Check Out Yugoslavia's Cute '80s Car
This Yugoslavian classic recently sold for $11,000 on an auction site. But what is the Zastava 750?
Written by Andrew Kidd
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Want a taste of Eastern
Europe
automotive design without a passport? Check out this 1980 Zastava 750 that was recently listed and sold in California.The Zastava 750 was a supermini car manufactured by Zavodi Crvena Zastava in Kragujevac, Yugoslavia, a city now situated in modern Serbia. It was essentially a Fiat 600 produced under license between 1955 and 1985 by the Yugoslavian automaker.
A Yugoslavian classic
As listed on
BringATrailer.com
, this 1980 Zastava 750 had been refurbished about seven years ago in Croatia, where the current owner acquired it in 2018 prior to importing it to the U.S. It features a 767cc four-cylinder motor rebuilt in 2018 as well as a four-speed manual transaxle. It also boasts a shiny light blue paint job as well as chrome bumpers and gray steel wheels.
The interior features white vinyl seats with blue piping and matching door panels, while black carpet lines the floors. The speedometer on this car goes up to 120 km/h, with a five-digit odometer reading 41,000 kilometers.
Looking for air conditioning? Look elsewhere; this little European compact has front ¾ vent windows to help you beat the heat instead.
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Rebadged Fiat 600
The Zastava 750, as mentioned, is a rebadged variant of the rear-engine Fiat 600 supermini produced for the local market. Fiat built and marketed the 600 between 1955 and 1969, which says something about the Zastava version's longevity.
What happened to Zastava?
Zastava was primarily known for its locally built licensed Fiat vehicles, including the Fiat 128 and 600.
While mostly available in Europe, the company broke into the North American market in the 1980s with the Yugo, which itself drew criticism for its safety and reliability despite gaining a small following of enthusiasts.
After undergoing a few name changes, weathering the Yugoslav Wars and having its assembly plant bombed by NATO during the war in Kosovo, Zastava Automobiles (its final form) ceased vehicle production in 2008. Following an acquisition by Fiat Group Automobiles, the company was renamed FCA Serbia and is now a joint venture between Stellantis and the government of Serbia.
If you're looking to pick up this particular powder blue Zastava 750 SE, you're out of luck; it sold earlier in July for $11,000—likely because the Bring a Trailer listing was publicized by
Car and Driver
, both of which are owned by Hearst Autos.Insuring a classic
While the classic Yugoslavian supermini ship has sailed this time, don't let that deter you in your quest for an Eastern European icon.
When you eventually do find your own 750 or Yugo, you might be eligible for classic car insurance. And when that time comes, make sure you're not paying too much.
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customers save an average of over $800 a year to insure their vehicle. And if you’re deterred by the work of gathering quotes and you’d rather leave it to someone else, the Jerry app sources quotes from 55+ insurance companies, like Nationwide, Allstate, and Travelers.Jerry even helps cancel your old policy once you’ve made your pick. So don’t pay more for the same coverage, make sure you’re getting the fairest price possible.
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