I know we try to avoid overt politics here at the Autopian, but sometimes something so bonkers happens that there’s really no way to not address it. And I think the category of things that qualify as “so bonkers” absolutely must include a major American political party posting a picture of the president on social media with a message about “making automobiles great again” and then choosing an old Soviet-era Lada as the car to show behind him. Because that just happened.
There’s been a lot of talk about the Trump Administration’s “Big Beautiful Bill” that is outside the scope of our humble car-lovers’ site here, but there is a provision in the bill to effectively remove fines automakers accrue for not meeting fuel economy standards, which proponents of the bill believe will help the American automobile industry.


This point was mentioned in a (seemingly poorly-researched) post from The Daily Signal, which is what the Republican party was referencing in this post they sent out last night on the X social media platform:
The One Big Beautiful bill will drive the return of the great American car.
???????????????? pic.twitter.com/poAsG8pDKg— GOP (@GOP) July 31, 2025
Just in case the tweet gets taken down, here’s a screenshot of the relevant image:

Okay, fine, Make Automobiles Great Again, and the Big Beautiful Bill will “drive the return of the great American car.” You’d think with that sort of sentiment in mind, they’d have picked some sort of legendary American car to feature behind the president, right? Maybe an old Mustang, or a GTO, or a Toronado or a Jeep or a Charger or even a Corvair or, hell, a Gremlin? Something American and iconic.
But the GOP (or whoever made the graphic) took a very different approach here. The car proudly stationed behind the President, proclaiming a re-birth of great American cars, appears to be a Lada 2101.

The Lada 2101 was built from 1970 to 1988 and was based on the Fiat 124; it was also known as the Lada 1200, Lada 1300, and VAZ 2101. It was, of course, a Soviet/Russian car and about the least American car I can think of, by nearly any standard.
So why pick that car for this image?
I even found where the photo came from: a stock image site called Pixabay, where this particular image is tagged with “Lada, Yellow, Vehicle image. Free for use.”
Since it’s free for use, I may as well show you the original image here, right? It’s free!

Look, you can even see that weird mark on the C-pillar! This is the same car.
This all brings us to the real question: why?
Was someone trolling the GOP? Was this intentional? Is it possible some designer knew nothing about cars and somehow, by chance, just decided to use an old Soviet car in this tweet about making American cars great again?
Again, I’d like to try and avoid any overt political discussion here, but I think we can all agree that this is absolutely ridiculous. I’d be writing the same story if the Democratic Party put a post on Instagram of Joe Biden crowing about great American cars in front of a Zaporozhets or something. This is objectively hilarious.
The Republican party is posting pictures of the President cheering in front of classic Soviet iron. What a weird world we’re in.
Well his social media platform is the translation of Pravda, and he used to think Born in the USA was a patriotic song about the superiority of people born in the USA ( to the right parents of course , since he’s trying to get rid of some born in the USA people now ) so extolling Lada is pretty on brand.
I’d expect a ZIL to be honest though.
I know president Clinton allegedly shared some anatomical characteristics with donkeys and Milton Berle but why do they keep naming this legislation after him?
When I first saw this article, I had to spend more time watching Ladas-only rally and drift videos, than I planned to.
But I’m not sure: is it correct to call a Lada 1300 a 2101? (“The Lada 2101 was built from 1970 to 1988 and was based on the Fiat 124; it was also known as the Lada 1200, Lada 1300, and VAZ 2101.”) Shouldn’t the 1300 be something like 21011, or 2102? (I looked it up, the 2102 was the wagon, 21011 was the Lada 1300.) Or does that still count as a 2101?
Don’t worry the bottom line is if it’s funny it isn’t political. Whether some ad agency liberals decide to do this knowing they will lose their jobs it’s hilarious. I used to work for a newspaper in Bullhead City AZ and the camera staff delighted in taking photos of a person with some of the most inappropriate art objects or stimulation devices or decorating penis cakes. I privately enjoyed it but once members of the public pointed it out I had to report it and 5 people lost their jobs. They deserved it you play you pay
I was leaving it at that but read the comments and all the liberals have to make it political. Jason it isn’t the article it is the angry left that ruined a great article.
“I privately enjoyed it but once members of the public pointed it out I had to report it and 5 people lost their jobs.” So, tell us a bit more about the compassionate, conservative, caring world in which you choose to reside. Keep telling yourself it was OK for you to cause 5 people to lose their jobs “once members of the public pointed it out”, never mind the impact on their families; seems you fit well in the MAGAverse.
That’s a Lada horse apples in one picture.
Do. Not. Blindly. Trust. Designers.
I’m so glad this happened, but really! Someone isn’t watching the store. I know I’m not supposed to interrupt my enemy when they’re making a mistake, but I live in the country these clowns aren’t steering .
The AI knew how Soviet the whole MAGA thing feels and it just bled through.
I like how they even chose a rusty example, parked in a puddle with garbage in it. Perfection.
And with russian plates.
I think it has hungarian plates, AXD-692, with red-white-green flag, under the flag the letter H.
“Make Russia Great Again”
Or did someone beat me to it?
It’s also on-brand for Mr Tiny Hands.
OMG I just now realized that what he really wants is for cars with thin rimmed steering wheels to come back!
Well that would make one nice thing, I don’t like those girthy wheels. Not fond of the read of his crap.
This was done on purpose.
Didn’t they do a Veteran’s Day post a few years ago, but “accidentally” chose a photo of SS troops in WWII? Are these Freudian slips?
A weird thought just occurred to me, how about instead of making automobiles great again, which I’d argue have been greater at least as far as domestic brands go, but instead lets make appliances great again. They seem to have gotten so bad reliability wise that I’ll bet there’s more 25 year old refrigerators still in use then there are 10 year old ones.
I’m holding onto my 25-year-old home HVAC system as long as possible.
It took my landlords 3 yearly water heater replacements before they found one that appears to work well. Ended up going with some obscure brand meant to be the garbage end of the commercial market and was cheaper than anything in Home Depot or Lowes. (however they did order it from the best home improvement chain in the US unless you’re looking for power tools, Menards)
tRump is a F’ing moron and so is anyone that still supports him.
My take: I’m sure they farm the construction of their social media posts to some sort of 3rd party. Said 3rd party hates the GOP, and are smart enough to know that *nobody* will know what the car is, so it is a troll on the GOP themselves. Masterfully done, I might add.
The third party running the GOP is the KGB. They know exactly what they are doing and are signaling how in control of the GOP they are.
See also all the times the GOP has used Soviet warships and planes in their posts.
This is the most logical thing I’ve read in quite a while.
The majority of Americans know that the car pictured is clearly a yellow car
“This point was mentioned in a (seemingly poorly-researched) post from The Daily Signal, which is what the Republican Party”
*ReThugliCon Party.
The mistake is stupid and egregious, but the person who made it and the audience it’s for simply do not give a shit. I hate that this is where we are.
Outside of this community, I would not expect anyone to recognize this error. As such, it should be pointed out to all the (other) news organizations. This is an egregious mistake that should not go un-reported considering the source and how they so strongly and vehemently push the American agenda on everyone.
*Pam Bondi voice*: As the leader of the entire world, our beloved President Trump is very knowledgeable about automobiles and, contrary to what the godless Communist rats say, he knew full well that this car was a *checks notes* Lotta 2001. He requested that we use this car to demonstrate the poor state of the American automotive industry that Joe Biden *spits* left it in.
That’s all they have to say.
Golf carts are not automobiles.
Whatever. Someone pop the trunk and see if the list is in there.
Thank you for taking some of the sting off this idiocy.