer the best cars. The best of those that are available at a particular time in a particular country. In our long-suffering Motherland, there were, in fact, only a few such cars, but they all left a bright mark on the history of the dashing nineties. Today we will talk about gangster cars of the 90s.

But these were few. It was much more real for lovers of a luxurious life in the USSR to illegally acquire a Volga decommissioned from some state institution, and if there were good funds and connections, even a Chaika. Ordinary "hucksters" and criminals, God himself ordered to drive a VAZ "classic", the best car available at that time. But Zhiguli, even the most prestigious models of their time (VAZ-2106 and VAZ-2107), did not stand out from the general flow - after all, in principle, the whole country drove them. And the car became an indispensable attribute of the criminal world only in the late 80s - early 90s, when the decline of the law enforcement system and a sharp rampant crime led to explosions, chases and shootouts right on the city streets ...

Why did the nine that appeared later, and not the eight, become more popular? Yes, because the four side doors favorably distinguished the VAZ-2109 from 2108 - they allowed the “team” of 4-5 people, if necessary, to get into the car very quickly or leave it. In the conditions of a dashing life with showdowns and shootouts, this was an important advantage of the car. No wonder the group "Combination" sang a song about the cherry nine - so many "tough guys" of the country dreamed of such a car. At the turn of the 90s, Samara turned out to be both an affordable and quite prestigious car; various representatives of the “shadow business” of our country did not shy away from driving it. The Volga has not yet lost its solid status: all sorts of black marketeers, swindlers, thieves often drove such people - in a word, representatives of the "intelligent" criminal professions.

It should be noted that in the early 90s there were a lot of American cars only in Moscow and the region - wide avenues and ring roads, at that time still unloaded with traffic jams, were perfect for multi-liter dreadnoughts. Petersburg, due to its proximity to Scandinavia, fell in love with Volvo and Saab for a long time - they were driven from Sweden and Finland, and spare parts were also supplied from there. Quite strong and very prestigious, these cars turned out to be an indispensable attribute of business and crime in the North-West of Russia. The Saab 9000 was also very popular in the early 90s in both capitals and their surrounding areas.

It was this car that starred in the famous episode with the Maxim machine gun from the movie Brother-2. "Wide Jeep" perfectly combined high cross-country ability, speed, acceptable handling and comfortable interior. Perhaps the only drawback is the high fuel consumption. But who considered it in those days when gasoline in Russia cost a penny? Well, what about the volume gasoline engine from 4 to 5.9 liters, it produced from 185 to 245 hp. – these are rather the claims of today. Old-school "Americans" are just like that - wasteful, multi-liter, with a gluttonous automatic machine and square optics ... The Jeep Grand Cherokee actually became the first all-terrain vehicle of the executive class in the world. In the Russian market, he easily laid on the shoulder blades of his competitors - Ford Explorer and Chevrolet Blazer.

But, despite the rather simple and durable design, the Russian "new Russians" managed to kill Jeeps as well. Therefore, in the Urals and Siberia, where the situation with roads and spare parts was very bad, the local "brothers" were much more willing to take the "Japanese" - albeit less prestigious, but more reliable. Toyota LC80 and 4Runner, Mitsubishi Pajero, and Nissan Terrano took not the last place in the rating of gangster cars of that time.

Toyota Land Cruiser 80, or simply as the Kruzak lads called it, as always, “Toned all around”. Also an unforgettable car in the 90s.

Mitsubishi Pajero, he is a real tank for shooters with a boost. As for the swift bird "Pajero", then as a trump card, in addition to a more economical engine, he also had the image of a multiple conqueror of the "Dakars". In addition, the Japanese could boast of the Super Select 4WD transmission, which was ultra-progressive at that time, which allowed changing operating modes on the go up to 100 km / h, ideally adapting to any type of road and off-road.

Surprisingly, in the era of primitive capital accumulation german cars not too much in demand among the Russian "lads". The turning point came somewhere in the mid-1990s. Conservatism, sluggishness and mediocre driving performance of the American and Swedish car industry by that time had already bored the "elite" of the underground world. Looked much more advantageous fresh german models- just as powerful and prestigious, but more dynamic, elegant and modern.

After the opening of the borders, the symbols of not only the gangster business, but also the era of the 90s as a whole became the BMW 5 in the back of the E34, the Mercedes-Benz G-Klasse (popular to this day) and, of course, the legendary "boar" - the Mercedes-Benz S in the back of the W140. On the last one, the elite of the criminal world, "heliks", as a rule, traveled with an escort. "Fives" were used by bandits with a lower rank, but already risen.

In the first half of the 90s, a brand new BMW 525i cost only 35-40 thousand dollars in Moscow, and a used one was even cheaper. With age, the Bavarians lost value significantly faster than Mercedes: a three-five-year-old could already be bought for quite reasonable money. To feel like a respected person, all that remained was to tone it tightly, and, if possible, get “beautiful” numbers. In terms of indestructibility, in the end, BMWs were almost as good as Mercedes, and they won in terms of driving performance. A fairly simple and unpretentious "five" E34 clearly came to court. Relatively light, with powerful engines (the 192-horsepower 2.5 on the 525i became the most popular), and a memorable design, it became a real “extortionist fighting machine” in the 90s. Perhaps the BMW 525i has become the number 2 car in the criminal world of Russia - behind the "six hundredth", but ahead of the Grand Cherokee. As a rule, risen bandits moved on such 5th behahs. It was prestigious and honorable to have such a car among the criminal circle.

In the second half of the 90s, the Jeep from the Cherokee tribe was replaced by a true Aryan, Mercedes Gelandewagen. By that time, a simple army all-terrain vehicle was just overgrown with powerful motors and a lot of "bells and whistles" - what Russian citizens in power need! The prestige of gelendevagen was reinforced by very small, almost exclusive production volumes (about 7-8 thousand per year), and of course, the magical combination of cross-country ability and indestructibility, which is so important in our area. The cost of a "Gelik" in good condition is not much less than the passenger "five hundredth", and nevertheless, the Russian elite considered it a matter of honor to have a couple of such cars accompanied. By the way, it was no coincidence that Gelendevagen became a security car - for the cones themselves, it was not comfortable enough - cramped, shaky and noisy. But for protection just right: albeit uncomfortable, but strong and impressive in appearance.

Apparently, this did not bother even the President of Russia, who used the same car - though well-armored, and besides, an exclusive extended version of the Pullman. The Mercedes W140 was big, heavy, incredibly comfortable, and terribly expensive. A new S500L or S600L cost in Russia in the 90s in the range of 90-120 thousand dollars - a very impressive amount by the standards of the mid-90s. That's almost three times more expensive than the Jeep Grand Cherokee. For example, the average European small-capacity foreign car of the late 80s then cost 3-4 thousand dollars.

Armored "elephants", very relevant at that turbulent time, cost simply fabulous money - as a rule, $ 300-500 thousand. But the love of the then businessmen for the "many hundred" knew no bounds: they say there were people who lived in "Khrushchev" and dressed in the markets, but at the same time managed to drive brand new Mercedes! It is not surprising that such cars appear in almost every film "about good and bad" filmed in Russia over the past 12-15 years. Some time after the end of the release of the W140 in 1998, one of the Russian TV channels even made a documentary about the difficult life of the "six hundred" in Russia.

By the way, contrary to popular belief about the mass character of the “six hundredth” Mercedes, only about 500-1000 cars in the back of the W140 were bought new annually in Russia. Several times more cars were imported in used condition from Europe. Most of them really were the S600 model, or at least the S500 - tight-fisted Germans willingly got rid of the old voracious "elephants", selling them for relatively little money to Russia ...

Despite the highest technical excellence, third-generation S-class cars for a long time did not find enough fans and potential buyers in Germany. It seemed too baggy to the Germans ... But what a misfortune - for 1/6 of the land for six hundred long ten years - a whole era! - a symbol of success, the limit of the wildest dreams. Indeed, in the 90s in our country, a car was not just a hallmark of its owner - it was an object of culture (or subculture - someone will object), reverence, a reference measure of everything and everything.

Undoubtedly, this is number one on the list of cars with echoes of the 90s!

It is interesting that the BMW 7 Series in the back of the E32, traditionally the main competitor of the Mercedes S-class in the world markets, is clearly in the shadow of the “six hundredth” in our country. She did not become too popular in Russia. Perhaps one of the reasons could be due to the rather pampered design of the chassis and the abundance of electronics - car repairs often resulted in too much money even for "dashing guys".

One way or another, even in a used condition, the "six hundred" or BMW "seven-fifty" were very expensive for street gangsters and mediocre businessmen. They turned their attention to smaller and cheaper cars. It would seem that the younger brother of the "elephant" - the W124 body - should have become the ideal "gangster car" of the middle class in Russia at that time. The then E-class was much more affordable and massive, had a huge number of modifications. However, the rather complex chassis did not tolerate bad roads very well, and besides, in Europe the car had a stable image of a taxi car. In addition, most of the cars from Europe came with low-power 4-cylinder engines, including diesel engines. In a word, the Mercedes W124 was a car of economical burghers, while our “brothers” needed something more aggressive and dynamic.

Perhaps the most iconic car of that time was the Toyota Land Cruiser 100 all-terrain vehicle - many people switched to it from the huge American Chevrolet Tahoe / Suburban all-terrain vehicles, popular in central Russia in the mid-90s. Appeared in 1998, the "hundredth" won the hearts of the powerful citizens of Russia for a good decade. The highest reliability and cross-country ability made the car very popular in the regions. In addition, "Kukuruznik" (or "Kruzak", as it is usually called), even in the most expensive version, cost one and a half times cheaper than Gelendevagen and therefore seemed a rather pragmatic choice. Thanks to this "hundred part" was quickly loved not only by businessmen, but also by law enforcement agencies, especially the top of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the traffic police. So the "corn-grower" had a very peculiar "gangster-cop" image - but in any case, mere mortals usually bypassed such cars...

At the turn of the 21st century, it was time to update the car fleet of the "bigwigs" of local importance - the old "five" BMWs had already served their purpose, more modern, comfortable and solid cars were needed. Many "tough guys" of the country again made their choice in favor of German cars - they were the new "five" BMW (E39 body) and the "pop-eyed" Mercedes W210. Both models went on sale in Germany back in 1995, but in Russia they became massively available only five years later - already imported second-hand. It is interesting that the new, “pop-eyed” E-class was coolly accepted in Europe (according to some reports, in 1995, during the W124 was discontinued and the transition to the new W210, taxi drivers even went on strike in Germany), but in Russia it clearly came to court. A very memorable appearance, improved equipment and more powerful engines compared to its predecessor made a decisive contribution to popularity.

The direct competitor of Mercedes, the BMW E39, also had every chance to continue the criminal glory of its predecessor ... However, one significant event happened - at the end of 1998, a contract was signed to organize the assembly of BMW cars in Russia. In the conditions of the flaring crisis, this decision looked almost like a mockery, because at that time more than half of the country's population could barely make ends meet! However, contrary to skeptics, a year later the first "boomers" rolled off the assembly line of the joint venture in Kaliningrad. And in 2000-2001, there was a fairly massive campaign to "transplant" Russian officials to the same "fives" and "sevens" of BMW - under the slogan of supporting the domestic manufacturer. In particular, the then Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin drove a BMW E39. This was probably the very first blow to the criminal image of BMW - the brand was slowly turning from gangster to government. And in general, in the early 2000s, the level of organized crime in the country finally began to decline ...

Under these conditions, it was the turn of the Russian elite to change their faithful horses - the brutal Mercedes W140 - for something more restrained. The Daimler-Benz concern was very dissatisfied with the criticism of its “suitcase” and prepared a new generation of the S-class, the W220, which is very different from the old one, for launching into the series. The change of generations, by the way, surprisingly exactly coincided in Russia with the August 1998 crisis. A more compact body, the rejection of double glazing for the sake of saving weight - skeptics itched that the new "two hundred and twentieth" had lost strength and comfort. In fact, many nouveau riche were at first simply put off by the unusual design. Against the background of the brutal solidity of the 140th, the new W220 looked too smooth, light and elegant. It should be noted that the share of the S600 model itself has noticeably decreased - the lighter S-class now had enough 8-cylinder engines. For the entire time of production, "two hundred and twentieth" did not come up with a single nickname - it was very unusual for the Russian "target audience". It cannot be said that the 220th body was not popular in Russia: it was still the sole leader in its class in the domestic market. About 1,000 cars a year were bought from us new, and used cars were imported a couple of times more. And yet, the glory of the predecessor was far away.

In those days, part of the political and criminal elite even moved from the old "six hundred" to the Audi A8 and BMW 7-series. They looked much more severe and even gloomy against the background of the new S-class. The first one could boast of all-wheel drive, but due to a rather specific design (in particular, an extremely complex and expensive aluminum body to repair, especially in those days), the A8 was not very suitable for Russian operating conditions, and few were imported. In addition, it can be noted that the Audi company, unlike Mercedes and BMW, has never had a pronounced criminal image in Russia. Partly because in Russia in the 90s, first of all, low-power and not very prestigious "barrels" and "herrings" were imported - they did not pull on gangster cars. In addition, Audi has always had a not-so-prestigious kinship with Volkswagen. Rumor has it that in the late 90s a batch of Audi cars A6 and A8 for government members - this finally discouraged criminals from driving such cars. Later, in the 2000s, quite a lot of Audi A6 sedans in the back of the 1997 model were imported into the country - but this was primarily a "director's" car, not a gangster one.

The hero of the second part of Boomer, the BMW X5, became much more famous. Moreover, at the beginning of the century, a real boom in SUVs and SUVs began in Russia. Since 2003, the three-year-old BMW X5 has been pouring in from the USA. Very prestigious, with a characteristic appearance, high-speed, but at the same time not exorbitantly expensive - they turned out to be a desirable transport for the "tough guys" of Russia. For some time, "he-fifth" became perhaps the most fashionable car in the country. He made a very strong competition to the clumsy Gelendevagens and Land Cruisers. Yes, having excellent asphalt driving performance, he outright lost to real all-terrain vehicles in terms of cross-country ability - but who needs it if the paths of the "powerful" now pass mainly along the asphalt highways of the capital and other large cities of Russia. It is noteworthy that despite the general love for the X5, government departments almost did not buy these cars - apparently, they scared away the operating costs that were too high for Russian "state employees". Indeed, this BMW is distinguished by very expensive maintenance, and therefore, as a more reliable and affordable alternative, the Lexus RX300 crossover became popular in Russia in the same years. Firstly, it became the first widely known car of this brand in Russia, and secondly, along with the compatriot Toyota Land Cruiser 100, it did not allow German manufacturers to “monopolize” the market. However, today, capital housewives and even taxi drivers are already rolling out used Lexuses with might and main ...

Nowadays, almost any luxury SUV is popular with the "powers that be" in Russia - from Range Rover, Porsche Cayenne, Infiniti QX80 to Audi Q7 and Lexus LX570. Of course, they are far from being driven by street bandits and extortionists, but by quite “law-abiding” officials and businessmen…

As you know, the most "bad guys" - scammers, bandits, killers - traditionally prefer the best cars. The best of those who are available at a particular time in a particular country. In our long-suffering Motherland, there were, in fact, only a few such cars, but they all left a bright mark on the history of Russian crime.

Since in Soviet times (until the early 80s) organized crime did not actually exist in the country, there were essentially no gangster cars. Of all the pre-perestroika cars, only the “twenty-first” Volga is remembered, and even then thanks to the famous story about Yuri Detochkin. No, since the 70s, individual underground millionaires and thieves in law could afford to hide in the garage the most luxurious Mercedes at that time in the bodies of the W123 and W126 or the BMW 7th series, which ordinary Soviet citizens saw only in the movies. But these were few. It was much more real for lovers of a luxurious life in the USSR to illegally acquire a Volga decommissioned from some state institution, and if there were good funds and connections, even a Chaika. Ordinary "hucksters" and criminals, God himself ordered to drive a VAZ "classic", the best car available at that time. But Zhiguli, even the most prestigious models of their time (VAZ-2106 and VAZ-2107), did not stand out from the general flow - after all, in principle, the whole country drove them. And the car became an indispensable attribute of the criminal world only in the late 80s - early 90s, when the decline of the law enforcement system and a sharp rampant crime led to explosions, chases and shootouts right on the city streets ...

Perhaps the first "gangsta-mobile" in Russia was an ordinary VAZ "nine". At first, in the mid-80s, the Volga front-wheel drive, like any new car, was taken by many inhabitants rather warily, but over the five years since the start of production, the plant solved the main problems with spare parts and brought it to an acceptable (by Soviet-Russian standards) level of reliability. It was then that all the positive qualities of the “chisel” came to the fore: good dynamics and controllability for those times, relative unpretentiousness and reliability. Why did the nine that appeared later, and not the eight, become more popular? Yes, because the four side doors favorably distinguished the VAZ-2109 from 2108 - they allowed the “team” of 4-5 people, if necessary, to get into the car very quickly or leave it. In the conditions of a dashing life with showdowns and shootouts, this was an important advantage of the car. No wonder the group "Combination" sang a song about the cherry nine - so many "tough guys" of the country dreamed of such a car. At the turn of the 90s, the Samara turned out to be both an affordable and quite prestigious car; various representatives of the “shadow business” of our country did not shy away from driving it. The Volga has not yet lost its solid status: all kinds of black marketeers, swindlers, thieves often traveled on such - in a word, representatives of the "intelligent" criminal professions.

In perestroika times, the prospect of switching to a foreign car for the first domestic “merchants” became quite real - Mercedes and Volvo from the West, Toyota and Nissan from the East, slowly began to seep into the country. They were imported for the most part illegally - as a rule, for bribes at customs or hidden on foreign ships. Well, with the fall of the Iron Curtain, at the very beginning of the 90s, a real stream of used foreign cars poured into the country. Both European and Japanese small cars for middle-class people and American dreadnoughts for those who are richer were imported to Russia. Against this background, the prestige of the "cherry nines" and black Volga very quickly faded. And besides, the quality of assembly and parts has plummeted in domestic cars. It is worth noting that AvtoVAZ itself, like many Russian factories, was in the first half of the 90s under the control of organized crime groups - according to some reports, a tenth of all produced cars went straight off the assembly line to extortionists as various "ransoms". So many bandits of the Volga region actually got brand new Zhiguli for free - ride as much as you like. But for “serious people”, domestic cars no longer relied on status. According to the unwritten rules, in those days for any self-respecting "comers" the first serious money was supposed to be spent on a decent foreign car. At first, Russian businessmen and representatives of crime fell in love with the “Americans” very much. Newspapers and magazines from 1991-1994 were literally full of advertisements for various American sedans - from the mid-size Chrysler New Yorker and Pontiac Grand Am / Bonneville to the huge Cadillac Deville and Lincoln Town Car. Their powerful unpretentious engines normally digested bad gasoline, huge bodies made of thick steel not only successfully accommodated a whole gang of bodyguards, but also gave additional chances to survive in accidents and skirmishes. No wonder the “team” of Sasha Bely at the beginning of his journey cut it on the old Lincoln, and not on some kind of Mercedes. The hero of Viktor Sukhorukov also rode the "American" in the first film "Brother". It should be noted that in the early 90s there were a lot of American cars only in Moscow and the region - wide avenues and ring roads, at that time still unloaded with traffic jams, were perfect for multi-liter dreadnoughts. Petersburg, due to its proximity to Scandinavia, fell in love with Volvo and Saab for a long time - they were driven from Sweden and Finland, and spare parts were also supplied from there. Quite strong and very prestigious, these cars turned out to be an indispensable attribute of business and crime in the North-West of Russia. To confirm my words - Volvo 940 flashes in the first series of "Brigade" along with the usual "nines" and "Americans". SAAB 9000 was also very popular in the early 90s in both capitals and adjacent areas.

The province, not provided with good roads, spare parts, or service, was almost closed to prestigious foreign cars at first. However, very quickly, the "new Russians" from the regions found a way out - to buy used all-terrain vehicles. The most famous "gangster" SUV was, of course, the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was this car that starred in the famous episode with the Maxim machine gun from the movie Brother-2. "Wide Jeep" perfectly combined high cross-country ability, speed, acceptable handling and comfortable interior. Perhaps the only drawback is the high fuel consumption. But who considered it in those days when gasoline in Russia cost a penny? Jeep Grand Cherokee actually became the world's first all-terrain vehicle of the executive class. In the Russian market, he easily laid on the shoulder blades of his competitors - Ford Explorer and Chevrolet Blazer. But, despite the rather simple and durable design, the Russian “nouveau riche” managed to kill Jeeps as well. Therefore, in the Urals and Siberia, where the situation with roads and spare parts was very bad, the local "brothers" were much more willing to take the "Japanese" - albeit less prestigious, but more reliable. Toyota LC80 and 4Runner, Mitsubishi Pajero, and Nissan Terrano took not the last place in the rating of "gangsta cars" of that time.

However, the main drawback of the Jeep Grand Cherokee was already felt then - the huge fuel consumption (with 5.2 liters of volume and an uneconomical machine). Well, the fact that with such a liter engine, he gave out some 220 hp. – these are rather the claims of today. Old-school "Americans" are just like that - wasteful, multi-liter, with a voracious machine gun and cubic optics ...

Toyota Land Cruiser 80, or simply as the Kruzak lads called it, as always, "Toned all around." Also an unforgettable car in the 90s. Starred in the film "Brigade"

Mitsubishi Pajero, aka a real tank for shooters, with an elevated seating position is ideal for dodging bullets. As for the swift bird "Pajero", then as a trump card, in addition to a more economical engine, he also had the image of a multiple conqueror of the "Dakars". In addition, the Japanese could boast of the Super Select 4WD transmission, which was ultra-progressive at that time, which allowed changing operating modes on the go up to 100 km / h, ideally adapting to any type of road and off-road.

Surprisingly, in the era of the primitive accumulation of capital, German cars were not very in demand among the Russian "lads". The turning point came somewhere in the mid-1990s. The conservatism, sluggishness and mediocre driving performance of the American and Swedish dreadnoughts had already bored the “elite” of the underground world by that time. Fresh German models looked much more advantageous - just as powerful and prestigious, but more dynamic, elegant and modern.
After the opening of the borders, the symbols of not only the gangster business, but also the era of the 90s as a whole became the BMW 5 in the back of the E34, the Mercedes-Benz G-Klasse (popular to this day) and, of course, the legendary "boar" - the Mercedes-Benz S in the back of the W140. On the latter, the elite of the criminal world, "geliki", as a rule, traveled accompanied. "Fives" were used by bandits with a lower rank, but already risen.

In the first half of the 90s, a brand new BMW 525i cost only 35-40 thousand dollars in Moscow, and a used one was even cheaper. With age, the Bavarians lost value significantly faster than Mercedes: a three-five-year-old could already be bought for quite reasonable money. To feel like a respected person, all that remained was to tone it tightly, and, if possible, get “beautiful” numbers. In terms of indestructibility, in the end, BMWs were almost as good as Mercedes, and they won in terms of driving performance. A fairly simple and unpretentious "five" E34 clearly came to court. Relatively light, with powerful engines (the 192-horsepower 2.5 on the 525i became the most popular), and a memorable design, it became a real “extortionist fighting machine” in the 90s. In the Brigade, Sasha Bely's friend Rafik drove such a car, and in blindfolds the main characters rolled almost the entire film on a black "beamer" ... Perhaps the BMW 525i became the car number 2 in the criminal world of Russia - behind the "six hundredth", but ahead of the Grand Cherokee.
As a rule, risen bandits moved on such 5th behahs!
It was prestigious and honorable to have such a car among the criminals!

Listing the films of the 90s with the participation of this car, one cannot but remember the first Sasha "Bely" from the Brigade, who rode the E34 in the 92s, and some other guys from this film, I think everyone remembers!

Fifth, it should be noted in the film "Blind Man's Buff", which was ridden by two frostbitten funny types, shooting and knocking down everyone in their path! By the way, when a car cuts them off in the film, Seryoga (Aleksey Panin) says to Simon (Dmitry Dyuzhev), who was trying to catch up with this car, like: “Don’t, let him drive, his car is cool, they told me now that this is the best ...” And it was the BMW ///M5 in 34 body that cut them off, which had no less than 380 hp, but in those days, for the power of the hood, it was sky-high figures and that in our time is not enough! Super film, very positive, I like all the characters, without exception, especially "OOO, ETHIOP?! - I'm Russian ..." =)

Everyone knows the very best beshka in the back of the E38! This is the 7th episode of the movie "Boomer". Movie first!

"Cool car, beha seven" these words are especially memorable for us in the film, because. this car is really the best of its kind and in its time, which could only compete with Mercedes S-class in 140 body (I'll talk about it a little later)
I will not tell the story of the film, because. many know it by heart, but rather I'll tell you about the famous and legendary boomer in the 38th body.

The car in the film is BMW 750iL (L is an extended base by 7 cm), although 5 cars were filmed in the film, and each in every moment of the film, both 735 and 740, and probably many do not know about it!
BMW 750 - after the movie "Boomer" - was the dream of any teenager, after the movie, this car was truly recognized in Russia!

In the 90s, only quite significant authorities, the first people in the criminal circle, could afford this car!

By the way, in the second half of the 90s, the true Aryan, Mercedes Gelandewagen, replaced the Cherokee Jeep itself. By that time, a simple army all-terrain vehicle was just overgrown with powerful engines and a lot of “bells and whistles” - what Russian citizens in power need! The prestige of gelendevagen was reinforced by very small, almost exclusive production volumes (about 7-8 thousand per year), and of course, the magical combination of cross-country ability and indestructibility, which is so important in our area. A Gelik in good condition cost not much less than a five-hundredth passenger car, and yet the Russian elite considered it a matter of honor to have a couple of such cars accompanied. By the way, it was no coincidence that Gelendevagen became a security car - for the cones themselves, it was not comfortable enough - cramped, shaky and noisy. But for protection just right: albeit uncomfortable, but strong and impressive in appearance.

But the main and unconditional grandee, the subject of admiration and cult, as well as the hero of numerous jokes about the nouveau riche, was the Mercedes S 600. Launching the car for sale, the concern's advertisers provided it with the slogan: "In the S-class you will find a lot that fans of other companies will receive only in the next generation of cars." And indeed it is. Why, many options of this car, presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in 1991, you will not find in the basic equipment of many modern foreign cars of the middle class.

Electrical controls for everything you see. Infrared remote control system to lock everything that is locked. Climate control for all riders and even for individual parts of their bodies. Possibility of installation of telephone and telefax for those who do not have pagers... To enumerate lotions of the "six hundredth" is a thankless task. Who saw us will understand. And whoever hasn't seen it will still think that we forgot something. Towbar, for example. Or a steering wheel with four holes. Or an optical windshield "-3" - for the short-sighted.

One way or another, it was from the “six hundredth” that the real cult of the three-beam star began in Russia. Those who were forced to hide their old Mercedes from the KGB in their dachas a decade ago now had the opportunity to show the whole country who is the boss in it. Mercedes were feared and respected in much the same way as black Volgas and Chaikas in Soviet times. At the same time they were shot, set on fire and blown up - the "six hundredth" became a real symbol of criminal wars in Russia in the mid-90s. It was even called the most unfortunate car in the world - so many lives were taken with them by these gloomy sedans! Apparently, this did not bother even the President of Russia, who used the same car - though well-armored, and besides, an exclusive extended version of the Pullman. The Mercedes W140 was big, heavy, incredibly comfortable (especially popular is the legend of the double, and therefore soundproof glass rear doors) - and terribly expensive. A new S500L or S600L cost in Russia in the 90s in the range of 130-180 thousand dollars - almost three times more than the Jeep Grand Cherokee. And this is only in the basic configuration. Armored "elephants", very relevant at that turbulent time, cost simply fabulous money - as a rule, $ 300-500 thousand. Probably, for this money in the 90s you could buy any of the most luxurious apartments in the center of Moscow. But the love of the then businessmen for the "many hundred" knew no bounds: they say there were people who lived in "Khrushchev" and dressed in the markets, but at the same time managed to drive brand new Mercedes! It is not surprising that such cars appear in almost every film "about good and bad" filmed in Russia over the past 12-15 years. Some time after the end of the release of the W140 in 1998, one of the Russian TV channels even made a documentary about the difficult life of the "six hundred" in Russia.

Interestingly, the BMW 7-series in the back of the E32, traditionally the main competitor of the Mercedes S-class in the world markets, was clearly in the shadow of the “six hundredth” in our country. It did not become too popular in Russia due to the rather pampered design of the chassis and the abundance of electronics - car repairs often resulted in too much money even for "dashing guys".

Despite the highest technical excellence, third-generation S-class cars for a long time did not find enough fans and potential buyers in Germany. It seemed too baggy to the Germans ... But what a misfortune - for 1/6 of the land for six hundred long ten years - a whole era! - a symbol of success, the limit of the wildest dreams. Indeed, in the 90s in our country, a car was not just a hallmark of its owner - it was an object of culture (or subculture - someone will object), reverence, a reference measure of everything and everything.

Undoubtedly, this is number one on the list of cars with echoes of the 90s!

Also, it was impossible not to notice the Mercedes W140 coupe

One way or another, even in a used condition, the "six hundred" or BMW "seven-fifty" were very expensive for street gangsters and mediocre businessmen. They turned their attention to smaller and cheaper cars. It would seem that the ideal “gangsta-mobile” of the middle class in Russia at that time was to be the younger brother of the “elephant” - the body of the W124. The then E-class was much more affordable and massive, had a huge number of modifications. However, the rather complex chassis did not tolerate bad roads very well, and besides, in Europe the car had a stable image of a taxi car. In addition, most of the cars from Europe came with low-power 4-cylinder engines, including diesel engines. In a word, the Mercedes W124 was a car of economical burghers, while our “brothers” needed something more aggressive and dynamic.

I remembered another car from the "Boomer" when there was a skirmish at a gas station, when the guys drove up in a Merce 124 coupe! (One of the guys, with the phrase: "What? Normal! And then Kolka was torn out of Padzherik yesterday, some hooligans" - is the director of the film - Pyotr Buslov. World man, for "Boomer" he has a separate honor!

And here is his Mercedes-Benz W124 coupe

And then came the August crisis of 1998. It would seem that the level of crime in the country completely mired in financial problems will only increase and a new round of criminal wars will begin. However, the initial redistribution of spheres of influence and financial flows has already taken place. Now, in order to steal something, you had to wait for someone to earn it. Under the new conditions, making money on the sale and purchase of bankrupt factories and enterprises has become even more profitable than robbing and killing. Dirty money was slowly laundered, the former "brothers" legalized their "business". Perhaps the most iconic car of that time was the Toyota Land Cruiser 100 all-terrain vehicle - many people switched to it from the huge American Chevrolet Tahoe / Suburban all-terrain vehicles, popular in central Russia in the mid-90s. Appeared in 1998, the "hundredth" won the hearts of the powerful citizens of Russia for a good decade. The highest reliability and cross-country ability made the car very popular in the regions. In addition, "Kukuruznik" (or "Kruzak", as it is usually called), even in the most expensive version, cost one and a half times cheaper than Gelendevagen and therefore seemed a rather pragmatic choice. Thanks to this "hundred part" was quickly loved not only by businessmen, but also by law enforcement agencies, especially the top of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the traffic police. So the "corn-grower" had a very peculiar "gangster-cop" image - but in any case, mere mortals usually bypassed such cars...

At the turn of the 21st century, it was time to update the car fleet of the "bigwigs" of local importance - the old "five" BMWs had already served their purpose, more modern, comfortable and solid cars were needed. Many "tough guys" of the country again made their choice in favor of German cars - they were the new "five" BMW (E39 body) and the "pop-eyed" Mercedes W210. Both models went on sale in Germany back in 1995, but in Russia they became massively available only five years later - already imported second-hand. It is interesting that the new, “pop-eyed” E-class was coolly accepted in Europe (according to some reports, in 1995, during the W124 was discontinued and the transition to the new W210, taxi drivers even went on strike in Germany), but in Russia it clearly came to court. A very memorable appearance, improved equipment and more powerful engines compared to its predecessor made a decisive contribution to popularity. A scene from the movie "Boomer" with the participation of "big-eyed" Mercedes and Dimon Oshparenny eloquently shows what kind of people drove these cars.

The direct competitor of Mercedes, the BMW E39, also had every chance to continue the criminal glory of its predecessor ... However, one significant event happened - at the end of 1998, a contract was signed to organize the assembly of BMW cars in Russia. In the conditions of the flaring crisis, this decision looked almost like a mockery, because at that time more than half of the country's population could barely make ends meet! However, contrary to skeptics, a year later the first "beamers" rolled off the assembly line of the joint venture in Kaliningrad. And in 2000-2001, there was a fairly massive campaign to "transplant" Russian officials to the same "fives" and "sevens" of BMW - under the slogan of supporting the domestic manufacturer. In particular, the then Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin drove a BMW E39. This was probably the very first blow to the criminal image of BMW - the brand was slowly turning from gangster to government. And in general, in the early 2000s, the level of organized crime in the country finally began to decline ...

In those days, part of the political and criminal elite even moved from the old "six hundred" to the Audi A8 and BMW 7-series. They looked much more severe and even gloomy against the background of the new S-class. The first one could boast of all-wheel drive, but due to a rather specific design (in particular, an extremely complex and expensive aluminum body to repair), the A8 was not very suitable for Russian operating conditions, and few were imported. In addition, it can be noted that the Audi company, unlike Mercedes and BMW, has never had a pronounced criminal image in Russia. Partly because in Russia in the 90s, first of all, low-power and not very prestigious "barrels" and "herrings" were imported - they did not pull on gangster cars. In addition, Audi has always had a not-so-prestigious kinship with Volkswagen. Rumor has it that in the late 90s, a batch of Audi A6 and A8 cars for government members was imported into Russia - this finally discouraged criminals from driving such cars. Later, in the 2000s, quite a lot of Audi A6 sedans in the back of the 1997 model were imported into the country - but this was primarily a "director's" car, not a gangster one.

The hero of the second part of Boomer, the BMW X5, became much more famous. Moreover, at the beginning of the century, a real boom in SUVs and SUVs began in Russia. Since 2003, the three-year-old BMW X5 has been pouring in from the USA. Very prestigious, with a characteristic appearance, high-speed, but at the same time not exorbitantly expensive - they turned out to be a desirable transport for the "tough guys" of Russia. For some time, "he-fifth" became perhaps the most fashionable car in the country. He made a very strong competition to the clumsy Gelendevagens and Land Cruisers. Yes, having excellent asphalt driving performance, he outright lost to real all-terrain vehicles in terms of cross-country ability - but who needs it if the paths of the "powerful" now pass mainly along the asphalt highways of the capital and other large cities of Russia. It is noteworthy that despite the general love for the X5, government departments almost did not buy these cars - apparently, they scared away the operating costs that were too high for Russian "state employees". Indeed, this BMW is distinguished by very expensive maintenance, and therefore, as a more reliable and affordable alternative, the Lexus RX300 crossover became popular in Russia in the same years. Firstly, it became the first widely known car of this brand in Russia, and secondly, along with the compatriot Toyota Land Cruiser 100, it did not allow German manufacturers to “monopolize” the market. However, today, capital housewives and even taxi drivers are already rolling out used Lexuses with might and main ...

Nowadays, almost any luxury SUV is popular with the "powers that be" in Russia - from Range Rover, Porsche Cayenne, Infiniti FX to Hummer H2 and Lexus LX470. Of course, they are far from being driven by street bandits and extortionists, but by quite “law-abiding” officials and businessmen…

All of the above is true, first of all, for the European part of Russia - from Kaliningrad to the Urals. Approximately the same "alignment of forces", obviously, was in Ukraine and Belarus. In Siberia and the Far East, due to the geographical proximity to Japan, the car market developed according to its own scenario, and completely different cars became popular there. Instead of BMWs and Mercedes beyond the Urals, the top models of Toyota and Nissans were much more popular...

Remembered today the dashing 90s. This thread is just the way :)

1. VAZ 2109

Why did the nine that appeared later, and not the eight, become more popular? Yes, because four side doors allowed a “team” of 4-5 people, if necessary, to get into the car very quickly or leave it.

2 Volvo 940

Petersburg, due to its proximity to Scandinavia, fell in love with Volvo and Saabs - they were driven from Sweden and Finland, and spare parts were also supplied from there. Quite strong and very prestigious, these cars turned out to be an indispensable attribute of business and crime in the North-West of Russia. Let us recall at least the same Gangster Petersburg or the Streets of Broken Lanterns.

3. Jeep Grand Cherokee

"Wide Jeep" perfectly combined high cross-country ability, speed, acceptable handling and comfortable interior. In addition, it looked really powerful.

4. Toyota Land Cruiser

“Kruzak” or always “Toned all around” This is how the brothers most often called him. Also an unforgettable car in the 90s. Starred in the film "Brigade"

5. Mitsubishi Pajero 94 years old

An ideal tank for shooters, with an elevated seating position, ideal for dodging bullets.

6. BMW 525i

Became a real "extortionist fighting machine" in the 90s. In the “Brigade”, a friend of Sasha Bely, Rafik, drove such a car, and in blindfolds the main characters rolled almost the entire film on a black “boomer” ...

7. Mercedes Gelandewagen

It was no coincidence that Gelendevagen became a security car - for the cones themselves, it was not comfortable enough - cramped, shaky and noisy. But for protection just right: albeit uncomfortable, but strong and impressive in appearance.

8.Mercedes S600

"Six hundredth" became a real symbol of criminal wars in Russia in the mid-90s. It was even called the most unfortunate car in the world - so many lives were taken with them by these gloomy sedans!

9 Chevrolet Tahoe

The highest reliability and cross-country ability made the car very popular in the regions. In addition, even in the most expensive version, it cost one and a half times cheaper than Gelendevagen and therefore seemed to be a rather pragmatic choice. Thanks to this "hundred part" was quickly loved not only by businessmen, but also by law enforcement agencies, especially the top of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the traffic police.

10. Mercedes W210

A scene from the movie "Boomer" with the participation of "big-eyed" Mercedes and Dimon Oshparenny eloquently shows what kind of people drove these cars.

Cat, what kind of "spinning wheel" do you like? =))

An article about cars driven by criminals in the 90s in Russia - their features, Interesting Facts. At the end of the article - a video about "gangster" cars.

The content of the article:

When people talk about the dashing 90s, many immediately recall leather jackets, Polish or Turkish sports suits for Adidas and certain car models that even after almost twenty years are firmly associated with Russian criminals.

Moreover, it is worth noting that despite the collapse of the Union, the brothers in Ukraine, Russia and the Baltic States were so similar in appearance, and in the manner of conversation and behavior, and in the choice of cars, that the rating of 7 gangster cars of the 90s for all countries of yesterday's USSR is almost the same.

So, what cars have earned the uneasy fame of a “gangster” car?

VAZ 2109;
BMW 5;
BMW 7;
Mercedes S600.

When, in 1985, AvtoVAZ designers drew the first diagrams and built the first models of a new car, they could hardly have imagined that new VAZ 2109 and its predecessor VAZ 2108 will become so popular among the people. Professional drivers nicknamed the Eight "Chisel" for its rigid and clear body shapes, and the first racketeers of the early 90s were very fond of the nine.

The car to this day remains an unpretentious hard worker, perfectly working on low-quality gasoline. This well-controlled, dynamic car could easily accommodate four jocks, who, although it was a little cramped in the cabin, were quite comfortable. LADA Samara, which was produced in Syzran, was especially popular.

Until 1998, the "nine" was among the most frequently stolen cars in all CIS countries. For example, in Kyiv and Rostov, VAZ 2108 and 09 could be "handed over" at any service station for a ridiculous price of up to $ 300, and no one asked where, who and where.

Grand "Wide". That is how the wealthy lads began to call this car, which no longer extorted bribes from merchants for a place in the bazaar, but gave commands to their "fighters" while sitting in cafes and restaurants.

Grand Cherokee was very gluttonous, but that did not stop anyone- fuel was relatively cheap, and the status required to purchase just such cars. By the way, this car is the first in the ranking of gangster cars in Yekaterinburg - in the early 90s in this city there were even more "Wide" cars than nines.

The graceful BMW 5-er E34 took third place in the ranking thanks to its powerful engine and excellent handling. A somewhat modest appearance compared to the Jeep Grand Cherokee could confuse only amateurs who believed that the larger the car, the cooler the “team”.

Connoisseurs and the first employees of the Organized Crime Control Department knew that it was no longer ordinary brothers who drove BMWs, but bandits of a higher rank, and did not risk chasing them in police Toyotas, which, for example, the Ukrainian Berkut received in the early 90s.

This famous car was in the first place in the early 90s with crime from Moscow and the region. The first cars appeared in Moscow illegally - those who understood knew that if a person was able to buy a Lincoln Town Car, this means that he is not only very rich, but also has quite serious connections. This is the first "status" car among the criminal world, according to which the owner has already been appreciated.

A roomy and technically equipped interior, a rigid body made of mm steel, a powerful engine and excellent grip on any road - this is far from full specifications Lincoln, who is also considered a gangster machine in his homeland.

This car is simply called "Boomer". seventh bmw model relished not only salon connoisseurs of automotive design, but also everyone who used the car not only for movement.

The executive sedan was first released in 1977, and already the third generation of the BMW 7-series E38 has become one of the symbols of the criminal years of Russia in the 90s.

The presence of such a machine spoke for itself. The high price of a sedan, the possibility of an individual order of an armored body, the power and beauty of the car put the "7 Behu" in first place among the most desirable cars among criminals. By the way, it was the seven that became the most “shootable” car, and it was its rigid body that saved more than one life.

The finest hour of the Mitsubishi Pajero came in 1993, when well-formed brigades began to divide spheres of influence. This excellent off-road vehicle with a high seating position and progressive transmission proved to be excellent when it entered the corners of city streets at speeds of up to one hundred kilometers. The multiple conqueror of the Dakar marathon has become an indispensable assistant on the "shooters" and field trips.

The new SUV was delivered via Vladivostok - these exclusive models with reinforced suspension Russian craftsmen additionally strengthened by installing armored shields.

And if the BMW 7 has become the most “shot” car in criminal showdowns, then Pejero became the most "exploded" car of 1994-99.

This car became a symbol of the era, although only the wealthy and reputable could afford the Mercedes S 600. But the very name "Six Hundredth" already spoke about everything - the status, more than a thousand "fighters", probably not one conviction.

Already after 2000, these cars became available to almost all merchants (perhaps because the criminals have either moved into the category of serious businessmen or deputies, or have been in prison).

The first cars really struck the imagination of yesterday's Soviet thief. Climate control, mobile communications, fax, the most advanced multimedia system at that time, the latest on-board computer- it was the style, quality and high rank of the owner.

By the way, documentary memoirs of one "supplier", who in 1996 got behind the wheel of this monster in Berlin and arrived at the private security company. Having passed the first hundred meters of the road after the checkpoint, the "six hundredth" ... stalled, and an incomprehensible inscription appeared on the panel. A minute later, the engine started up again, and exactly after a hundred meters it stalled again. When the annoying signal from the computer was translated to the bro, he was somewhat surprised - the miracle car suggested that he just pull over.

The dashing 90s swept by quickly, but persistent associations with these difficult years remained in the memory for a long time, And for more than a dozen years someone will sigh thoughtfully and remember youth, looking at the already rare "nine" or outdated "Boomer".

Video about "gangster" cars:

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