markets. Ashok Leyland helped Avia not only overcome the crisis in 2008–09, but in joint projects opened up new markets. As a result, Avia has developed from a local truck manufacturer for Central and Eastern Europe to being a global brand. Avia was sold in Europe, the US, Middle East, Asia, Argentina and Russia. Smith's electric trucks were sold in the UK and USA, where the government was then promoting the purchase of electrified vehicles by financial subsidies. Avia fares well in Russia with joint production of small buses in partnership with Volgabus. The Russian version, called "Rhytmix", was launched in October 2011. The prototype of eight-metre long bus in design for the European Union were planned to be unveiled later, but it did not happen. In 2013 Ashok Leyand closed production in the Czech Republic and moved it to India. There it continued to produce vehicles based on Avia cabins, which were named Ashok Leyland Boss and Ashok Leyland Guru. Czechoslovak Group ownership In April 2016 the Czechoslovak Group based in Ostrava bought Avia from Ashok Leyland. Avia will no longer be made in Letňany, but in the industrial zone in Přelouč. Avia launched a new model line Avia D Initia in September 2017. The medium trucks meet emission class Euro VI and include four-cylinder motors Cummins ISB 4.5l (150, 180 and 210 hp). The company wants to make about 360–400 trucks a year. Race cars In 1956 and 1957, Avia made a small series of twelve (or fifteen) light cars, made entirely from aluminium sheet. The cars have a single centrally-placed driver's seat and steering column up front and two rear seats, a sliding cabin for access, and a rear-mounted two-cylinder engine with the same displacement as the 350cc Jawa motorcycle engine, but it was a completely different development. The engine produced . At least 3 examples of this car still survive, number 3, 6 and 10. The last one is reported as stolen and moved to Slovakia (Bardejov area, with new SK registration). The monoposto streamliner Avia 750 MKIII is a different development with BMW 750cc 4 stroke engine. This car was built in Czechoslovakia in 1956, it excels in great aerodynamics and weighs only 400 kg. In the 1980s, the car appeared in a West German museum, in 1987, the car was sold and traveled to Los Angeles, a year later, it was sold at auction