The history of the Lada Niva. #blogpost

Lada Niva, WAS-2121, Lada Taiga, Lada 4x4. Lada Sport, Lada Bushman, Lada 2121… No matter what you know this little Russian as. This is a short blog about his story…

Well the rear window says made in Russia…. But this little car has seen a lot of production plants since his introduction 1976. Ukraine, Russia, India, Marocco, Chile, Paraguay (no idea how to spell that) and many more.

Up until the 1990s it was equipped with the engine from a Lada 2106/Shiguli which made something like 5hp or so…. Till the late 90s you could also get a 64hp diesel inline four (inline4=max. JDM street cred) by peugeot… Because everybody knows since top gear that they built the best cars. When the last diesel lada came out of the production plant of GM-AVTOVAZ somewhere at the ass of the world in russia, the only engine you were able to get now was a 82hp inline four by fiat. This engine is still put in the lada today. It even got upgraded with fuel injection somewhere between 1995 and last week…

It might seem like a cold war relic today but back in the day it was revolutionary. It was the first awd car that wasn’t body on frame (hell American cars in the mid 2000 still were) and it has a really nice 4x4 system. It might sound like a Tupolev trying to lift off as soon as you’re doing more than… Idk. Being stationary. But why would you change something that has been working since Stalin was ruling Russia?
The lock able mid diff (because permanent awd) and the low range gear together with the 5 speed manual (4speed back in the days) give the power to the solid rear axle and the separatly hinged front wheels. That combination makes it able to go through every Russian car crash dash cam compilation quick and without getting stuck.

The interior is roughly the same since the Stalingrad battle (except for minor changes like the digital odometer or cupholders) and it has…. Well…. Communist flair. Like the climate controls… It has no AC and the fan only has two settings. Loud and very loud. The fan is operated by a big old switch that lools like it was already in use in the Russian space program in the 60s. But it works. Well it has to in a country where its as cold as the wife of OJ Simpson.

But even the Taiga (as it is called over here) has gone with time. As you can get electric windows, a stereo and even key less entry with it today from factory. And furthermore it isn’t just available as the 2 door suv.. Also as a 4 door and a pickup (when you’re bringing some new prisoners to the gulag). The base price is round about 10k and for that money you can’t complain. I mean you can either upgrade your new Aston Martin with ventilated seats… Or you can buy a whole new car for the money.

Somebody might ask why the Niva is still allowed to be sold today eventho it has no airbags no real abs (well it’s more abs-ish). Simple. The Taiga is a small series produced car with only 1000 examples per year per country. If your car is under that number it can basically be a toilet with wheels i guess. But if you are not Your car has to meet all standards of modern vehicles. This is what killed cars like the land rover defender and Might be killing cars like the g wagen one day.

So this was my short overview of the ussr mobile. Hope you liked it