Ulaanbaatar, July 18, 2025 /MONTSAME/. A rare historic automobile exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the road transport sector in Mongolia opened at Sukhbaatar Square.

Opening the exhibition, Minister of Road and Transport Delgersaikhan Borkhuu remarked, “We present to our citizens this historic exhibition and parade of rare automobiles in commemoration of the centennial anniversary of Mongolia’s road transport sector. The establishment of the first independent agency, the "Mongol Transport Office," with seven vehicles in 1925, marked the beginning of the transport sector in Mongolia. Today, we are proud to showcase the development journey spanning the past 100 years.”

The exhibition features rare vehicles that narrate the history of automobiles, widely used in public transportation, agriculture, and industry in Mongolia.

Highlights include:

• “Polu” truck – a 1.5-ton capacity model manufactured in 1932 in the former Soviet Union;

• “GAZ-M1” – a vehicle used by Marshal Choibalsan since 1936;

• “ZIS-5” – a heavy-duty truck model widely employed in the transport and industry sectors of Mongolia from 1945 to 1950, contributing a crucial role in the country's development;

• “ZIS-110”, “ZIL-130”, and “GAZ-53” – trucks integral to major agricultural initiatives such as land reclamation, collectivization, and state farming movements in the 1950s;

• “GAZ-21”, “GAZ-24” sedans, and “UAZ” series – iconic passenger cars of their time.

Also on display are GAZ-69 military and civilian vehicles, widely used in rural transport since 1953, as well as a 1938 GAZ-M1 with an American engine, among other rare and historically significant models.

Automobile designer S. Enkhtuvshin shared his story: “I first dreamed of building a car when I was in 10th grade, but materials were unavailable then. After 45 years of envisioning it, I finally built my first car in 2018, which I have been using for seven years for mountain and extreme travel. The neighborhood kids named it ‘Irves’ (Leopard) during the building process. It is a 6x6 all-wheel-drive vehicle, which took over a year to complete. Although I trained as a journalist and technician, my passion for car-building led me to start working on my second car, named ‘Marshal Choibalsan.’ It will feature eight driving wheels and will be designed for wildfire response.

Meanwhile, a member of the governing board of the Mongolian Retro Automobile and Motorcycle Association, Ya. Ariunbaatar added: “This GAZ-M1 was manufactured in 1937 in the USSR and imported to Mongolia in 1938. Since an employee at the Soviet Foreign Ministry purchased a license from the United States in 1934, approximately 6,000–7,000 units were produced between 1936 and 1946. These cars played a vital role during World War II as both military and civilian vehicles. Today, they are occasionally used for special receptions and weddings.”

The Retro Automobile Association currently has over 40 members united by a passion for collecting classic cars, with more than 160 registered vehicles in its collection.