The factory was founded in 1929 as Nizhny Novgorod Automobile Plant (NAZ) with the help of technical assistance from the American Ford Motor Company. Under the agreement, the Soviets agreed to purchase $13 million worth of automobiles and parts, while Ford agreed to give technical assistance until 1938 to construct an integrated automobile-manufacturing plant at Nizhny Novgorod.
In 1932, the plant produced its first automobiles, GAZ-AA truck and GAZ-A passenger car, which were based on the Ford Model AA and Ford Model A, respectively. In 1933, the factory's name changed to Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod, or GAZ, when the city was renamed after Maxim Gorky.
During World War II, GAZ shifted its production to military vehicles and assembled Chevrolet G7107 and G7117 (G7107 with winch) from parts shipped from the USA under Lend Lease.
After the war, GAZ resumed production of civilian vehicles and introduced several new models, including the GAZ-M20 Pobeda, which was the first Soviet car to have turn signals and an electric starter. In the 1960s, GAZ began producing commercial vehicles and buses, and in the 1970s, it started manufacturing the Volga, a popular Soviet passenger car.
Today, GAZ is part of the GAZ Group Holding and is one of the largest automotive manufacturers in Russia. The company produces a wide range of vehicles, including trucks, buses, and passenger cars.
