The GAZ-3302 is a model of the GAZelle, the light commercial family of pickup trucks, vans and minibuses built by the Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ). By 2005 about one million GAZelles had been built, and the family was later upgraded to the GAZelle Business. This page covers the key figures, the history, the variants and the questions people ask most often.
GAZ-3302 at a glance
| Manufacturer | Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ) |
|---|---|
| Vehicle type | Light commercial: pickup, van, minibus |
| Units built | About one million GAZelles by 2005 (family total) |
| Later upgrade | GAZelle Business, 2010–2011 |
| Related models | GAZ Sobol (lighter, from 1998), GAZ Valdai (heavier, from 2003) |
The sources give no separate production years or specifications for the GAZ-3302 itself. The figures above describe the GAZelle family, not a single model.
History
The GAZelle was designed from Soviet projects of the 1980s, which had been planned for a plant in Kirovabad (Azerbaijan) that was never built, and from GAZ’s own development work of the same period. At the end of the Soviet Union and the start of the market economy, it became one of the most successful vehicles on the Russian market.
In 2010–2011 the family received a serious upgrade, affecting about 20 main units and systems, including steering, brakes, gearbox and cooling system. The updated model was called GAZelle Business.
Design and features
- The design is often compared to the 1986 Ford Transit, but the two have nothing in common.
- Before 2010 the buyer had no choice of options. The GAZelle Business can be ordered with a rear differential lock, ABS, a de luxe instrument panel and a fog-light package.
Variants
- GAZ Sobol: lighter-duty version on a shorter wheelbase, introduced in 1998.
- GAZ Valdai: heavier-duty version on a longer wheelbase, introduced in 2003 and discontinued in 2015.
- GAZelle Business: the upgraded family from 2010–2011.
- GAZ-3221 and GAZ-2705: the GAZelle minibus (the first basic version had 8 seats and a 2,900 mm wheelbase, launched in March 1996) and the all-metal GAZelle van, with a payload of up to 1,350 kg and two seats (Russian Wikipedia, article “Газель”). The old “GAZ 3221”, “GAZ 2705” and “GAZ Gazelle” pages of this site are covered here.
See also: the GAZ collection, the GAZ Valdai, the GAZ 3308 Sadko and the GAZ 2705.
GAZ-3302 questions and answers
What is the GAZ-3302?
A model of the GAZelle light commercial family, a pickup, van or minibus made by GAZ.
How many GAZelles were built?
About one million by 2005.
What is the difference between the GAZelle and the Valdai?
The Valdai is a heavier-duty version on a longer wheelbase, introduced in 2003.
Sources
- GAZelle, English Wikipedia: family history, production figures, upgrade 2010–2011, Sobol and Valdai
- GAZ-3302 at the GAZ museum, Wikimedia Commons: photo and licence
