Alexander Kulygin was the head of the technology workshop at the Ukhta youth center in the 1970s. That’s where he built his six-wheel ‘Ukhta’ all-terrain vehicle, before deciding on transitioning to supercars. Instead of the usual doors, Kulygin came up with a special dome design, implementing hydraulics. The rear view mirrors were swapped out for a periscope, while the headlights were positioned in the center, forming a separate pullout unit. Even the brake discs were homemade. Thanks to a sleek, lightweight, fiberglass body, even the puny 65-horsepower engine of the ‘Pangolin’ could reach speeds of up to 180 km/h!
A year after making it, Kulygin brought his creation to Moscow – although, he had to use a train, since the low-clearance chassis would’ve been ruined by the rough rural roads. The incredible vehicle even attained popularity abroad in 1985, when it took part at the Expo in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Alexander Kulygin was offered a job at a car manufacturing plant, but his career never went further than prototypes and he emigrated to the U.S. in the 1990s, where he founded his own company selling car kits – panels and parts that the customer could assemble into their own, practically custom-made vehicle. He dubbed his new creation ‘Plazma’.
Kulygin tragically died in a driving accident in 2004: the inventor’s motorbike was involved in a collision with a car.
Dear readers,
Our website and social media accounts are under threat of being restricted or banned, due to the current circumstances. So, to keep up with our latest content, simply do the following:
If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.
Subscribe
to our newsletter!
Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox
