Russian automaker AvtoVAZ unveiled the rebirth of its Lada brand at the Geneva Motor Show this week.

The new Lada C is a sleek looking contender for the European C-segment and is a far cry from old communist-era Rivas and Samaras of the past.

The new car will be powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine, and is the first fruits of AvtoVAZ’s new alliance with contract manufacturer MagnaSteyr.

The new platform will become the base for the next generation of Lada production cars, which will be launched in the near future, according to Lada spokesman Denis Metalnikov.

MagnaSteyr has designed the platform, but AvtoVAZ’s own Russian designers have styled the Lada C, which is part of a family of cars to be built on the platform, including a sedan, a five-door hatch, a compact MPV and a crossover.

Strong sales in Russia have kept Lada alive – the company still builds around 700,000 cars a year.