APAL-2154 Stalker: The Forgotten Russian Plastic-Bodied Off-RoaderBack in the Soviet era, engineers repeatedly tried to create low-volume cars with plastic bodies, though most experiments failed, with the all-terrain "Blue Bird” standing as a rare exception. Photo: Own work by Stalker Apal, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Stalker offroad vehicleOrigins of the Composite SUVThe project began under Pavel Popov, a designer who previously headed a defense enterprise in Chelyabinsk. 100, Popov envisioned a lightweight off-road vehicle with a composite body. Visitors saw a three-door off-roader with a fabric roof and the proud name "Stalker” displayed on the hood. Contrary to expert skepticism, the composite body shattered safely without sharp fragments, clearing the way for serial production.