AUTONEWS

The legendary “Stojadin” is back as a dangerous electric beast: See what the new Zastava 102 e looks like

Car enthusiasts in the Balkans often like to reminisce about old domestic models that generations grew up with. You probably remember the story of the Zastava 5700 model, which many in the region thought was a real, secret project from Kragujevac, although it was actually the vision of Slovenian designer Andrej Troha. The same author has now attracted a lot of attention again with a project he called the Zastava 102 e, and it is a modern electric successor to the legendary Zastava 101, or the popular “Kec”.

The photos of this concept look very realistic, as if it is a model that is ready for mass production. Troha took the recognizable lines of the former “Stojadin” and successfully adapted them to today's trends, more precisely the form of a compact electric city crossover. The design of the Zastava 102 e combines striking details from the 1980s with modern solutions in the automotive industry. 

The front grille features a black honeycomb grille with a large orange ZASTAVA inscription. The round LED headlights with a light ring are directly reminiscent of the first series of the Kragujevac-based “Kec”, while the robust bumper and intakes give the vehicle a more stable and powerful stance.

When the car is viewed from the side, the rear end and the sloping trunk are immediately noticeable, which was the main trademark of the original Zastava 101. On the roof are integrated rails with powerful LED reflectors for night driving, while the rear end is adorned with futuristic arrow-shaped light clusters, a discreet black spoiler and a diffuser with attractive orange tow hooks. The whole story is rounded off by massive rims with orange details that blend perfectly with the metallic copper body color. Also, the car’s ground clearance has been significantly raised compared to the original, which was not that difficult.

The letter “e” in the name clearly indicates that the designer envisioned this model as a fully electric car. Although these are three-dimensional renderings and an artist’s vision, the images immediately sparked discussions on internet forums, and the main question that arises is: would you drive a modern “Kec” on electricity? The European and regional markets currently lack affordable, yet strikingly designed electric cars. If an investor were to emerge ready to revive such a concept in Kragujevac’s facilities, the Zastava 102 e would likely be a serious competitor to models like the Dacia Spring and would attract a huge number of buyers in the region.