About what changes UAZ SUVs underwent in the turbulent era of the nineties, we told here.
Admire: Tuning — Otpad!
What was missing Niva
The popularity of the Niva spurred many artisans to modernize it.
Pilot industrial production of VAZ began extended in the base by as much as 500 mm, first three-door, then five-door versions.
The Togliatti company Bronto, which became independent in 1998, took a slightly different path.
Started from collector versions of VAZ‑21213. The need for such cars was very great in the 1990s, when money became the most important commodity for transportation.
VAZ‑21218 Bronto with a 300 mm longer wheelbase and a raised roof above the rear seats.
It was from the collection car in 1995 that a successful compromise was born – VAZ-21218 Bronto with a raised roof above the rear seat, raised by 300 mm (up to 2500 mm) base and correspondingly elongated doors.
Cars with 1.7 liter and 1.8 liter engines were decorated with a kenguryatnik, other bumpers and wheels. Over ten years of production, just over 5,000 units were collected – not bad at all for a tuning car.
And only 25 copies of exotic VAZ‑212183 Landole with the same base, but an open beach body. Such versions in our climate, of course, are not in great demand.
Another exotic Niva from Bronto – VAZ-1922 March 1996. True, it was no longer quite Niva: the frame was from UAZ-31512 (base 2685 mm). But the units are from the VAZ‑21213. However, this car with power steering, huge ultra-low pressure tires and a “growth” of 2430 mm is not quite a car in the classic sense.
A similar frame structure was built in the mid-1990s by the Mega-Lada company – it also had power steering and suspension with huge strokes.
Closer to the people, although very expensive, was the Niva with a Peugeot diesel. Many have dreamed of this. french engine VAZ‑21215 developed 65 liters. of. at 4600 rpm and a torque of 135 Nm already at 2250 rpm. This change is considered an export change. But the cars assembled in a small company in Chekhov near Moscow were also sold in Russia. Unfortunately, the Niva has not yet waited for a serial diesel engine.
rural fields
Tuning in the 1990s was also taken up by firms close to NAMI, which by that time had lost most of their influence over the domestic auto industry and, with it, the scope of work.
Niva by name lancer differed only in the external body kit and looked fresh and beautiful at the time. Awesome, scary creature called Bylina made, as they said, for a specific customer. And as you know he is always right.
And foreigners there too!
In Western Europe, and in other countries, the tuning of our SUVs was arranged even earlier than ours.
In Italy, Martorelli sold modified UAZs. The cars were repainted, different seats and wheels were fitted, and hardtops were fitted to some versions. They offered a variety of petrol and diesel engines, up to the 112 hp Fiat for the Racing modification.
Andoria engines and hardtops were fitted to UAZs in Poland and Czechoslovakia.
The funniest was the version of a certain company “UAZ of America”, which in the nineties planned to sell cars in the United States with a V6 4.3 engine (184 hp), known to us from the Chevrolet Blazer SUV.
The filling of the Niva was usually not changed abroad, but the cars were decorated with an external “body kit”. In different countries, they made different versions of cars with a removable roof and pickups, including those with a larger rear overhang.
We will tell you more about how dreams of four-wheel drive all-terrain vehicles based on ordinary domestic passenger cars were realized. Come more often!
- View modern modifications of the Niva here.
- “Behind the wheel” can also be read on VKontakte.
Probably no Soviet car has generated so many modifications as the VAZ-2121.
