GAZ Group in Nizhny Novgorod announced that the Sobol NN model was slated for mass production in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to the company’s press service reported by Car News of the Day. The early output from the line focused on cargo and cargo-passenger minibuses, with plans to roll out additional configurations of the vehicle at a later stage.
The initial investment for launching Sobol NN production amounted to 3.25 billion rubles, of which 828 million rubles came in the form of a concessional loan from the Industrial Development Fund (IDF). This financial backing supported the transition from prototype to series manufacture and aimed to accelerate the introduction of a versatile commercial vehicle into the market.
Earlier this year, a pre-production version of the Sobol NN was unveiled, showcasing a refreshed interior and modern lighting with LED headlights. The model featured a 9-inch touchscreen and an engine start button, along with available upgrades such as air conditioning and adaptive cruise control for improved comfort and safety on the road.
Technical specifications for the Sobol NN series were not disclosed at that time. The prototype relied on a 2.8-liter Cummins turbodiesel engine paired with a six-speed manual transmission. There was potential for an all-wheel-drive option with rear-wheel drive for an additional cost, though the exact availability and pricing remained to be confirmed.
Earlier reports mentioned that AvtoVAZ could only ship two Lada models, Granta and Niva, to dealers by the end of the summer, reflecting Nizhny Novgorod’s broader automotive market dynamics and production priorities during that period.