The racing version of the Lada Granta was unveiled at a technical sports festival in Moscow, a reveal that drew attention from teams, engineers, and motorsport enthusiasts across the country. The information came through the Telegram channel of the Lada Sport Rosneft racing team, which has become a trusted source for updates on Russia’s evolving racing programs. This moment marked more than a simple unveiling; it signaled the brand’s ongoing commitment to developing affordable, competitive cars within its national motorsport ecosystem.
The Lada Granta Sport liftback was prepared specifically for S1600 class competitions, a category recognized as an important early step in the Russian motorsport ladder. The car received racing seats and a purpose-built roll cage to meet safety standards for high-speed competition. A compact spoiler was fitted to the tailgate to provide additional aerodynamic stability at race speeds, while the overall silhouette retained the practical, compact lines that define the Granta family. The aim was to balance performance gains with reliability and cost efficiency, making it accessible for teams starting their journey in circuit racing.
Under the hood, the Granta Sport is powered by a 1.6-liter engine delivering about 122 horsepower, a figure chosen to keep the car nimble on tight tracks while providing sufficient torque for overtakes and steady acceleration out of corners. The suspension setup and chassis tuning were adjusted to lower the ride height, reducing body roll and improving handling characteristics for racing conditions. All four wheels are equipped with disc brakes, a critical upgrade over standard production setups that ensures strong stopping power during competitive sessions. The interior, though still practical, underwent notable modifications: the standard instrument cluster remained in place, but the media system was replaced by a compact block of controls, including ignition, mass shutoff, and fan activation, arranged for quick, race-focused operation. This streamlined panel keeps essential functions within easy reach for the driver and reduces weight while preserving the familiar layout of the car’s controls.
The power window switches were relocated along with the rest of the simplified cockpit controls, and the original door panels were swapped for lighter, flat sheet materials to shed extra weight without compromising safety or rigidity. Details about the final price for the Granta Sport were not disclosed at the time of the reveal, leaving teams and fans to anticipate the cost-to-performance balance that such a race-ready model would offer in the competitive S1600 arena.
In the broader context of the brand’s motorsport program, the Granta Sport represents a strategic effort to offer a performative yet affordable racing option within Russia’s highly active national series. The car’s evolution reflects ongoing collaboration between engineering teams and racing operations focused on reliability, serviceability, and predictable teardown costs—key factors for privateers and factory-backed programs alike. The emphasis on standardized safety systems, together with the choice of accessible, compact powertrains, helps ensure that participating teams can prepare and maintain the car without excessive downtime or specialized tooling. This approach aligns with a broader trend in regional motorsport where cost-controlled, closely regulated race classes foster participation and skill development for drivers advancing toward higher levels of competition.
Meanwhile, the automotive world continues to watch developments in related segments, such as new model introductions and updates from other manufacturers. For instance, an announcement from Peugeot about a new crossover—the E-3008—was noted in contemporaneous industry chatter, highlighting how compact crossover design and electrified powertrains are shaping strategic choices across brands. While the Granta Sport stands in a separate racing niche, the broader landscape demonstrates how performance-oriented and family-friendly models alike are evolving, often sharing technology threads, supplier networks, and engineering insights that circulate through the same ecosystem of motorsport enthusiasts and automotive engineers.