The ZIL-118 Yunost was produced starting in 1964, but its mass production was never established. Yet it could have even been assembled in America – Henry Ford II himself was impressed by the bus. The president of Ford Motor offered to buy a license for its production, but the Soviet government refused.
ZIL buses were often used to serve official delegations. The Yunost was equipped with a seven-liter 150-horsepower V8 from the ZIL-130 and a 3-speed automatic transmission.
The comfortable cabin could accommodate up to 18 people.
This particular bus is from the last series. It differs from early models with a more angular design. Notably, it was purchased for the Crimea for the state dacha "Zarya", which was used by President Leonid Kuchma. In 2006, the ZIL-118 was transferred to the Simferopol Professional Construction Lyceum, and then it was bought into a private collection.
