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The Lada Niva is a Four-wheel Drive vehicle built by AutoVAZ in Russia , where it is very popular. It is also popular in Canada , Australia , South America and Europe and any other places where the terrain requires a robust and tough car for a reasonable price. Production of VAZ 2121 began in 1977 and still carries through with only minor changes to the Engine , rear hatch design, and interior trim levels. In basic form, the Niva has a Carbureted 1.6 L overhead cam four cylinder engine producing 54 kW (72 hp) and 126 N·m (93 ft·lbf), a 4 or 5 speed manual Transmission , and full-time 4WD. There are no hubs and the transfercase can be locked on the fly. The Niva can cruise at 130 km/h (80 mph) while consuming gasoline at a respectable 8.25 L/100km (28.5 mpg(US)) and towing capacity is rated for up to 860 kg (1900 lb). A 1.7 L engine was introduced later in production, as was Fuel Injection supplied by General Motors. Coil springs are located at each of the four Wheel s, and Suspension is independent in front, whereas the rear Axle is a 5 link live-type, with ratios between 3.90 and 4.30 depending on the model and market. Ground clearance is good at 235 mm (9.25 in) and water 510 mm (20 in) deep can be negotiated. It was one of the first genuine off-road vehicles to feature a Monocoque chassis. Before it was introduced to the UK, it was referred to by some in the motoring press as the 'Russian Range Rover'. The Brake s (disc front, drum rear) are Servo -assisted dual-circuit style and the Clutch is Hydraulic . The turning circle, at 36.25' is adequate, while the Center Of Gravity is exceptional. Cargo space is 0.48 m3 (17 ft3), or 1.33 m3 (47 ft3) with the rear seats folded down. A spare Tire is located, of all places, in the engine bay under the hood, and like all Lada's, a 21 piece toolkit is also supplied for Do-it-yourself roadside repairs. The latter feature, while laughable by some, may be considered a useful and practical feature by others, and one that more Automaker s would be wise to offer. An upgraded trim level was known as the ''Cossack'' model (not a factory upgrade, but performed by the UK importers), featuring large body decals, roof rails, running boards, Alloy wheels, and on some versions a sunroof, steel bullbars, spotlights, a rear-mounted spare tyre and semi-bucket seats. In 1995, Lada UK introduced a facelifted version of the Niva Cossack and renamed the basic model as the ''Hussar''. Whereas the Hussar had the original 1977 trim, the new Cossack featured a new Rover -designed grille and other body kit items, and gained soft nudgebars at the front in deference to public opinion against bullbars. Both models received the same new 1.7L engine and a new deeper tailgate which extended the rear opening to the level of the bumper - a vast improvement over the original model's high lip. Official Niva imports to the UK ceased in 1997 due to the importers having difficulty in sourcing the GM fuel injection unit required to satisfy ever-tightening UK emissions regulations. Transmanche-Link, the consortium of companies organized to construct the Channel Tunnel between England and France , used a fleet of 45 Nivas to aid in the enormous project. Each Niva accumulated in excess of 70,000 offroad Kilometre s during its employment, and after construction ceased in 1993 the fleet was sold off to a local dealer. VAZ-2122 'Reka' In 1974, when VAZ 2121 development was almost finished, the engineers from Togliatti began working on an amphibian off-roader, VAZ 2122 'Reka' ('River') based on VAZ-2121 'Niva' underpinnings. It was supposed to offer the car to Soviet Ministry of Defence. Six evolutions of prototypes were built, much development work has been done. The car was tested in experimental military unit, on the proving grounds belonging to Ministry of Defence, and in the Turkmenian desert. VAZ-2122 received very positive feedback, and in 1987 VAZ finished all development work: car was ready for production. By the end of the eighties, the Ministry of Defence did not have the financial resources necessary for the mass production of VAZ-2122. As a result, VAZ-2122 did not see series production. Chevrolet Niva GM-AvtoVAZ , a joint venture between AutoVAZ and General Motors , produces the Chevrolet Niva. The car was previously known as VAZ 2123 in the design stage. It features an updated body and 1.7 L engine with Fuel Injection . Although the body and the interiors are new, it's still based on the old VAZ 2121 engine, transmission and most mechanicals. Its off-road ability is exemplary compared with many modern budget SUVs, having been designed for tough tundra territory. An export version with reinforced hull, 1.8 L Opel Ecotec Family 1 engine and Aisin AWD transmission was considered since 2003. Although most of the engineering work has been completed, the release was constantly postponed. Although the GM-AvtoVAZ considered building a new engine plant for the local production of Ecotecs, in July 2005 it was announced that the project is cancelled and so are the plans for the long-anticipated "export" Niva. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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