Moskvitch 408
The 408 wrapped sturdy, familiar mechanical parts in a roomier new body that became one of the Soviet Union's best-known export cars.
1966 Moskvitch-408 early two-headlight body — representative for the 1964 profile · DL24 · CC0 1.0
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
Joyride shows this gap instead of substituting an asking price, unsold bid or mismatched special vehicle.
More than a set of wheels.
MZMA put the Moskvitch 408 into series production late in 1964. Its 1.36-litre overhead-valve four was an evolution of the previous family, but the body, glass area and cabin were new. Export versions later wore names such as Elite, Carat and Scaldia, so this page stays with the first domestic Soviet sedan rather than mixing in later 408E trim or the more powerful 412 engine.
Look a little closer.
Its name means a person from Moscow, and overseas distributors translated the car's identity into friendlier local badges such as Elite in Finland and France and Carat in Scandinavia.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
A 1964 production car, not the later 412
The original 408 uses the 1,358 cc MZMA overhead-valve engine. The later 412 looks closely related but carries a different, more powerful 1.5-litre overhead-cam engine, so its figures do not belong on this page.
Source: FIA Historic Database · Moskvitch 408 homologation 1377 ↗Factory evidence preserved in a competition form
The manufacturer's 1964 FIA paperwork records the sedan body, 1,360 cc class, rear-wheel drive, four-speed column shift, drum brakes and period suspension. It was homologated in February 1965, just after the road car entered production.
Source: FIA · original Moskvitch 408 homologation form ↗Where these facts come from
- FIA Historic Database · Moskvitch 408
- FIA · original Moskvitch 408 homologation form
- Moskvich Club Czech Republic · factory history
- AutoUSSR · Moskvich 408 museum record
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed September 30, 2026.