The GAZ-3308 "Sadko" () is a Russian-built, 2.5-ton, 4-wheel-drive cargo truck. The Sadko is produced by the
Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ). It is named after
Sadko
Sadko () is a principal character in Russian '' byliny'' (oral epic poems). He is an adventurer, merchant, and '' gusli'' musician from Novgorod. The story of Sadko is best known outside Russia in the opera '' Sadko'' by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov ...
, a protagonist in many ''
bylina
A (, ; ), also popularly known as a ''starina'' (), is a type of Russian oral epic poem.
deal with all periods of Russian history. narratives are loosely based on historical fact, but greatly embellished with fantasy or hyperbole. or ...
s'' of the Novgorod cycle.
Sadko has been replaced in production by the
Sadko Next (Ru:САДКО NEXT).
History
The current GAZ-3308 series of vehicles served as a replacement for the
GAZ-66
The GAZ-66 is a Soviet Union, Soviet and later Russian four wheel drive, 4x4 all-road (off-road) military truck produced by GAZ. It was one of the main cargo vehicles for motorized infantry of the Soviet Army and is still employed in former Sovi ...
, which was produced for approximately 35 years (from 1964 until 1999). The first prototype was developed by the Gorky Automobile Plant in 1995 under the designation GAZ-33097. Series production began in December, 1997, receiving the designation GAZ-3308 and the name "Sadko." In the Russian Army it replaced the GAZ-66-40 cab-over-engine truck. For this purpose certain modifications were implemented including the cab from the GAZ-3309 with fenders featuring enlarged wheel arches as well as drive axles and transmission analogous to those used on the GAZ-66-40.
Since 2003, most GAZ-3308 trucks have been equipped with a MMZ D-245.7 turbodiesel engine, which starting in 2005, met the requirements of the Euro-2 emission standard. In 2013, this engine was replaced by the type D-245.7E4 meeting the Euro-4 emission standard.
In 2005 the GAZ-33086 "Zemlyak" variant was introduced; mainly differing in that it had a 4-wheel rear axle allowing for an increased 4-ton carrying capacity.
In 2013 another variant, the GAZ-33088, was introduced with a YaMZ-53442 turbodiesel engine meeting the Euro-4 emission standard.
In June, 2014 GAZ presented a new version with the unofficial name of
Sadko NEXT which had an increased carrying capacity of 3 tons, as well as a new version of GAZ-3309.
Major variants

*GAZ-3308 - base model with a 130-horsepower carburetted engine ZMZ-5231.10 with 4.67 litre displacement.
*GAZ-33081 - modified version with a 117-horsepower turbodiesel engine MMZ D-245.7 with 4.75 litre displacement.
*GAZ-33082 - early version with a GAZ-562 turbodiesel engine produced under license from
Steyr
Steyr (; ) is a statutory city (Austria), statutory city, located in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria. It is the administrative capital, though not part of Steyr-Land District. Steyr is Austria's 12th most populated town and the 3rd lar ...
;
*GAZ-33085 and GAZ-33086 (GAZ Zemlyak) with a payload capacity of 4 000 kg. This truck has inferior cross-country performance compared to the Sadko;
*GAZ-33088 - modified version with a 134.5-horsepower YaMZ-53442 turbodiesel engine with 4.43 litre displacement.
Buses based on the "GAZ-3308" chassis

*KAvZ-39766 -
KAvZ
KAvZ () is a bus manufacturer in Kurgan, KGN, Russia. The factory started producing buses in 1958, based on trucks from GAZ. During the 1990s, it assembled Ikarus buses for the Russian market. Now a subsidiary of GAZ, it specialises in producin ...
-built all-terrain 19-seat bus utilising a
KAvZ-3976 bus body. Modifications: 397660 - with the ZMZ-513 engine (modernized
ZMZ-66), 397663 - with the MMZ D-245.7 engine. Produced in 2003–2005.
*SemAR (Ru:СемАР)-3257 - all-terrain 12-seat bus utilising a
Semar-3280 bus body. Equipped with the ZMZ-513 engine. Produced between 2001 and 2006.

*
Shift bus on the GAZ-3308 chassis - Utility "vahtovka" with a separate angular body placed behind the GAZ-3308 cab. Made between 2003 and 2006 by
Semar
Semar (Javanese script: ꦱꦼꦩꦂ) is a character in Javanese mythology who frequently appears in wayang shadow plays. He is one of the punokawan (clowns) but is divine and very wise. He is the Hyang, dhanyang (guardian spirit) of Java,Geertz ...
, it has subsequently been manufactured by Auto Pro.
GAZ Vepr
The GAZ-330811-10 Вепрь
Vepr
VEPR () is a Ukrainian multi-purpose off-road vehicle designed and assembled by the Kremenchuk Automobile Assembly Plant. (The name is a pun: Ukrainian: Вепр, ''wild boar''.)
The designers' goal was to create an SUV-type vehicle which woul ...
(En:
Wild Boar
The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...
) is a special-purpose vehicle based on a shortened GAZ-3308 chassis with a 3- or 5-door all-metal body. Vepr retains all the advantages of a car but has the off-road capability of the Sadko.
GAZ 330811-10 Wild Boar-1.jpg, GAZ Vepr (Wild Boar)
Gorky Automobile Plant in Nizhniy Novgorod (36).jpg, GAZ Vepr (Wild Boar) rear oblique
Dimensions
*Length: 6347 mm
*Width: 2340 mm
*Height: 2595 mm
*Weight:
**4150 kg (curb)
**6450 kg (full)
Engines
ZMZ-5231
• Carbureted V-8
• Displacement: 4.67 l
• Power: 124 hp
• Torque: 298 Nm
MMZ D-245.7
• Turbodiesel I-4
• working volume - 4.75 l
• Power 117 hp
• Torque: 382 Nm
MMZ D-245.7E3
• Turbodiesel I-4
• Displacement: 4.75 l
• Power: 119 hp
• Torque: 420 Nm
YaMZ-53442
• Turbodiesel I-4
• Displacement: 4.43 l
• Power: 134.5 hp
• Torque: 417 Nm
Engines are coupled to a 4- or 5-speed manual gearbox.
A central tyre inflation system is standard.
Operators
*
*
*
*
**
Philippine Army
The Philippine Army (PA) () is the main, oldest and largest branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), responsible for ground warfare. , it had an estimated strength of 143,100 soldiers The service branch was established on December ...
- 90 were procured through public bidding
**
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police (PNP; ) is the national police force of the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Currently, it has approximately 228,000 personnel to police a pop ...
-47 procured through public bidding.
* - GAZ-3308 was adopted as a military truck for the
Russian Armed Forces
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, commonly referred to as the Russian Armed Forces, are the military of Russia. They are organized into three service branches—the Russian Ground Forces, Ground Forces, Russian Navy, Navy, and Russi ...
* - 114 GAZ-3308 trucks were sold to
Syrian Armed Forces
The Syrian Armed Forces () are the military forces of Syria.
Up until the fall of Bashar al-Assad's Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region, Ba'ath Party Ba'athist Syria, regime in December 2024, the Syrian Arab Armed Forces were the sta ...
in 2005
* -
National Guard of Ukraine
The National Guard of Ukraine (NGU; , ; /NHU ) is the Ukrainian national gendarmerie and internal military force. It is part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, responsible for public security. Originally created as an agency under the dire ...
Some were procured from Russia, others were captured by the AFU during the Russo-Ukrainian War
*
References
External links
Sadko Test driveGAZ Sadko pageTrucks Planet article*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sadko
GAZ Group trucks
Pickup trucks
Vans
Military trucks
Military vehicles introduced in the 1990s