"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're gonna see some serious s***!" - said Doc Emmet Brown.
Well, have to break it to ya - none of our babies can go 88mph.
BUT!
The part where we don't need roads is correct. As well as the second part of the sentence.
Let's brief you about our tours and what awaits you when you join us.
Our babies are, indeed, unique time machines.
Produced in Kragujevac - Yugoslavia, in the factory called Zastava, they will take you on a trip trough time, and we're here to give you a complete tour of the country that no longer exists, in the city that still keeps its secrets in the plain sight, only if you know where to look.
Our tours consist of visiting some of the most significant buildings from the Yugoslav era - the sites that defined Belgrade as the capital of a great country, the places where all 6 republics met and the sites that have hosted events that shaped world history.
Not only will you learn about these exciting and turbulent times, about the art of politics and the importance of understanding how the biggest forces of the world work(ed), but you will have the privilege to do it from the backseat of the car who has seen it all!
Our cars have been there, during these historic events.
They have been conquering the streets while the car industry in Europe was in the peak of its development, while people dreamt of owning one of those four-wheeled luxurious means of transportation.
Can you imagine, being able to go from the horse carriage or a bicycle, to an actual car?
Or being able to sit in your very own family car and travel, instead of taking the bus?
This is exactly what Zastava brought to Yugoslavia.
It all started in 1955.
Back when you could count the total amount of cars in the streets of Yugoslavia by the fingers of your hand.
The small car, licensed by Fiat, came to life in this factory, which will become the most important one in Kragujevac, creating generations of workers that assembled the nation's iconic cars for the next 53 years.
The little Fića motorised Yugoslavia and became the most beloved little family car to ever exist in this part of the world.
I mean - look at it!
You know it will do its very best no matter what, and it sure looked good both in family photos and in the promotional brochures for the car shows and fashion magazines.
How can you not love that face? It's adorable!
After the Fića came a true limousine, a pride of every household, a serious upgrade from a small, compact car, it's majesty - Zastava 101.
The first one in Kragujevac was assembled in 1971, based on the Fiat 128 - and it was one of the first cars in the world to be produced in the today mass produced hatchback variant.
Its production lasted for 37 years, and more than a million of these icons were made.
Can you only imagine what if felt like to buy this luxury, bring it home and polish it every single day in your front yard?
It's hard to imagine that amount of pride with the stuff we have today.
The iconic 101 went trough numerous changes and upgrades trough out its history, but more abut it, including the Zastava 128, in our other blog post, dedicated only to this car from our fleet!
Now...
It's time for a special, honorable mention of our beloved car, that some ignorant people call "The worst car in the world".
You might have guessed - the car in mention is the true representative of our tours, as its the most famous one - the Yugo.
And the gif above is our face every time someone mentions the above statement.
The little Yugo is the very first "totally Yugoslavian" car that we made - meaning that it wasn't licensed by Fiat, nor designed by foreign designers and engineers, but created here, in Kragujevac.
Even though it's a common misconception, the name "Yugo" does not derive from "Yugoslavia".
It's important to note that the original name of this little one is "Jugo".
The jugo wind blows from the south and southeast on the Adriatic Sea.
Yes - you understood that correctly: Jugo followed the trends!
Back then, cars were named after the winds, or currents.
For example, Wolksvagen named their cars "Passat" (German word “passatwinde,” winds that reliably blow east to west just north and south of the equator) and "Scirocco" (a hot, powerful wind from the Sahara that blows northeast across the Mediterranean Sea).
So, to keep up with the trending names, Zastava gave their latest achievement a name of the same origin.
Yugo was produced from 1980 until 2008.
During its exciting years of mass production, it was a star of many movies, it has shared screen with big stars such as Bruce Willis, J.Lo, Danny DeVito, Will Ferrell, Tom Hanks...
Can you imagine?!
It became a star in the United States, thanks to the big project Yugo America, that took 142.000 Yugos to the States.
They were adopted by their new owners at the lowest price for the new car, starting at $3990! What a bargain!
And, the best part of this story is... We have them all. And they're all waiting for you, to take you on a most memorable tour of Belgrade! Pick a car of your choice, or swap between the cars during the tour. Each car is driven by its owner, so you'll be able to ask any questions about the specific car you're riding in, including its history, good and bad sides, grumpiness, general behaviour and learn about the experience of owning one. Zastava cars are a full-time commitment, like having a baby. But we're so thrilled to be bonded trough owning them, and more than happy to introduce you to them. Feel free to send us a message with any questions, or book your tour directly trough the website. We can't wait to show you what we've got! ~ Yugoverse team