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156-559: In the 1990s, three and five-door wagons on a 50 cm (20 in) longer wheelbase and an extra-long wheelbase pick-up were added to the range. After the original Land Rover and its successor, the Land Rover Defender , were discontinued in 2016, the Niva became the longest production run off-road light vehicle still manufactured in its original form. By the end of 2020, an estimated 650,000 Lada Nivas had been sold globally. The Lada Niva

312-411: A bus , and was exempt from Purchase Tax and Special Vehicle Tax. This made the twelve-seater not only cheaper to buy than the 10-seater version, but also cheaper than the seven-seater 88-inch (2.24 m) Station Wagon. The twelve-seater layout remained a highly popular body style for decades, being retained on the later Series and Defender variants until 2002, when it was dropped. The unusual status of

468-400: A freewheel unit (as used on several Rover cars of the time). This disengaged the front axle from the manual transmission on the overrun, allowing a form of non- permanent 4WD. A ring-pull mechanism in the driver's footwell allowed the freewheel to be locked to provide more traditional 4WD. This was a basic vehicle: tops for the doors and a roof (canvas or metal) were optional extras. In 1950,

624-526: A 5-speed manual gearbox. The production was expected to start in 2016, but GM had no interest in the model. In May 2018 AvtoVAZ patented the new concept car called the Lada 4x4 Vision. At a Moscow International Automobile Salon in August 2018, AvtoVAZ presented the concept, built in honour of the original Niva's 40th anniversary. According to preliminary information, the car would be based on Renault Duster and production

780-567: A UAZ." Production began the following year on 5 April 1977, while the first export models appeared in 1978 at the Paris Motor Salon and quickly took over at least 40% of Europe's market for four-wheel drive vehicles, making it Lada's top-selling export. It was the only Soviet car that was ever sold in Japan, starting from the early 1980s. Because of export demand and the higher priority given to exports, domestic customers faced long wait times, despite

936-427: A blueprint for the engine adapter plate (the same one the factory would go on to use for three other V8s they would build). In addition to the increased horsepower, Green would upgrade the 10" SLS drum brakes to 11"x3" DLS from the new NADA 109" they would soon be testing; increase fuel capacity; relocate and fit adjustable driver’s seat; and, with the help of Moeller Bros Body Shop, modify the rear bulkhead and then paint

1092-439: A brand new 2.0-litre diesel engine was introduced that, despite the similar capacity, was not related to the petrol engines used. The petrol engines of the time used the rather out-dated inlet-over-exhaust valve arrangement; the diesel used the more modern overhead valve layout. This diesel engine was one of the first high-speed diesels developed for road use, producing 52 hp (39 kW) at 4,000 rpm. The successor to

1248-570: A face-lifted version of the Niva Cossack and renamed the basic model as the Hussar . Whereas the Hussar had the original 1977 trim, the new UK Cossack featured a new Rover -designed grille and other body kit items, and gained soft nudge-bars at the front in deference to public opinion against bullbars. Both models received the same new 1.7-litre engine and a new deeper tailgate which extended the rear opening to

1404-664: A factory code M-412IE (IE for "export rendition"), to mark, that it fulfils new safety requirements. SATRA Motors entered M-412s in the Group One Production Saloon Car Championship in 1972 and 1973, where it easily beat " sharp-handling but underpowered " Hillman Imps and Austin Minis . It also placed 1-2-3 in the 1973 Avon Round Britain Rally and scored a class win in the South Africa Safari Rally

1560-428: A front bench, making M408 and 412 very hard to distinguish. From early 1969 on, because a new improved gearbox was installed in order to make a better use of the power and torque and to improve performances, M-412 had the gear lever mounted on the floor. The M-408 had the gear lever mounted on the floor since late 1973. Initially, the 412 was designed as a replacement for the 408, but they ended up being built together at

1716-456: A high rating and that the result was natural, as "it would be naive to believe that a 30-year-old design complies with modern requirements for passive safety". They added that a complete modernization of the car would be required to comply with modern safety standards. The Niva was the first wheeled vehicle to spend more than 10 years in Antarctica, where the classic VAZ-2121 Niva (Lada Niva 1600)

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1872-568: A light truck and a tractor) is similar to the Unimog , which was developed in Germany during this period. The first prototype had a distinctive feature — the steering wheel was mounted in the middle of the vehicle. It hence became known as the " centre steer ". It was built on a Jeep chassis and used the engine and gearbox out of a Rover P3 saloon car. The bodywork was handmade out of an aluminium/magnesium alloy called Birmabright , to save on steel, which

2028-494: A long wheelbase model in 1954, Land Rover also offered the world's first four / five door, 4WD off-road station wagon in 1956. Series Land Rovers and Defenders continually excelled in space utilization, offering (optional) three abreast seating in the seating rows with doors, and troop seating in the rear, resulting in up to seven seats in the SWB, and up to ten seats in the LWB models, exceeding

2184-419: A longer wheelbase, it kept three doors like the basic hatchback model. In design, it was a hybrid of old and new generations, since it featured the old VAZ-2121 (Niva 1600) body and interiors combined with new VAZ-21213 (Niva 1.7) 1680-cc engine and 5-speed transmission (although later, 1994 production models featured even new body and interiors). The lengthened estate model with a longer wheelbase and five doors

2340-436: A matching front axle came later. Tyres were large 900×16 types on deep-dish wheel rims to spread the ground weight of this heavy vehicle. These vehicles were somewhat underpowered for the increased load capacity (1.5 long tons or 1,500 kg), and most had a hard working life. Less than 2,500 were made, and most had a utility body, but surviving examples often have custom bodywork. With an upgraded powertrain, they can be used as

2496-641: A new mask, plastic bumpers, new side mirrors, different aluminium rims, new tires, a central brake light, heated front seats, and a slightly restyled interior. As of 2019, no version of the Lada 4x4 has airbags. In 2017, the Lada 4×4 Bronto, intended mainly for off-road use, is released. It features characteristic mask and plastic bumpers with integrated front and rear fog lamps, plastic roof rails, new, larger wheels with black aluminium rims and 235/75-R16 Bontyre Stalker off-road tires, even higher ground clearance (increased another 35 mm) and plastic rust-protected body edges (fenders and rocker panels ). Internally, it

2652-463: A radio cassette player, the GAME was available in a single colour scheme of 'Yellow Devil' body, white roof, black front panels and silver windscreen vent panel. Optional extras included a Fairey overdrive, safari roof, and free-wheeling hubs. Sales were limited and the model was discontinued in 1979. A problem specific to Australia was the always-limited supply of new Land Rovers. Leyland's factory never had

2808-514: A rear window wiper, a rear window heater, and a radio set. On the Niva 1.7 or VAZ-21213 from 1994, all of the above features except headlight wipers and the rear fog lamp (which were discontinued) became default and air conditioning , an antilock braking system , and a hydraulic servomotor for the steering column were made optional, although they became standard equipment on the newest models. Foreign (usually Western) local Lada importers often offered their own additional equipment before buying

2964-516: A simple dog clutch. Around this time the Land Rover's legal status was also clarified. As mentioned above, the Land Rover was originally classed as a commercial vehicle, meaning it was free from purchase tax. However, this also meant it was limited to a speed of 30 mph (48 km/h) on British roads. After an appeal to the Law Lords after an owner was charged with exceeding this limit, the Land Rover

3120-688: A small motorhome. The vehicle was not the first COE (cab over engine) vehicle produced by the plant, since they had also produced the Leyland 15/20 which was based on the Standard Atlas . The Series IIB FC produced from 1966 was similar to the Series IIA FC but added the 2.25-litre diesel engine as an option. The 2.25-litre engine was the standard engine for this model, the 2.6-litre engine being only available for export. Heavy duty wide-track axles (designed by ENV) were fitted to improve vehicle stability, as

3276-462: A steel box-section chassis and an aluminium body. Originally the Land Rover was a single model offering, which from 1948 until 1951 used an 80-inch (2.03 m) wheelbase and a 1.6-litre petrol engine producing around 50 bhp (37 kW; 51 PS). The four-speed gearbox from the Rover P3 was used, with a new two-speed transfer box. This incorporated an unusual four-wheel-drive system, with

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3432-549: A vehicle armorer called Bognor (a subsidiary of PSA assemblers Oferol) teamed up with Latin American VAZ concessionaires Rusia Automotriz in 2002 to assemble armored Lada Nivas locally, calling them the Bognor Diva . The armouring parts were made locally, and all Divas were fitted with Peugeot's 1.9-litre, 69 PS (51 kW) diesel engine. Around 500 examples were built between 2003 and 2007 (192 knock-down kits were sent in 2003,

3588-455: A well-preserved condition), so they are highly valued by various collectors of classic cars . A mint-condition 1980 unit in Russia reached a price of five million RUB and ultimately sold for 3,2 million in 2016 (approximately €38,570 or $ 44,570), which remains the most expensive Niva ever sold. The VAZ-2121 Niva or Lada Niva 1600 was in production until 1993 (it existed in parallel production with

3744-506: Is also visual confirmation of Russian soldiers using the Lada Niva as a method of transport for assaults in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Automeccanica assembled different versions of the Lada Niva in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including an in-house developed convertible version. The Lada Niva was also assembled in Ecuador by Aymesa between December 2000 and 2004. In Uruguay,

3900-606: Is obvious from the Niva's distinctive "clamshell" hood design and its rear three-quarter section. The 1974 prototype (designated the VAZ-2121M) was derived from an existing model, the VAZ-2103 (then the newest model in VAZ arsenal). It used the VAZ-2103's 1,452 cc engine and shared some of its features, like chrome-plated bumpers, headlights and taillights, instruments, seats, and steering wheel. In

4056-452: Is purely superficial and limited only to the tilt angle of the cylinder block and between the valves and the gear of the overhead camshaft . The gearbox inherited from the M-408 was improved, with the gearbox ratios being revised to make better use of the increased power output. Until early 1969, M412 had the gear lever on the steering column, just like M-408, and did not have bucket seats, but

4212-597: Is scheduled to start in 2022 at the earliest. A version of the base three-door car, it sports updated bumpers, grille, steering wheel, and some additional options: power and heated mirrors, power windows, air conditioning, and alloy wheels. The car has been produced by VIS-Auto since October 2014. Land Rover series The Land Rover Series I , II , and III , or simply the Land-Rover (commonly referred to as Series Land Rovers, to distinguish them from later models) are compact British off-road vehicles , produced by

4368-451: Is similar to the Lada 4×4 URBAN, also featuring heated front seats. It also includes a front winch, roof headlights, and additional fog lights on the front bumper. With all the mentioned equipment included, the Bronto is currently the most expensive Lada 4×4 model, with a current price of 720 thousand RU in the domestic market (around €10,130). The slightly different pickup model designed by VIS

4524-564: Is sold as the Lada Niva Legend in Russia. The Niva was described by its designers as a " Renault 5 put on a Land Rover chassis". Development began in 1971 after the 24th Congress of the CPSU , in which Alexei Kosygin (the then- Premier of the Soviet Union ) gave the designers at VAZ and AZLK the task of creating a car suitable for rural areas (specifically for the villagers and farmers of

4680-473: Is the world's first mass-produced off-road vehicle with a unibody construction (fully integrated body and frame). It is the predecessor of current crossover SUVs , most of which are built similarly. It was part inspiration for the Suzuki Vitara . In August 2020, Lada took over production of the 2003 Chevrolet Niva and rebranded it the "new" Lada Niva. In December 2020, the new Niva was further rebranded as

4836-646: The Lada Niva Travel , while the old model was renamed Lada Niva Legend in January 2021. Outside Russia, the Niva primarily competes with the Suzuki Jimny , a similarly designed off-road mini SUV. Нива (Niva) is a Russian word that literally means "(corn) field", but also "area of practice". The name Niva (НИВА) was formed as an acronym from the initials of Niva's chief designers' children: Pyotr Prusov's two daughters and Vladimir Solovyev's two sons. The Lada Niva

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4992-661: The M-353 , a restyled hatchback version of the M-412 that was larger but recognizably related. The M-355 of 1972 was larger still, with 23 cm (9.1 in) greater length, 14 cm (5.5 in) more wheelbase , and 8 cm (3.1 in) more width. This made both the interior and the boot noticeably larger. The M-355 was further developed into the M-356 between 1973 and 1975, with "much bolder front end styling", new suspension, and an enlarged 1,799 cc (109.8 cu in) version of

5148-584: The Moskvitch-DM with twin Zenith carburetors, giving 103 hp (77 kW; 104 PS), with a Borg-Warner transmission planned. None were built. The M-412 was launched in the United Kingdom in 1969, when the first 20 dealerships were set up and some 300 cars were sold. Sales increased annually and peaked in 1973, when 3462 cars were sold through a 268-dealer network, but collapsed to 344 in 1975. Although

5304-706: The Pamir Mountains in the Tajik SSR , where it was compared with its military counterpart, the UAZ-469 , and some Western off-road vehicles—the British-made Land Rover Series and the Range Rover Classic . Its off-road capabilities were demonstrated for the very first time, which were based on its effective permanent four-wheel drive system featuring a transfer case and central differential lock , with

5460-599: The Rover Company since 1948, and later by British Leyland . Inspired by the World War II jeep , it was the first mass-produced civilian four-wheel drive car with doors, and an available hard roof. Contrary to conventional car and truck chassis, it used a sturdier fully box-welded frame. Furthermore, due to post-war steel shortage, and aluminium surplus, Land Rovers received non-rusting aluminium alloy bodies, favouring their longevity. In 1992, Land Rover claimed that 70% of all

5616-519: The VAZ-2102 chromed tailgate knob, which was replaced by a simple plastic handle. On the newest models, the old hand-adjustable, square black-metallic (previously chrome-plated) side mirrors, which originated from the VAZ-2103 were replaced with larger plastic ones that could be automatically adjusted.. The previous front Lada badge was replaced with the larger ellipsoid design. The Fiat 125 chrome-plated doorknobs are still present, though they are plastic on

5772-400: The steering column as additional equipment on request, while the headlight wipers and rear fog lamp disappeared. It received completely new front and door panels (with interior door knobs relocated above the hand rests instead of under like on previous generation), various plastics and even new floor mats. The hand openings for the side-door windows was replaced with an automatic opening on

5928-475: The suspension is independent in front, whereas the rear axle is a five-link live-type, with ratios between 3.90 and 4.30 depending on the model and market. Ground clearance is 235 mm (9.3 in), and go as far as 510 mm (20 in) deep in water. The brakes are servo -assisted dual-circuit style and the clutch is hydraulic . The turning circle is 36.25 ft. Cargo space is 0.48 m (17 cu ft), or 1.33 m (47 cu ft) with

6084-527: The "County" spec. Station Wagon Land Rovers, available in both 88-inch (2,200 mm) and 109-inch (2,800 mm) types. These had all-new cloth seats from the Leyland T-45 Lorry, soundproofing kits, tinted glass and other "soft" options designed to appeal to the leisure owner/user. Of more interest was the introduction of the High Capacity Pick Up to the 109-inch (2,800 mm) chassis. This

6240-518: The "spread bore" petrol engine was introduced (from engines 5710xxxx), allowing better cooling between the cylinders. This had been introduced in the Rover car the year before. The engine was modified again in 1955 (from engine 1706xxxxx), sometimes known as the 'later' spread bore. September 1955 saw the introduction of the first five-door model, on the 107-inch chassis known as the " station wagon " with seating for up to ten people. The 86-inch station wagon

6396-425: The 1960s in series II guise, commanding some 90% of the off-road market, and with practically every farm having at least one Land Rover. The series III continued this success in the early 1970s, but from the middle of the decade sales declined. A large coal export deal to Japan relied on the subsequent import of Japanese cars and other goods, a combination of this increasing competition and increasingly poor quality of

Lada Niva - Misplaced Pages Continue

6552-410: The 1973 and 1974 trials, the Niva climbed a 58% slope, and crossed 60 cm (24 in) of water and 100 cm (39 in) of mud and snow. Solovyev died the following year and was replaced by engineer Pyotr Prusov, who took credit for creating the car. In 1976, the final prototype appeared. The engine was changed to a 1,568 cc (95.7 cu in) one, the most powerful engine in VAZ during

6708-540: The 1980s, local Lada importers in various markets made their own upgrades to help compete with more modern SUVs. In the UK, the Cossack model featured large body decals, roof rails, running boards, 15-in alloy wheels, and on some versions, a sunroof , steel bullbars , spotlights, a rear-mounted spare tire, and semi-bucket seats. Other markets' importers made similar upgrades and many were also called Cossack. In 1995, Lada UK introduced

6864-451: The 1990s, but not generally exported. The Lada Niva was formally renamed Lada 4×4 back in 2006 and has a low-range gearbox, differential lock, ABS, airbags, heated front seats, air conditioning, servomotor for the steering column, underbody protection. Prices for the model started at €10,990. It is available in five body styles: three- and five-door hatchbacks, two- and four-door pickups, and a two-door van. Two petrol engines are available for

7020-409: The 2.25-litre petrol and diesel engines received five main bearing crankshafts to increase rigidity and the transmission , and axles and wheel hubs were strengthened. This was the culmination of a series of updates to the transmission that had been made since the 1960s to combat the all-too-common problem of the rear axle half-shafts breaking in heavy usage. This problem was partly due to the design of

7176-780: The American "opera lights". The designers "had paid real attention to passive safety," the car was crash-tested, met the standards of safety adopted by the UNECE , and received an international safety certificate as a result of almost five months of tests in France. It was upgraded with dual-circuit braking system with power assistance (servo), disc brakes on the front wheels since 1970 (models with front drum brakes continued to be built, but for certain markets, like western Europe, were delivered with brake discs, but even in East Europe models with brake discs at

7332-613: The Australian production. Top speed is 77 mph (124 km/h). This helped slow the sales decline, but the rest of the vehicle's shortcomings let it down. The One Ten was also available with this engine, and a turbocharged version producing in excess of 100 horsepower (75 kW) powered the military 6×6. South Africa's relationship with Land Rover started in 1949 when the first series-I 80-inch models were sold in South Africa . In August 1950, Car Distributors Assembly (Pty) Ltd assembled

7488-575: The British Government in the company to improve the Land Rover and Range Rover product offerings to counter the aforementioned market challenges, and were a transitional development on the way to the coil-sprung Land Rover 90 and 110. The use of the Range Rover engine and drive train made it the only Series III vehicle to have permanent four-wheel drive. Most of the V8 Stage 1 vehicles were exported, as

7644-619: The Japanese competition, the Land Rover was underpowered, unreliable and slow with a poor ride quality, despite their arguably superior off-road ability. Poor rust-proofing and low-quality steel used in comparison to the Japanese vehicles turned the buyers away in large numbers and by 1983, with the introduction of the One Ten, the Toyota Land Cruiser became the best-selling 4×4 in Australia. In

7800-465: The LT95 gearbox and 3.5-litre Rover V8 petrol engine. The engine was detuned to 91 hp (68 kW) from the 135BHP of the contemporary Range Rover. The vehicle came about because the competing Toyota Land Cruiser and Nissan Patrol vehicles, fitted with powerful and durable 6-cylinder engines, were making considerable inroads into the market, particularly in Australia and Africa. A V8-powered Land Rover with

7956-567: The Land Rover, from its many appearances in popular films and television documentaries set in Africa throughout the 1960s, such as Born Free . In February 1968, just a few months after the Rover Company had been subsumed, under government pressure, into the Leyland Motor Corporation , the Land Rover celebrated its twentieth birthday, with total production to date just short of 600,000, of which more than 70% had been exported. Certainly it

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8112-653: The Land Rover. Early in 1966 the project was given to then Service Manager and newly appointed Product Development Engineer, Richard F Green of Rover Motor Company of North America, Ltd., based in South San Francisco. Green’s past included years in Grand Prix and sports-car racing with teams like Aston Martin and MG/BMC. Green came to America in February 1956 after the Monte Carlo Rally, sponsored by Ken Miles. The project

8268-530: The M Type were drawn up, and a few prototypes made, but would be too expensive to produce. Maurice Wilks , Rover's chief designer came up with a plan to produce a light agricultural and utility vehicle , of a similar concept to the Willys Jeep used in the war, but with an emphasis on agricultural use. He was possibly inspired by the Standard Motor Company , who faced similar problems and were producing

8424-459: The M-412 profited from heightened tailfins and tanned headlight lamps on export models. The first series Moskvich 412 (1967-1969) is quite rare today as they were more expensive and thus built in lower numbers than the 408. Another notable (but not unique, as it was used in other Russian cars at the time) feature were the so-called side signals, mounted on the C-pillars on some vehicles and similar to

8580-509: The Moskvitch-412-2V, had 100 h.p. and was installed on sports cars. The 1,478 cc (90.2 cu in) UZAM-412 engine, with a light alloy block, was designed by Igor I. Okunev. According to some observers, it bore some similarities to the contemporary BMW M 115 motor used in the BMW 1500 model, although in other ways they are different from each other. The similarity between the two engines

8736-457: The Niva. In 2006, the model with the carbureted engine of the new generation (VAZ-21213/Lada Niva 1.7) was discontinued, and the name Niva was formally dropped in favor of the new official name Lada 4×4, as General Motors received naming rights. The Niva was discontinued under the old Soviet VAZ-2121 domestic market classification. In 2014, the new, restyled model called the Lada 4×4 Urban was released. It has more modern, ordinary looks, including

8892-647: The One-Ton versions. Little changed cosmetically from the IIA to the Series III . The Series III is the most common series vehicle, with 440,000 of the type built from 1971 to 1985. The headlights were moved to the wings on late production IIA models from 1968/9 onward (ostensibly to comply with Australian, American, and Dutch lighting regulations) and remained in this position for the Series III. The traditional metal grille, featured on

9048-683: The Pinzgauer replacement vehicle became available. The vehicles were sold off in a series of disposal auctions, and many are now cherished by private owners in New Zealand. The 1 Ton 109 inch was produced from late 1968 to 1977, covering late IIA and series III Models. It was basically a series-IIB forward control built with a standard 109 in body, featuring 2.6-litre petrol engine, lower ratio transfer gearbox, ENV front and rear axles, (Salisbury front and rear on later series IIIs) though some late IIAs were fitted with ENV axles in front and Salisbury on

9204-465: The Range Rover's constant 4WD system was a considerable technological advancement on the part-time 4WD and 4-cyl engines of previous variants, though the Stage 1 still used the Series III's leaf springs. The Stage 1 was normally available only in LWB 109-inch (2,800 mm) form but 24 examples were built with the SWB 88 in (2,235 mm) wheelbase. "Stage 1" refers to the first stage of investment by

9360-500: The Rover Company so it could restart up-market car production. Once car production restarted, however, it was greatly outsold by the off-road Land Rover, which developed into its own brand that remains successful today. Many of the defining and successful features of the Land Rover design were in fact the result of Rover's drive to simplify the tooling required for the vehicle and to use the minimum amount of rationed materials. As well as

9516-543: The Series I. The 107-inch (2.72 m) Station Wagon continued until late 1959 due to continued demand from export markets and to allow the production of Series II components to reach full level. The SII and the SIIA are very difficult to distinguish. There were some minor cosmetic changes. Body configurations available from the factory ranged from short-wheelbase soft-top to the top-of-the-line five-door station wagon. A 2.25-litre diesel

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9672-551: The Soviet Union), since the usual Zhiguli , Moskvitch , and Zaporozhets , intended primarily for ordinary people, were not much of use in the isolated areas that made up a large part of the USSR. In the same year, a team of VAZ designers led by Solovyev began competing with AZLK to work on a "civilized" four-wheel drive vehicle. The new car was partly inspired by the IZh -14 prototype of 1974. It

9828-416: The Soviet era, taken from their VAZ-2106 (from which the production model of the first Niva generation was generally derived). Like the previous prototype, it featured a permanent four-wheel drive and a transfer case with a lockable central differential. The VAZ prototype displayed better design and real-world performance than its AZLK counterpart, the Moskvitch 416, so it was approved for production in March of

9984-399: The Tickford version, they came with basic interior trim and equipment such as roof vents and interior lights. The Station Wagons saw the first expansion of the Land Rover range. Station Wagons were fitted with a "Tropical Roof" which consisted of a second roof skin fitted on top of the vehicle. This kept the interior cool in hot weather and reduced condensation in cold weather. Vents fitted in

10140-428: The V8 vehicles were 109" configuration and were supplied with a plastic-coated canvas canopy with bodywork in Deep Bronze Green. All had 24v electrics with Fitted For Radio (FFR) vehicles having a larger 100 amp generator supplied by Milspec Manufacturing Pty Ltd of Australia. Variants included a hard-top fitted vehicle used for specialist signals tasks (some of which had dual rear wheels for lateral stability to counteract

10296-543: The VAZ-2106 since 1975). Due to high prices and production complexity, some of the chrome-plated elements disappeared in later models, such as the chrome-plated mask and rocker panel edges. Other elements were changed, such as the side mirrors, which became black metallic. The background of the front Lada badge was changed from red to white (and later black on the new model) on all models. The side rear retroreflectors (or turn signals on some models, depending on market) were replaced by Lada (left) and Niva (right) labels, and

10452-429: The agricultural market, three models were made available: the three-door, four-seat hatchback; a two-seat commercial van; and a two-door, four-seat pickup. Although VAZ was meant exclusively to produce passenger cars, the Soviet military was impressed by its off-road capabilities and ordered VAZ to create a military version, to replace the UAZ-469 as the standard military 4×4 vehicle. In 1976, when VAZ-2121 development

10608-412: The aluminium alloy bodywork (which has been retained throughout production despite it now being more expensive than a conventional steel body due to its ideal properties of light weight and corrosion resistance) other examples include the distinctive flat body panels with only simple, constant-radius curves (originally used because they could be cut and formed by hand from aluminium sheet on a basic jig) and

10764-403: The body and the interiors are new, it is 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. In 2019 Lada acquired General Motors' stake in GM-AvtoVAZ and then announced that the Chevrolet Niva would be produced under Lada's name. The rebranded Lada Niva

10920-481: The bodywork was simplified to reduce production time and costs and a larger engine was fitted, together with a specially designed transfer gearbox to replace the Jeep unit. The result was a vehicle that didn't use a single Jeep component and was slightly shorter than its American inspiration, but wider, heavier, faster and still retained the PTO drives. The Land Rover was designed to only be in production for two or three years to gain some cash flow and export orders for

11076-470: The capacity of most minivans , when comparing vehicles of the same length. The Land Rover was conceived by the Rover Company in 1947 during the aftermath of World War II . Before the war Rover had produced luxury cars which were not in demand in the immediate post-war period and raw materials were strictly rationed to those companies building construction or industrial equipment, or products that could be widely exported to earn crucial foreign exchange for

11232-470: The capacity to meet possible demand and the need to import almost the entire vehicle in kit form from Britain restricted the supply and manufacturing process further. This led to a long waiting list developing for the Leyland product whilst commercial operators could receive large fleets of Japanese vehicles very quickly. The other problems faced by Land Rover were the same throughout its export markets- compared to

11388-454: The car Golden Rod Yellow, which would then become the new project name: "Golden Rod". They drove the completed the Golden Rod to New York City for McWilliams to see, from where it was shipped to Southampton, where Green would later collect it and drive it to Solihull. From 1979 until 1985, the Stage 1 was built using some of the same components as the Range Rover and 101 Forward Control, such as

11544-449: The car being developed primarily for Soviet citizens. The original Niva has a naturally aspirated 1.6-L overhead-cam four-cylinder petrol engine producing 56 kW (75 hp) and 126 N·m (93 lb·ft) at 5,000 rpm, a four-speed manual transmission , and a full-time four-wheel drive. The drive system uses three differentials: center, front, and rear. The transfer case involves a high/low range selector lever and another to lock

11700-590: The car was designed with attention to passive safety and passed safety tests in France , Bulgaria , Czechoslovakia , Sweden , and Western Germany , receiving an international safety certificate as a result of almost five months of tests in Montlhéry , the publication of a Consumers Association report in 1973 branding the car as "dangerously unsafe" did not help the Moskvich in the marketplace, even though its safety record

11856-402: The car, such as front and rear bull bars and roll bars , side rocker rails , roof rails, a winch , fender plastics, additional headlights for front bumper and for roof rails, and aftermarket aluminium rims, which can be often seen mounted on many Nivas. The existing model was slightly restyled during first half of the 1980s when VAZ discontinued the VAZ-2103 (which had slowly been replaced by

12012-413: The central differential. Like usual gear shifting, both of the aforementioned features naturally require the use of clutch to be properly selected. However, while the central differential can usually be locked while in motion, the transfer case cannot and requires a complete stop. The original Niva has a maximum speed of 81 mph (130 km/h). Coil springs are located at each of the four wheels, and

12168-464: The combination of a short wheelbase (only 2,2m), relatively low weight (just over a ton), independent front suspension, small dimensions (3,74×1,68 m), and high ground clearance (about 265 mm). Its large but narrow wheels (175/80-R16 in dimensions), originally featuring domestically designed "Voltyre" VLI-5 high-tread tires, offered relatively strong ground pressure, which lowered the chances of slipping or getting bogged down off-road. For example, in

12324-555: The components being shipped from Britain meant that Land Rover's dominance slipped. In an attempt to address declining sales in the rural and civil engineering markets in the mid 1970s, Leyland Australia developed the Land Rover GAME, an up-market, short-wheelbase Series III aimed at the emerging recreational 4WD market. Fitted with fifteen inch white spoke wheels and wide tyres, wheel arch extensions, deluxe bonnet, rear bumperettes, rear swing away spare wheel carrier, interior trim, and

12480-523: The country. Also, Rover's original factory in Coventry had been bombed during the war, forcing the company to move into a huge " shadow factory " built just before the war in Solihull near Birmingham , previously used to construct Bristol Hercules aircraft engines. This factory was now empty but starting car production there from scratch would not be financially viable. Plans for a small, economical car known as

12636-616: The dashboard from the VAZ-21099 . The black artificial leather seats that originated from the VAZ-2106 were replaced by higher, more modern ones from the VAZ-2108, with the front surface made of polyester, while the rear seat was improved for easier folding. The Fiat 124 swiveling windows from the side doors disappeared and were replaced with air conditioning, which was installed with the ABS and servomotor for

12792-483: The early 1980s, Land Rover Australia had made some changes to the vehicle to try to combat this sales decline. As well as the fitting of the V8 petrol engine in the 1979 "Stage One", as in the rest of the world, Australia also received the same vehicle with the option of a 3.9-litre 97 hp (72 kW) four-cylinder Isuzu diesel engine ( 4BD1 ). This was introduced in 1982, and was meant to be equipped in about ten per cent of

12948-528: The end of the year resulted in a delay because the company wanted to develop another prototype based on the model in 1976, which became the sixth and final (serial production) prototype. Before its production, the Niva was tested over a period of years by a team led by Vadim Kotlyarov in the most difficult terrain of the Soviet Union, such as the Ural Mountains and Siberia , the deserts of the Kazakh SSR , and

13104-412: The engine and from the gearbox to the centre and rear of the vehicle allowed it to drive farm machinery, exactly as a tractor would. It was also tested ploughing and performing other agricultural tasks. However, as the vehicle was readied for production, this emphasis on tractor-like usage decreased and the centre steering proved impractical in use. The steering wheel was mounted off to the side as normal,

13260-451: The engine was too heavy and slow-revving, which stunted performance and produced torque that the Rover gearbox could only just cope with. Rover convinced the MOD that, considering the quantities of Land Rovers they were considering ordering, that the standard 1.6-litre engine would suffice. The MOD started ordering Land Rovers in batches from late 1949. The initial batches were for 50 vehicles, but by

13416-495: The engine weight down, and a hemispherical combustion chamber . Steel cylinder liners were replaceable to enable easy repair of the engine instead of having to replace it entirely. Since it was of an OHC design, it was taller than the OHV MZMA-408 engine it replaced, which is why it was mounted at a slant. The UZAM-412 had a capacity of 1,478 cc (90.2 cu in) c.c. and developed 75 horsepower. Its more powerful version,

13572-420: The fenders, a tailgate, a glove compartment cover, front-seat backrests, and floor mats. Also, it has a slightly restyled interior featuring genuine leather seat upholstery and a steering wheel cover, and sills made out of stainless steel. The model is available from June 2017 in both domestic and export markets. A convertible version appeared back in 1983, but was neither serially produced nor designed by VAZ. It

13728-629: The first Land Rover CKD in Port Elizabeth , South Africa. The first local production of fuel tanks and chassis at the Port Elizabeth plant was announced in August 1963 and from then on the local content in the production of Land Rovers increased steadily to 44% of vehicle weight by 1972. Local content included: chassis, road springs, entire body, tyres, seat frames and upholstery, battery, fibreglass roof and all glass. In 1974 Leyland SA had three assembly plants. Local content increased further in 1980 with

13884-484: The first wheeled vehicle to spend time there. It also set the world record of the highest point ever reached by a motorized vehicle, when another VAZ-2131 climbed to the 5200-m-high base camp on Mount Everest in 1998 and even higher just a year later, on 16 September 1999, when a similar Niva belonging to the Saint Petersburg extreme expedition team reached a height of 5725 m on a Tibet mountain during off-roading. There

14040-483: The first year), with about 400 of them sold to Cuba. In August 2014 at the Moscow International Automobile Salon , GM-AvtoVAZ introduced the next generation Niva. The car had a longitudinal mounted engine, full-time four-wheel-drive, two-gear transfer case and rigid-axle rear suspension. The production model was supposed to get a 1.8-liter PSA Peugeot Citroën EC8 engine (135 hp) paired with

14196-460: The following year, two samples of the prototype were modified to install a 1,478 cc UZAM-412 engine, which originally powered the Moskvich 1500 . Testing later revealed that the engine was incompatible with the newly designed car. The Moskvich engine was abandoned, and the older engine was reused. The 1974 prototype (2121M) was ready to be mass-produced in 1975, but the appearance of the new VAZ-2106 at

14352-403: The front chassis cross-member was moved an inch forward, to accommodate the new diesel engine, to be an option the following year. This change was made to all models with the exception of the 107 Station Wagon, which would never be fitted with a diesel engine, and would eventually be the last Series I in production. These dimensions were to be used on all Land Rovers for the next 25 years. In 1957

14508-506: The front were available, in parallel with drum brakes versions), reinforced car-body structure, and passive safety features such as soft grip steering wheel cover, soft interior parts, seat belts, and padded dashboard. It was the first Moskvitch to pass safety-features tests in France , Bulgaria , Czechoslovakia , and Sweden in 1970–71, and in Western Germany in 1972. The modernized model, both for export and domestic market, received

14664-522: The highly successful Ferguson TE20 tractor in their shadow factory in Coventry. More likely, he used his own experience of using an army-surplus Jeep on his farm in Anglesey , North Wales. His design added a power take-off (PTO) feature since there was a gap in the market between jeeps and tractors (which offered the feature but were less flexible as transport). The original Land Rover concept (a cross between

14820-474: The home market. Export markets had even fewer examples, making this one of the rarest types of Land-Rover ever built. 22 IIA 1-tons were built with 2.25 litre petrol engine for the ministry of defence as fire tenders, known as the TACR1. The series III version was an uprated version of the standard military Land Rover. Australia has always been an important export market for Land Rovers of various models, but especially

14976-579: The larger engine was not really sought-after by UK owners, for whom the 4-cyl 2286cc engine seemed to be sufficient and somewhat more economical. A small number may have been used by the British armed forces. However, the New Zealand Army bought 566 Stage 1 V8 Land Rovers which entered service over the period 1982 - 1986. The New Zealand Army standardised on the type, retiring the previous mixture of British- and Australian-built 88" and 109" Series 2 variants. All

15132-434: The later part of its life as Land Rover updated the design to meet increased competition. This was the first model to feature synchromesh on all four gears, although some late H-suffix SIIA models (mainly the more expensive Station Wagons) had used the all-synchro box. In keeping with early 1970s trends in automotive interior design, both in safety and use of more advanced materials, the simple metal dashboard of earlier models

15288-476: 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. Several attempts were made to reintroduce Ladas into the UK. In May 2010, the basic Niva became available again through an independent importer. Aimed largely at

15444-411: The lights moved from a position behind the grille to protruding through the grille. From the beginning, it was realised that some buyers would want a Land Rover's abilities without the spartan interiors. In 1949, Land Rover launched a second body option called the " Station Wagon ", fitted with a body built by Tickford , a coachbuilder known for their work with Rolls-Royce and Lagonda . The bodywork

15600-497: The longer wheelbase and increased weight, and it was slightly higher priced compared to the standard model. In 2015, a five-door model also appeared for the Lada 4×4 Urban. In 1999, a diesel-engine model of the Niva known as the VAZ-21215 Niva, or commercially as the Lada Niva 1.9, was released. It was produced until 2007 and sold only in a few markets. It was powered by a 1905-cc Peugeot XUD 9SD inline four diesel engine, and it

15756-792: The mid-1950s the Army was buying Land Rovers 200 vehicles at a time. Land Rovers were deployed to the Korean War and the Suez Crisis , and became standard light military vehicles throughout the Commonwealth. Moskvich 412 The Moskvitch 412 ( Moskvich 412 , Москвич-412 , M-412 ) is a small family car produced by Soviet / Russian manufacturer MZMA / AZLK in Moscow from 1967 to 1975, and by IZh in Izhevsk from 1967 to 1982 (also known as IZh-412 ). It

15912-408: The military was satisfied with its capabilities, reliability, firmness and durability. By 1987, VAZ had completed development work, and the car was ready for mass production and military service. Nevertheless, the results were not enough to convince the military to start mass production. Longer wheelbase versions – the five-door VAZ-2131, three-door VAZ-2129, and VAZ-2329 pickup were also produced from

16068-593: The model – the standard 1.7-litre and the 1.8-litre (only for five-door model) along with a five-speed manual transmission. Starting with the 2014 model year, the Niva nameplate was discontinued for the Russian market, and the vehicle is branded Lada 4×4 for both short and long wheelbases to make way for the upcoming restart of the Chevrolet Niva series, which was scheduled to start production by March 2015. Due to Russia–West economic relations, AvtoVAZ analysts suggested that

16224-437: The new model until the end of 1993) when the newer and more powerful four-cylinder petrol engine was introduced, replacing the previously used VAZ-2106 engine. The standard Weber carburetor was replaced by a single-point fuel injection initially supplied by General Motors on the 21214/1.7i model, and an improved Solex carburetor on the 21213/1.7 model. The transmission was changed from four to five speeds, mechanical ignition

16380-467: The newest models (and on the Lada 4×4 Urban) starting from 2014. Multipoint fuel injection designed by Bosch has been used since 2004, replacing the previously mentioned single-point injection from General Motors. The lengthened model of the Niva appeared in 1993. It was known as the VAZ-2129 and was produced very briefly, only for about a year, so it is very rare. It was also never exported. Although it has

16536-517: The newest models. Although the rest of the exterior has remained generally unchanged (except for the Lada 4×4 Urban and Bronto), the interior was almost completely redesigned and shares only a few interchangeable parts with the previous one: the archaic partially chrome-plated VAZ-2106 steering wheel was replaced with the more modern and thick one from the VAZ-2107 and later, even newer models, as well as its VAZ-2103/2106 instruments, which were replaced with

16692-576: The old Lada 4x4 was rebranded as the Lada Niva Legend in January 2021. In 2002, the Lada Niva was awarded zero stars out of a possible four by the Russian ARCAP safety-assessment program. The reviewer noted the very rugged body of the car as the only positive aspect in terms of safety. During the safety test, the passenger dummy was hit by the glove compartment hard enough to risk traumatic brain injury . The reviewers noted that they did not expect

16848-420: The original Land Rover. As a result, fewer than 700 Tickfords were sold, and all but 50 were exported. In 1952 and 1953, a larger 2.0-litre petrol engine was fitted. This engine has Siamese bores, meaning that there are no water passages for cooling between the cylinders. During 1950, the unusual semi-permanent 4WD system was replaced with a more conventional setup, with drive to the front axle being taken through

17004-456: The present day. This is despite the 1982 re-design (mainly the increase of driving- splines from 10 to 24 to reduce stress) that all but solved the problem. Also, new trim options were introduced to make the interior more comfortable if the buyer so wished (many farmers and commercial users preferred the original, non-trimmed interior). These changes culminated in April 1982 with the introduction of

17160-569: The production of Chevrolet Niva may be delayed further into 2015. GM-AvtoVAZ , a joint venture between AvtoVAZ and General Motors , presented in 1998 the VAZ-2123 , a new sport utility vehicle (SUV) based on the old VAZ 2121 engine, transmission and most mechanicals; but with a modern exterior design. In 2003, the VAZ-2123 was rebadged as the Chevrolet Niva . It features an updated body and 1.7-litre gasoline engine with fuel injection. Although

17316-459: The rear mudflaps received the brand logo. For easier access to certain areas of the engine compartment, the window washer reservoir was moved from the left to the right section of the compartment (right in front of the battery). The interior was only minimally changed, along with some minor changes to the instrument panel and choke knob. Pre-1985 models are visually recognized by the aforementioned details, and are rare today (almost nonexistent in

17472-419: The rear seats folded down and, like the classic Zhiguli, the front seats can be set up to make two berths . A spare tire can be stored in the engine bay under the bonnet. Additional equipment for the basic model was similar to other Lada and Eastern Bloc cars of the period; it included headlight wipers, a rear fog lamp, a right external mirror (for domestic units until the end of the 1980s), rear seat belts,

17628-434: The rear. Later series IIIs had a Rover type front axle with a supposedly strengthened differential. The chassis frame was unique to the model and featured drop-shackle suspension similar to the military series Land Rovers. 900x16 tyres on deep dish steel wheelrims were a standard feature and these machines were commonly used by utility companies and breakdown/recovery firms. Only 170 IIA and 238 series IIIs (1 Ton) were built for

17784-458: The roof allowed added ventilation to the interior. While they were based on the same chassis and drivetrains as the standard vehicles, Station Wagons carried different chassis numbers, special badging, and were advertised in separate brochures. Unlike the original Station Wagon, the new in-house versions were highly popular. In mid-1956 the wheelbases were extended by 2 inches (51 mm) to 88 inches (2.24 m) and 109 inches (2.77 m), and

17940-675: The same Niva instruments along with the same steering wheel and artificial leather seats. Six different evolution prototypes were built. They were tested in an experimental military unit, on the proving grounds of the Ministry of Defense, and in the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan . The VAZ-2122 showed better results than the UAZ-469 (especially the fact that it featured amphibious capabilities, which UAZ did not have) and received very positive feedback;

18096-467: The same plant. The decision to keep 408 in production was that it was more suited to harsh conditions than the 412; it could tolerate 75 octane fuel and could work with lower grade oils. Between 1967 and 1969, the only difference between 408 and 412 was usually a badge, placed on the rear of the car trunk lid ( near the Moskvitch name or opposite ), on the front fenders or on the front radiator grill. The badge

18252-455: The same year, after the 25th Congress of the CPSU . The car was named Niva 1600 (Field) for exports and the VAZ-2121 (alternatively "Niva 2121" or "VAZ Niva") for the domestic market. For domestic customers, it was described as "[a] high-speed car with the improved capabilities and comfort of all VAZ models," and also as "[a] combination of the speed and comfort of a Zhiguli with the capabilities of

18408-572: The same year. The original M-412 of 1967–1969 had a chassis identical to that of the Moskvitch-408 , which had been launched three years earlier in 1964. The only differences between the two models were the engines and the interior. The main differences between the Moskvitch-412 and the Moskvitch-408 were: The differences between the 412/408 chassis: In 1970, Moskvitch built a prototype of

18564-533: The series I, II and IIA, was replaced with a plastic one for the Series-III model. The 2.25-litre engine had its compression raised from 7:1 to 8:1, increasing the power slightly (the high compression engine had been an optional fit on the IIa model for several years). During the series-III production run from 1971 until 1985, the 1,000,000th Land Rover rolled off the production line in 1976. The series III saw many changes in

18720-602: The series-IIIS models fitted with locally produced petrol(R6) and diesel(ADE 236) engines. In 1992, the Blackheath factory in the Cape Province was identified as the largest Land Rover CKD assembly outside the United Kingdom . The British Army used series Land Rovers in large numbers (and continues to use the modern Defender versions). The British Army tested the 80-inch (2.03 m) series-I Land Rover almost as soon as it

18876-460: The shafts themselves. Due to the fully floating design of the rear wheel hubs, the half shafts can be removed very quickly without even having to jack the vehicle off the ground. The tendency for commercial operators to overload their vehicles exacerbated this flaw which blighted the Series Land Rovers in many of their export markets and established a reputation that continues in many markets to

19032-407: The sill panels were redesigned to be shallower a few months afterward. Later still, the rear wheelarch profile was changed, possibly to accommodate 900x16 tyres fitted with snow chains on 1-Ton 109" models. The Series IIA is considered by many the most hardy Series model constructed. It is quite possibly also the type of classic Land Rover that features strongly in the general public's perception of

19188-551: The sturdy box-section ladder chassis , which on series vehicles was made up from four strips of steel welded at each side to form a box, thus cutting down on the complex operations required when making a more conventional U- or I-section frame. Land Rover entered production in 1948 with what has later been termed the Series I . This was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show. It was designed for farm and light industrial use, with

19344-481: The successful Series I was the Series II , which saw a production run from 1958 to 1961. It came in 88 in (2.24 m) and 109 in (2.77 m) wheelbases (normally referred to as the 'SWB' and 'LWB'). This was the first Land Rover to receive the attention of Rover's styling department. Chief Stylist David Bache produced the familiar 'barrel side' waistline, with a 5 in (12.7 cm) greater width to cover

19500-477: The twelve-seater remained until the end—such vehicles were classed as minibuses and thus could use bus lanes and (if registered correctly) could be exempt from the London Congestion Charge . There was some degree of overlap between Series I and II production. Early Series II 88-inch (2.24 m) vehicles were fitted with the old 2-litre petrol engine to use up existing stock from production of

19656-474: The utility models. 80-inch series-I models were sold to the Australian government in the late 1940s for work on civil engineering projects such as dams and road construction, which brought the vehicle to the buying public's attention. Large sales followed and in the 1950s Land Rover established factories in Australia to build CKD kits shipped from the Solihull factory. The Land Rover continued to sell well throughout

19812-461: The vehicle's wider tracks, as well as the improved design of the truck cab variant, introducing the curved side windows and rounded roof still used on current Land Rovers. The Series II was the first vehicle to use the well-known 2.25-litre petrol engine , although the first 1,500 or so short wheelbase (SWB) models retained the 52 hp (39 kW) 2.0-litre petrol engine from the Series I. This larger petrol engine produced 72 hp (54 kW) and

19968-462: The vehicles they had built were still in use. Most Series models feature leaf-spring suspension with selectable two or four-wheel drive (4WD), however Series I's produced between 1948 and mid-1951 had constant 4WD via a freewheel mechanism, and the Stage 1 V8 version of the Series III featured permanent 4WD. All three models could be started with a front hand crank and had the option of front & rear power takeoffs for accessories. After adding

20124-502: The weight of additional equipment carried). There was also a white-painted 300 TDI conversion of approximately 20 vehicles, including a hard top and locally-devised disc brake conversion, for peacekeeping service with New Zealand's UNPROFOR contingent in Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1994 to 1996. The retirement of New Zealand V8 Stage 1 vehicles started from 2000, with the last examples taken out of service in 2006 once sufficient numbers of

20280-485: Was VAZ's first model that was not based on Fiat , though many of its mechanics were carried over from the earlier Fiat 124 - or 125 -based Zhiguli models (mostly the VAZ-2103 and 2106); the body, four-wheel drive system, and front suspension were all designed by VAZ. The first prototype appeared in 1971 and was officially designated the E-2121 and nicknamed krokodil (the crocodile ) due to its distinctive frontal section, but

20436-430: Was a front anti-roll bar and revised rear springs which were mounted above the axle rather than below it. In the process the wheelbase was increased to 110 in (2,794 mm). Production ended in 1974 when Land-Rover rationalised its vehicle range. Many IIB components were also used on the "1 Ton" 109 in vehicle. The Series III had the same body and engine options as the preceding IIA, including station wagons and

20592-506: Was a modification of the original Niva 1600 bodied by French coachbuilder Wassermann for the local market. It was known as the Niva Plein Soleil (Sunlight) and it was one of many Niva modifications made by local importers for their markets. In recent years, changes included better lights, more comfortable seats, an instrument panels with LCD displays, alloy wheels, electric windows and mirrors, heated seats and air conditioning. During

20748-508: Was a more powerful and prestigious version of the M-408 model, offering more features for a higher price. The Moskvitch 412 derived from the Moskvitch 408 , differing in more powerful 1.5 engine. The earliest engines for the 412 were built in 1964. The Moskvitch 412 had a slanted (to a tilt of 20 degrees) inline-four engine with a block, head, and inlet manifold cast in aluminium alloy to keep

20904-500: Was a pick-up truck load bay that offered 25% more cubic capacity than the standard pick-up style. The HCPU came with heavy-duty suspension and was popular with public utility companies and building contractors. The first Prototype V8 Land Rover was the creation of Bruce McWilliams, then president of the Rover Motor Company of North America Limited. McWilliams thought that the newly acquired all alloy V8 from GM would be perfect for

21060-401: Was a three-door, seven-seater. The new station wagons were very different from the previous Tickford model, being built with simple metal panels and bolt-together construction instead of the complex wooden structure of the older Station Wagon. They were intended to be used both as commercial vehicles as people-carriers for transporting workmen to remote locations, as well as by private users. Like

21216-409: Was added to the engine line, which after 1967 included a 2.6-litre inline six-cylinder petrol engine for the long-wheelbase models, which also had servo-assisted brakes. 811 of these were NADA (or North American Dollar Area) trucks, which were the only long-wheelbase models made for the American and Canadian markets. From February 1969 (home market), the headlamps moved into the wings on all models, and

21372-492: Was almost finished, engineers from Tolyatti began working on an amphibian off-roader , which became known as VAZ-2122 Reka (River). A simplified and more rugged body was combined with the Niva chassis . It weighed about the same as the usual Niva, but instead of the 1600-cc VAZ-2106 engine, it used an older and less powerful 1300-cc engine derived from the VAZ-2101. Internally, it featured a different metal dashboard, though it used

21528-520: Was also revealed (featuring an integrated metallic grille, different bumpers, and a snorkel ), called the Lada Bronto AMC. On 5 April at the car's 40th anniversary, a special, limited edition of the classic Lada 4×4 called the Lada 4×4 40th-Anniversary was presented, which used the 1977 design. It features new aluminium rims similar to the Urban, five new color schemes, "40th Anniversary" metallic labels on

21684-445: Was classified as a "multi-purpose vehicle" which was only to be classed as a commercial vehicle if used for commercial purposes. The 1954 model year brought major changes. The 80-inch (2.03 m) wheelbase model was replaced by an 86-inch (2.18 m) wheelbase model, and a 107-inch (2.72 m) wheelbase " pick up " version was introduced. The extra wheelbase was added behind the cab area to provide additional load space. In mid-1954

21840-403: Was closely rationed. The choice of colour was dictated by military surplus supplies of aircraft cockpit paint, so early vehicles only came in various shades of light green. The first pre-production Land Rovers were being developed in late 1947 by a team led by engineer Arthur Goddard . Tests showed this prototype vehicle to be a capable and versatile machine. The PTO drives from the front of

21996-411: Was closely related to the 2.0-litre diesel unit still in use. This engine became the standard Land Rover unit until the mid-1980s when diesel engines became more popular. The 109-inch (2.77 m) Series II station wagon introduced a twelve-seater option on top of the standard ten-seater layout. This was primarily to take advantage of UK tax laws, by which a vehicle with 12 seats or more was classed as

22152-616: Was formerly called the Lada 4×4, or the VAZ-2121 in the domestic Russian market. The name was changed after the brand was transferred to General Motors , though AvtoVAZ retained the rights to the equivalent Cyrillic name: Нива. It was also marketed as the Lada Sport in Iceland , Lada Taiga in Austria , and Lada Cossack in the United Kingdom. In 2014, it was sold as the LADA 4×4 in Russia. Since 2021, it

22308-460: Was in response publicly defended by the managing director of the importing company, citing positive reviews from Moskvitch owners involved in traffic collisions. The 1973 introduction of the significantly more modern Lada 1200 was likely the principal cause of the sales drop. Importer Satra 's 1974 rebranding of the M-412 to the Moskvitch-1500 had no effect, forcing the company to withdraw from

22464-818: Was launched in 1948. At that time, the Army was more interested in developing a specially designed military utility 4×4 (the Austin Champ ). However, the Champ proved too complex, heavy and unreliable in battlefield conditions so the Army looked to the Land Rover. In the late 1940s the Ministry of Defence was keen on the standardisation of its vehicles and equipment. Part of this plan was to fit Rolls-Royce petrol engines to all its vehicles (even though most were not actually built by R-R). A batch of series-I Land Rovers were fitted with Rolls-Royce B40 four-cylinder engine, which required modification to an 81-inch (2.06 m) wheelbase). However,

22620-496: Was less powerful than the standard VAZ-21213/21214 1680-cc petrol engine. However, the VAZ-21215 was a relatively short-lived model despite lower fuel consumption , because it was not popular in the domestic market, Peugeot stopped producing XUD engines in 2001 (although existing supplies were available until 2007, when the last VAZ-21215 came off the production line), and VAZ did not make another contract for diesel engine production for

22776-477: Was made in 1995. It was originally known as the VAZ-2131 Niva, but commercially, it has no difference in name from the standard three-door model, and it is often referred as the Niva five-door. Due to its increased weight from the longer wheelbase, it can use the 1774-cc inline four petrol engine. Although it was still in production like the basic model, it had limited use and was infrequently exported, mainly due to

22932-588: Was named "BOP" (Buick-Olds-Pontiac). McWilliams listed specifications he wanted in addition to the V8 such as Primrose Yellow paint, black upholstery, side pipes from a Corvette, a Hurst shifter, making a hot rod in the California sense of the word. Green had other ideas. A new 1966 88" Station Wagon was collected at the SF Docks and taken to British Sports Car Service in Hayward, California for teardown. Green designed and drew

23088-472: Was redesigned to accept a new moulded plastic dash. The instrument cluster, which was previously centrally located, was moved to the driver's side. Long-wheelbase series-III vehicles had the Salisbury rear axle (the differential housing and axle case are one piece) as standard, although some late SIIA 109-inch (2,800 mm) vehicles had them too. North American sales from the factory ceased in 1974. In 1980,

23244-554: Was rejected for being too utilitarian, so doors and a hardtop were added. This version (designated the 2E-2121) debuted in 1973 and deviated from the off-road vehicles of the period, as it used a modern hatchback body. The design choice was inspired by the prototype known as the VAZ-1101 (itself derived from the Fiat 127 ), and was created by designer Valery Pavlovitch. The influence of the Fiat 127

23400-563: Was repeated in many countries in Africa and the Middle East. A rail-road version was developed in partnership with Dunlop . The Series IIA FC launched in 1962 was based on the Series IIA 2.25-litre petrol engine and 109 in (2,769 mm) chassis, with the cab positioned over the engine to give more load space. Export vehicles were the first Land Rovers to get the 2.6-litre petrol engine. Most examples had an ENV (heavy duty) rear axle,

23556-428: Was replaced, and the electronics and suspension received some relatively minor changes. The exhaust system was also slightly redesigned, and on newer models, the drive shafts received homokinetic joints . On the exterior, the rear section of the body was redesigned with the tailgate extended and license plate on it. These changes prompted new vertical taillights that replaced the former VAZ-2106 horizontal ones and

23712-503: Was revealed by AvtoVAZ in July 2020, with the firm saying that there was still strong demand for the 20 year old line of cars. The 2020 model is produced at the Togliatti factory with minor design updates (but no technical changes) and joins the Lada 4×4 in the firm's range. In December 2020, following a new generation of the line, the new Lada Niva was further rebranded as Lada Niva Travel, while

23868-597: Was used by the Soviet Antarctic Expedition for transportation of personnel and goods, communication between Antarctic stations, and towing boats. It covered more than 40,000 km (25,000 mi) in 1990–2001 and operated at temperatures as low as −54 °C. A Niva also reached the North Pole in 1998, when the lengthened VAZ-2131 Niva was dropped by parachute on ice and successfully completed its route, operating at an average temperature of −30 °C, becoming

24024-504: Was usually 412, but sometimes it was also 1500, depending on version and market. In 1969, both the 412 and the related 408 had their bodies redesigned. These were notable for being the first Moskvitch models to feature rectangular headlights and horizontal rear lights , which passed on to the 2138/2140 in 1976, replacing round headlights (two on ordinary models, four mainly on export models) and vertical rear lights. Only rear triangular turn signals remained on vestigial tailfins. Until then,

24180-462: Was whilst the Series IIA was in production that sales of utility Land Rovers reached their peak, in 1969–70, when sales of over 60,000 Land Rovers a year were recorded. (For comparison, the sales of the Defender have been around the 25,000 level since the 1990s.) As well as record sales, the Land Rover dominated many world markets- in Australia in the 1960s Land Rover held 90% of the 4×4 market. This figure

24336-405: Was wooden-framed and had seating for seven people. Tickford was well equipped in comparison with the standard Land Rover, having leather seats, a heater, a one-piece laminated windscreen, a tin-plate spare wheel cover, some interior trim and other options. The wooden construction made them expensive to build. The Tickford was taxed as a private car, which attracted high levels of Purchase Tax unlike

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