Russian tuner turns a mundane Volga into a jaw-dropping vintage coupe

Our today’s news feed seems full of talented Russian car engineers working their magic on the simpler, more affordable models. Now, let us look at this unique project based on the GAZ-21 ‘Volga.’

Owner of the AutoEmotion body shop in Tyumen, Russia, ordered this one for himself. The guys who worked on the project stylized the front end to look like that of the gorgeous 1949 Mercury Club Coupe. As they did so, they got rid of the rear doors and made the front doors a fair bit larger to compensate. We shudder to think how long it took to cut and reshape the body of the original Volga, which actually looks nothing like this.

In turn, the rear end is more of an original design leaning towards the GAZ-12 ZIM model from the 1950s. The smooth trunk cover is new, and while the lights all around look like standard Volga fare, but they now benefit from LED innards.

Lift the hood, and you’re in for another big surprise. The Volga’s old, low-end drivetrain is no longer present, and a massive V8 4.5 from the Toyota Land Cruiser range occupies the engine bay linked to its native six-speed automatic gearbox.

Air suspension, a must on Russian roads, and a complete interior overhaul in black and red leather round off the impressive project.

With skills and expertise like this, we’d say AutoEmotion has what it takes to be a world-class auto restoration shop. Would you agree?