Top 5 Russian vehicles that should have been a hit in the West.

5. Moskvitch 412

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Also known as the 2140, the Moskvitch 412 is notorious for leaking fluids and refusing to understand the concept of reliability. Manufactured in the period between 1967 and 2001(under a number of different code names and ‘facelifts’), it survived nearly half a century behind the iron curtain. The curb weight was 1,045 kg (2,304 lb) and first models featured a 1.5, 4 cylinder engine tilted 20 degrees. The engine was often problematic; one would have to carry a complete tool box in the trunk including spare parts like spark plugs in quite large quantities.

4. GAZ-24 Volga

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Manufactured between 1970 and 1985, the Volga is the beast of Russian road-going vehicles. Interestingly, the prototype of the car came out with a 3 liter V6 putting out 120 horse powers, but actual production vehicles featured an inline 2.5 liter four cylinder, producing 95hp and a 5.5 liter V8 in the GAZ 24-24 model. The car was a hit in the Soviet Union, and Eastern block countries. The Volga was sold in large numbers to "important" people who held import positions, and to the regular man, the GAZ-24 remained a dream car.

Volga tuning potential, AKA Russian muscle

3. VAZ-2101

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The Lada 1200, VAZ-2101 or Zhigula, as it is known to the common man, was built from 1970 until 1988. It was a re-design of the Italian Fiat 124 to better tailor the needs and uses of Eastern European drivers. The car featured a 1.2 liter in line four cylinder engine making 63hp, and in 1974, a 1.3 liter in line four cylinder making 5 extra horse powers. A compact sedan design, with reasonably high ground clearance, chunky tires and low end torque, it meant that the Lada 1200 was a great all round terrain vehicle. You are not going to rock crawl in the Zhigula, but it was perfect for tarmac "highways" and dirt trails. Once again, it goes without saying that the simplicity of the design meant that maintenance and repairs were the petrol head’s dream.

2. Ural-4320

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The Ural 4320 is an all-terrain, all-purpose, all wheel-drive vehicle initially designed for the Russian military. The key words here are all-wheel drive, as this truck is a 6x6 wheeler. Production began in 1976 and due its its extremely versatile design capabilities, production has not yet ended. This truck can go anywhere and literally be anything that the driver wants it to be. It can be a simple truck bed, a for of transport for up to 27 passengers, radio reconnaissance station, or rocket launch pad. It is also ideal for civilians who purchase a truck after it has been retired from the forces, as it can feature a simple truck bed with a crane, perfect for log transport out of hard to reach forests on cliff sides. This Ural comes with two diesel engines, a V6 producing 180 hp and a V8 producing 240 hp. Load carrying weight is 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) and trailer carrying weight is 11,500 kg (25,350 lb).

The 4320 carrying lumber

1. Lada Niva

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Just like the Ural-4320, the Lada Niva is still in production today, and has been since 1977. It was perhaps the only car that the Lada company really tried to push to the West. It went on market in Iceland, Austria, Uruguay and Great Britain (aside from Eastern Europe of course), under names such as: Sport, Taiga, Diva and Cossack. In Russian though, the name was one which held the cars legacy, "Niva" meaning crop field.

The combination permanent all-wheel drive system, composed with three differentials, a 4 or 5 speed manual gearbox with high/low range, an all round coil spring suspension, independent in the front and 5 link type in the rear was an extreme hit from the very start of production and over time it proved to be a very capable off-road vehicle. Some say the Lada Niva even inspired the design of the Suzuki Vitara. The engine in the Niva is a 1.6L (on some markets a 1.7L or 1.9L diesel) in line four cylinder, putting out 72 hp and 126 N·m (93 lb·ft) of torque. Fuel consumption of such "simplistic" Lada engines is considered very good even to today’s standards, as this engine consumes 8.25 L/100 km (34.2 mpg) of petrol. Although speaking from experience, to make the math work, one would need to drive by the old rules of fuel economy, aka switching the engine off and using the car’s inertia down hills.

It’s hard to put enough emphasis on how capable the Lada Niva is off road. I rather you see for your self. Below is a Fifth Gear episode, where some also very capable off road camera vehicle struggle up a hill against the Niva.

Fifth Gear Lada Niva drive

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Comments

Petar Velchev

In reply to by Aleksei

Top gear give them a bad name, what they say is true only to a certain extent. But as we all know its great entertainment.

08/03/2015 - 15:21 |
4 | 5
Bang POWEEER

Найс!

08/03/2015 - 14:30 |
36 | 0

hahaha "nice" comment :D

08/03/2015 - 15:24 |
13 | 0
CarWizard

Lada Nivas can fly haha

08/03/2015 - 14:37 |
7 | 0

Haha makes you think of there is anything that they cant do XD

08/03/2015 - 15:22 |
1 | 0
Anonymous

(HEAVY BREATHING)

08/03/2015 - 14:38 |
94 | 1
AudiR8isBae

Number 5 and 3 are in Egypt and they are sh**t, while the lada niva isnt so good but I love itbecause my dad used to have it and it saved his life when the car was hit by a lorry and he managed to escape from the door.. It sure is a tank

08/03/2015 - 14:47 |
2 | 0

Glad he was alright. But did he escape while the car was moving or after the hit?

08/03/2015 - 15:22 |
1 | 0
Dave 12

Oh hell no. This must be why we won the cold war…

08/03/2015 - 14:57 |
1 | 1
Petar Velchev

In reply to by Dave 12

Dont start a history debate haha.

08/03/2015 - 15:26 |
0 | 0
HfromB

Since i saw it on 3dtuning, I’ve always wanted a GAZ 24 Volga

08/03/2015 - 14:59 |
0 | 0
AmarT4

My grandfather had a Moskvitch 412, it was 1978 year. That car is very strong, not very reliable, but it was great car. It was sold last year to junkyard. I miss this car. Also my dad had a Lada 1200, and he had a crash, and he sold it.

08/03/2015 - 15:07 |
0 | 0
Petar Velchev

In reply to by AmarT4

My grandparents used to have one also, but once my grandad passed away, it sat for years as my grandma didnt use it. So we also junked it about 10 years ago.

08/03/2015 - 15:25 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

why would we want these Russian cars when we made perfectly good cars ourselves?

08/03/2015 - 15:17 |
0 | 0
Petar Velchev

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

These cars are very underated . Plus, you want to give democratic citizens choice, dont you ;)

08/03/2015 - 15:24 |
0 | 0
Tomi K

I got a toy of that Moskvitch. (Yay!)

08/03/2015 - 15:18 |
6 | 0
Petar Velchev

In reply to by Tomi K

Looks very nice!!

08/03/2015 - 15:20 |
1 | 0