The Chevrolet car brand is one of the most successful and promising in the world. This American company has experienced many ups and downs throughout its existence. Today, Chevrolet cars are located in every corner of the universe. In North America, exclusively unique SUVs with huge potential, premium sedans and beautiful expensive sports cars are assembled. For example, former budget Daewoo models are produced in South Korea.
And where is the Chevrolet Niva assembled for the Russian market? Do Russian engineers know how to produce really high-quality and reliable SUVs? The owners of this car model can tell you about this, since in our country this car is assembled at the General Motors AvtoVAZ automobile plant in the city of Togliatti. The enterprise produces absolutely all spare parts for the car, after which I carry out full-fledged welding, painting and assembly of the "American" with Russian roots. After the car is assembled, it is sent for testing and running-in. If employees find a defect, they will "wrap up" the car for recycling. Then, again, a new stage of assembly begins, in the second circle.
Chevrolet Niva is a worthy example of a real Russian vehicle. This popular Russian SUV is very fond of fishermen, hunters and those who simply adore extreme off-road driving. The new series of cars was assembled on the VAZ-2123 platform, and the manufacturer added comfort, individuality and functionality to the SUV. In the period from 2004 to 2008, the car was the best-selling car in the Russian Federation. This car model, in addition to the standard equipment, has a tuned and restyled version - Trophy and FAM-1. In fact, the quality and reliability of transport depends on where the Chevrolet Niva is produced. Russian SUV owners are not particularly satisfied with the quality of the domestic assembly. The fact is that the "American" does not have a high enough level of security.
The car does not cope at all with operation in the city at high speed, it lacks most of the safety elements, there is not even the elementary airbags. Very soon, AvtoVAZ took into account customer complaints and began to produce versions of the Chevrolet Niva GLS and GLC. On these cars, engineers installed all the necessary security systems that brought the car to a completely new level. But, the quality of parts, body color, plastic - all this leaves much to be desired. In addition, the body of an SUV is prone to scratches and corrosive processes.
Model characteristics
According to car statistics, the Chevrolet Niva is the most popular and demanded SUV in the domestic market. This car began to be assembled back in 2002 at the AvtoVAZ enterprise. Over the entire period of its existence, more than 170 thousand units of Niva rolled off the conveyor line of the enterprise.
Depending on the configuration, the machine is equipped with:
- heated armchairs
- tinted side windows
- alloy wheels
- air conditioner.
Where Chevrolet Niva is produced today, they try to focus on vehicle safety. To this day, a 1.7-liter engine is installed on the car, producing only 80 horsepower. It was rumored that specialists from the Opel concern were developing a new power plant specifically for this SUV model, which would produce 122 hp. power. Also, there was information that a diesel unit will appear in the lineup, but in the end, no changes have been observed to this day. The Chevrolet Niva is offered to customers with the same old, long-outdated engine as it was ten years ago.
Sales market: Russia.
Chevrolet Niva is a Russian compact SUV. According to the Association of European Businesses of the Russian Federation, it was the best-selling off-road vehicle in Russia in 2004-2008. Manufactured at GM-AvtoVAZ. The concept of the VAZ-2123 car was first demonstrated at the Moscow International Motor Show in 1998 and was presented as the successor to the Niva VAZ-2121. Serious changes in the model affected only the body, which became more spacious and acquired a more modern look, while the mechanical part was left practically unchanged. In 2001, the license and rights to the Niva brand were sold to General Motors, which significantly corrected the design and in 2002 launched production of the Niva under the Chevrolet brand. In March 2009, a restyled version of the SUV was presented. The body design was brought in line with the general corporate identity of the Chevrolet model line, with major changes affecting the exterior and interior design. All Chevrolet Niva cars are equipped with a permanent all-wheel drive system and a VAZ-2123 gasoline 4-cylinder in-line engine with a volume of 1.7 liters and 80 hp.
The restyled version of the Chevrolet Niva is offered in five trim levels: L, LC, LE, GLS and GLC. The basic one includes central locking, power windows for the front doors, a height-adjustable steering column, power steering, alarm, headlight range control, rear folding seats in a 60/40 ratio, unpainted exterior mirrors with electric drive and heating, tires with steel rims 15 " ". There are heating for the feet of passengers in the rear seat, a cabin filter, cup holders and a section for small items, audio preparation (a connection block and wiring to the acoustic speakers in the front doors). An air conditioner is provided in the LC configuration. More expensive GLS and GLC trim levels include an additionally improved imitation leather interior trim, interior trims, rear lighting, heated front seats, roof rails, painted mirrors and door handles, alloy wheels, isothermal glass, fog lights. The LE version stands apart in the model range, it is specially prepared for off-road conditions and assumes the presence of an external antenna and roof rails, off-road tires on black alloy wheels, an external air intake (snorkel) for overcoming water obstacles, a winch mounting bracket in front, engine protection and a front axle gearbox , rear bumper protection with tow bar (towing hitch).
A VAZ-2123 engine is installed on the car, which is a development of the VAZ-21214 injection engine with adaptation to the new engine compartment. Equipped with a multipoint fuel injection system, it has an output of 79.6 hp. at 5200 rpm and a torque of 127.5 Nm at 4000 rpm. It is clear that with such an engine, Niva does not pretend to be a dynamic car - acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h according to passport data will take 19 seconds. Combined fuel consumption is 10.8 liters per 100 km. The toxicity standards correspond to Euro-4.
The front independent double wishbone and rear dependent suspensions of the Chevrolet Niva are in fact the legacy of their distant predecessor, the Niva VAZ-2121. A sturdy, reliable design, perhaps not very comfortable by modern standards, but great for driving over rough terrain and poorly paved roads, and easy to maintain. There are disc brakes in the front, drum brakes in the back. However, this car is appreciated by another - a real ("honest") mechanical permanent all-wheel drive, where there is no such thing as transmission response simply does not exist. According to the manufacturer, "the Chevrolet NIVA is in constant off-road readiness." The lowered row (a rare feature today) in the transfer case allows for extra traction. The parameters of the geometric cross-country deserve respect.
Considering that the car's roots go back to the development of the mid-80s, the designers had to work hard to improve safety. In particular, the mechanism of the seat belts was improved, the power elements of the body were modernized for better damping of the impact energy. Separate versions (FAM-1) were produced with ABS, airbags and seat belt pretensioners. Since August 2011, this equipment is already included as standard in the GLS and GLC trim levels. In 2014, the seats were modernized - now they have more pronounced lateral support, a backlash-free mechanism for adjusting the backrest position, and a new shape of the head restraints.
The Chevrolet Niva remains one of the most sought after SUVs on the market. This car will suit those who are ready to close their eyes to some objective shortcomings (cramped interior, small trunk, weak and uneconomical engine), but for whom the affordable price, Niva's cross-country ability, more modern, unlike its predecessor, appearance are of decisive importance and interior, a variety of trim levels. Chevrolet Niva is for those who are mentally prepared for what may have to put their hands on the car, especially if it is a brand new car.
Read completely(2009 - present)1st generation
(2002 - 2009)
From the start of sales in 2002 to the release of restyled models in 2009 and up to the present day, the Chevrolet Niva has won various awards many times. Chevrolet Niva was recognized as the "Best Selling SUV of 2008", "SUV of the Year 2009" in the nominations "SUV", "Premiere of the Year". At the SIA 2012 auto show, Chevrolet Niva received the award "For high operational quality" as the car with the highest maintainability.
The history of the Russian serial civilian SUV began in 1977. Before the "Niva" cars with all-wheel drive in the USSR were only paramilitary GAZs and UAZs. VAZ-2121 became the first four-wheel drive passenger car named "NIVA". Contrary to popular belief, the name of the car has nothing to do with plowing, heading wheat fields, seeding or harvesting. The team of design engineers of the Togliatti automobile plant called their brainchild the "Best Invention of the Volga Automobile Plant" - having reduced the long and proud name to the first letters, they received the abbreviation NIVA as a result. Despite the ambitious name, only a donkey driver could say that the Niva is a comfortable car. Although, in comparison with the UAZ-469, the Niva was really comfortable and fast. From the point of view of an ordinary car owner, the Niva was solid and unpretentious, both outside and inside. It was a car designed to conquer off-roading, not the imagination.
Initially, the Niva was designed for residents of agricultural areas. However, the sky-high price for an ordinary Soviet peasant - the new Niva VAZ-2121 cost 10.5 thousand Soviet rubles - made it a dream of millions, but an unattainable dream. In the presence of an open shortage of passenger cars in the USSR, the queue for the "Niva" was not lined up and the management of the Volzhsky Automobile Plant decided to reduce the retail price to 9 thousand rubles. The three-door Soviet SUV was bought by wealthy summer residents, artel workers, underground manufacturers. The VAZ-2121 became especially popular with the heads of district and regional centers.
Niva since the Soviet Union was practically the only original and incredibly successful development of Soviet design engineers. The four-wheel drive car with a monocoque body had an optimal weight distribution along the axles, a demultiplier and a lockable center differential of the transmission. The engine on the Niva was the same as on the VAZ "six" ("Zhiguli" VAZ-2106). From the very beginning, "Niva" was produced as unified as possible with the popularly beloved Zhiguli. Many parts of the interior, power unit, spare parts, components for the VAZ-2121 were similar to spare parts for the sixth (and not only) Zhiguli model. This advantage was at the same time the most important disadvantage. The transmission of the Soviet jeep was incredibly noisy and vibro-loaded due to the imbalance of the short driveshaft, separate transfer case and Zhiguli gearbox.
In the late nineties, life in the country began to improve and various modifications of the basic Niva model appeared on the market. In 1993, the Niva VAZ-2121 came out in the usual body, but with contactless ignition, 5th gear and a more powerful 1.7-liter carburetor engine. They even tried to install a shaft with CV joints on the transfer case, which significantly reduced vibration and noise in the cabin.
A year later, in 1994, Niva came out in a new body with a third full-fledged door that went down to the rear bumper. Instead of the typical Zhiguli rear optics, the Niva-21213 received new square lights. In the cabin, the dashboard, similar to the dashboard of the Zhiguli "eight", was changed to a more modern panel and the front seats were improved.
The next modernized version was the Niva VAZ-21214 with a 1.6 liter engine. On the basis of this car, an export version with a diesel engine was assembled. Subsequently, the power unit of this export model was improved with a catalytic converter, central injection, after a while the engine received distribution injection.
In 1996, at the facilities of the OPP (Pilot Industrial Production) VAZ, they began to assemble the Niva in a five-door version (factory index VAZ-2131). With an elongated body, the car slightly lost in cross-country ability and significantly in a decrease in the life of the power elements of the bottom. The first "five-doors" after several years of intensive off-road tests were sent for overhaul - dents in the bottom, cracks in the intermediate part near the spring of the front suspension of the side member, bursting brackets of shock-absorber mounts. "City" Niva also suffered, but for a slightly different reason. The "high seating position" protected the thresholds from rust, but in general, the car could not boast of high corrosion resistance. After Niva received modern soft bumpers in 1999, instead of duralumin channels, which could easily demolish posts and fences without prejudice to their own "body", the car was radically changed. The situation has improved significantly since the co-production Chevrolet Niva model began to be produced.
Today the second generation of Chevrolet Niva is an exemplary example of bodybuilding - both in terms of body strength, torsional rigidity, paintwork quality, and accuracy of joining body elements. The new Chevrolet Niva looks modest in terms of cabin comfort, but in a difficult road it will give a hundred points ahead of any modern SUV.
In 2003, a Chevrolet Niva crash test was carried out, assessing the parameters of passive safety. The results of the examination were more than modest - out of 16 possible points, the Chevrolet Niva received only 1.6 points and did not earn a single star. The absence of an airbag, violation of the integrity of the body in a collision, a rigid steering column threatened the driver and passengers with serious injuries. Only in 2011, the updated Chevrolet Niva of the GLS and GLC trim levels began to be equipped with front airbags, an ABS system, belts with pretensioners and a load limiting system, and more comfortable front seats.
Most of the units and main machine units went to the 2012 Chevrolet Niva from previous generations. The history of the development of injection engines can be traced back to the Niva motors. The engines were specially adapted for the Chevrolet Niva models taking into account the new configuration of the engine compartment. At the same time, small batches of SUVs with injection 2-liter engines equipped with an unconventional transmission and models with modified carburetor engines were assembled.
The car uses a Russian-made electric power steering. On the old wheelbase, there were unified driveshafts, by analogy with the Lada 4x4, which has a much shorter wheelbase.
The main advantage of the Niva has always been reliability and unpretentiousness. A carburetor 1.7-liter, 80-horsepower engine with a contact ignition system has a conditional resource of 90 thousand km, but with regular maintenance, as a rule, it takes much more. In restyled models, carburetor engines were supplanted by injection power units. Injection motors are more powerful and can consume low-grade fuel, thanks to the installed knock sensor. True, injectors are more demanding on oil.
The Chevrolet Niva transmission has recently been distinguished by enviable noise and increased vibration. It is completely impossible to eliminate this defect due to the fact that the transfer case and the gearbox are two separate units, which are interconnected by an intermediate short shaft, with a mounted rubber vibration damper.
To this day, five-speed gearboxes are installed on the Chevrolet Niva 2, which in 1994 replaced the four-speed gearboxes installed on the Niva. If you change the rubber covers in time, the front CV joints are practically eternal. At the same time, there is also a significant drawback - in order to replace the cover, you have to disassemble almost the entire drive from the front.
The suspension of the Chevrolet Niva is reliable, simple and durable. It allows the SUV to overcome serious bumps with ease. With regular extreme loads, the springs are the first to sag and the shock absorbers fail.
In the process of assembling a modern Chevrolet Niva, almost a quarter of imported components are used: electric drives for window lifters, wipers, gearbox oil seals, voltage regulator, water pump bearings and much more.
Since the spring of 2006, the production of a model with a factory serial number VAZ-21236 - Chevrolet Niva 2006 FAM-1 begins. The car is available in a single GLX configuration, equipped with a Z18XE engine and a 5-speed Japanese transmission from Aisin, which supplies spare parts and powertrain elements to almost all Japanese car companies, in particular, the Suzuki concern. Opel's 1.8-liter FAM-1 engine has a capacity of 125 horsepower and a maximum torque of 167 N * m. In comparison with the traditional VAZ engine with a volume of 1.7 liters and a capacity of 80 "horses" with 127 N * m of torque, the figures are impressive. The maximum speed rose to 165 km / h against 140 km / h, and acceleration to hundreds of kilometers from a standstill from 19 seconds was reduced to 12.
Chevrolet Niva FAM-1 was released in a small circulation of one thousand copies. The combination of imported components and the restyling carried out by the Chevrolet Niva increased the cost of the new Chevrolet Niva from 325 thousand rubles for a model with a Swaz power unit to 538 thousand rubles for a Chevrolet Niva in the maximum configuration with airbags and ABS.
At the end of February, the last car of the first generation, the 2009 Chevrolet Niva, was released. In March of the same year, after a week-long stoppage from the GM-AVTOVAZ conveyor to repurpose production to the updated standards, the first serial restyled second-generation Chevrolet Niva 2009 SUV was assembled.
The restyling of the exterior touched the bumpers, which have become more powerful and are made solid with a wide, purely "Chevrolet" radiator grille, delimited by a horizontal metallized bar with a branded cross into two unequal parts. The innovations in the design of the exterior and interior of the new Niva Chevrolet cars are due to specialists from the Italian auto studio Bertone. Outside, a stylish, but somewhat controversial, plastic body kit appeared on the car, and the rear bumper acquired a comfortable wide loading area. The changes affected all lighting equipment. New alloy wheels have been added to the Chevrolet Niva catalog.
Inside, there is a new three-spoke steering wheel and an updated floor tunnel. After the modernization of the Chevrolet Niva was carried out, the buttons for controlling the heated seats and electric mirrors, as well as the cigarette lighter, moved to the lower part of the console, and the empty space was taken by a tray for small items and a pair of cup holders. Between the transmission levers, to the delight of smokers, there is a mobile ashtray that looks like a plastic cup with a lid and can be attached to all salon cup holders.
On the ceiling there is a new rectangular lighting unit, lamps for individual lighting for the passengers of the rear sofa, mirrors in sun visors and a large eyeglass case. The key to the updated Chevrolet Niva became foldable and, in addition to the flip-out metal working part, received two buttons that control the locks and the security alarm. Speaking of the Chevrolet Niva, describing the advantages after restyling will take much more time than listing the disadvantages.
For an additional fee, you can install an on-board computer in the Chevrolet Niva salon. Assembled specifically for installation in Chevrolet Niva, BC "Matrix" does not need a special place, no craftsmen, no adaptation. The on-board computer is installed in place of the control lamps. Moreover, all the functions of the "controls" remain in place - they are duplicated by the "Matrix", which allows you to preserve functionality as much as possible. The on-board computer, whose full name is the State of the Chevrolet Niva "Matrix", has a non-volatile memory. Even in the event of a complete power outage, "Matrix" saves all data and is easily updated on its own. The on-board computer "Matrix" is characterized by the following functions:
Plasmer (carries out drying and warming up of candles)
Afterburner (reset controller settings when switching from petrol to gas)
Tropic (ventilation and system and cooling system control)
Trip computer
Maintenance
Diagnostics
Voice alert synthesizer
Alarm annunciator
In May 2010, the GM-AVTOVAZ management announced the start of the assembly of improved modifications of the Chevrolet Niva. The design changes have contributed to a decrease in the overall noise level in the cabin, improved handling characteristics and a smooth ride. The gearshift lever has undergone restyling, due to which, when the torque is reached in the range of 3500-4500 rpm, the noise level is significantly reduced. The use of a modernized transfer case, the output shafts of which have double-row bearings and the equipment of the propeller shaft with modified angular equal speed joints, also served to reduce the decibels that annoyed many car owners. The latest innovation has resulted not only in a reduction in noise, but also in a significant reduction in vibration.
The GM-AVTOVAZ engineering body has changed the assembly process for the arm bushings, front suspension and suspension arms to improve driver comfort, handling characteristics and ride smoothness. The improved assembly procedure has increased the rigidity of the suspension link axles, allowing the 2011 Chevrolet Niva to more smoothly overcome uneven road surfaces.
Other features, invisible to the naked eye, but directly affecting the driving characteristics of the car, have been improved: spring clamps have been improved, thanks to which, by compensating for the shrinkage of the hoses, leaks in the engine cooling system are not allowed, many key components have received corrosion protection. To prevent premature aging and destruction, the anti-corrosion protection of the interior fasteners and some parts from the engine compartment, the clutch cylinder, the battery strip, the wiper blades, the power steering mechanism body has been improved.
Of the interior modifications, the most noticeable was the change in the ease of winding up and removing the seat belts of the driver's seat and the front passenger seat.
In June 2010, the release of the Chevrolet Niva 2010 began in the new Papyrus color. Since the start of production of the Chevrolet Niva, the color gamut has presented five primary colors. Limited editions of cars in other color shades are periodically produced. Papyrus is a golden beige color with a metallic effect. The most popular body colors for the 2010 Chevrolet Niva are Snow Queen, a light silver metallic, which accounts for a quarter of all cars sold, Milky Way, a black and blue metallic, and Quartz, a dark gray metallic, each color takes about 20% of the color model share. In September 2009, an exclusive batch of 150 SUVs was released, painted in the unique color "Black Uni" - deep, mystical, black without the "metallic" effect. The limited edition was timed to coincide with the seven-year anniversary of the start of production of cars of the updated Niva Chevrolet line by the joint Russian-American venture GM-AVTOVAZ.
Since January 1, 2011 Chevrolet Niva cars have been extended the warranty period. Now the warranty is 2 years or 35,000 kilometers. Prior to that, the warranty period was half the shorter, and the guaranteed mileage was 30 thousand km. The management of the GM-AVTOVAZ JV shows enviable friendliness towards its closest competitor - the Volzhsky Automobile Plant, which produces its "cousin", an analogue of the Chevrolet Niva - the NIVA Lada 4x4 SUV. Moreover, the directorate of the Russian-American enterprise offered its resources and capabilities for restyling the VAZ NIVY-Lada - said the president of JSC AVTOVAZ Igor Komarov. "AVTOVAZ" counts on the help of GM-AVTOVAZ in the modernization of the Lada 4x4 car, which the Volzhsky Automobile Plant cannot carry out on its own due to the lack of engineering personnel and modern equipment.
In April 2011, GM-AVTOVAZ announced its intention to increase sales of Chevrolet Niva by at least 30% by expanding the model line.
GM-AVTOVAZ has been producing a new Chevrolet Niva SUV based on the classic Soviet off-road vehicle with all-wheel drive - the Niva VAZ-2121 since 2002, when, under the terms of the agreement, when organizing a Russian-American joint venture, the JV lost the right to use not only auto platforms, but also the legendary NIVA brand.
In total, more than 1,700 global changes were made to the basic model-progenitor of the VAZ-2121. In the period from 2009 to 2010 alone, about 60 engineering solutions were introduced into the modernized Chevrolet Niva. In 2010, more than 20 major design changes were added to the exterior and interior design changes. Naturally, the quality characteristics increased the attractiveness of the SUV, but on the 2012 Chevrolet Niva prices have also increased significantly.
In August 2011, the production of Chevrolet Niva began in the "Lux" configuration - GLS and GLC (similar to the GLS assembly with a factory-installed air conditioner). Airbags and ABS are included in the package. Simultaneously with the start of the new configuration, the price of 2012 Chevrolet Niva cars increased. In the minimum L \ LC assembly, the cost of the Chevrolet Niva increased by 5 thousand rubles, and the price of the new Chevrolet Niva in the GLS \ GLС configuration increased by 25 thousand rubles.
Another serious rise in prices took place on January 1, 2013. For a Chevrolet Niva car, the price for the L \ LC configuration increased by 3 thousand rubles, for a Chevrolet Niva car, the price for a more expensive GLS \ GLC configuration increased by 4 thousand rubles, and for an LE (Limited Edition) configuration with extended off-road preparation, the price for a Chevrolet Niva became more expensive by 5.7 thousand rubles.
How much is a Chevrolet Niva worth today? In total, the price for a 2013 Niva Chevrolet in official dealerships, depending on the configuration, will be as follows:
L - from 447,000 rubles.
LC - from 476,000 rubles.
LE - from 505,000 rubles.
GLS - from 518,000 rubles.
GLC - 545,000 rubles.
In the spring of 2013, GM-AVTOVAZ begins the construction of a new engineering laboratory, press and body shops and a logistics center, where the restyled Chevrolet Niva will be developed and assembled, which is scheduled to enter serial production in 2015.
In the official press release of the GM-AVTOVAZ JV regarding the results of the work of the design bureau, the general director of the joint venture, Jeffrey Glover, said that the new Chevrolet Niva would have nothing to do with the current model. The developers assure that it will be a completely different car in all respects. The restyled new car Niva Chevrolet will receive a different body, a completely changed interior design, but most importantly, a more powerful power unit.
It is planned that the SUVs will be equipped with a new 1.8-liter 125 hp petrol engine, an upgraded gearbox and a new transfer case. The option of installing a diesel engine is not excluded. The general director of the GM-AVTOVAZ JV admitted that it is not planned to install diesel engines on the Chevrolet Niva in the near future, but the designers are considering such a possibility. Among the most significant changes will also be the upgraded suspension.
The main thing, according to Jeffrey Glover, is that the new Chevrolet Niva, just like its predecessors, will remain an all-wheel drive SUV. The future all-terrain vehicle will retain the dimensions of the previous Chevrolet Niva, the weight will remain in front of 1400 kg, all the best off-road qualities of the domestic "rogue" will be increased. According to the general director of the GM-AVTOVAZ JV, the management of the auto company does not intend to follow the lead of fashion and move towards the SUV either now or in the future.
The official premiere of the restyled Chevrolet Niva is scheduled for August 2014 as part of the Moscow International Motor Show shows.
Despite the fact that work on the 2123 project began in the first half of the eighties of the XX century, at a certain moment it became clear to the designers that it was more expedient to create a new model, and not try to improve the usual VAZ-2121.
Since all the forces of the factory workers at that time were thrown into the production of the VAZ-2108 on the conveyor, they began to seriously engage in a promising off-road passenger car a little later. The year 1986 can be considered the official starting point, when the technical specification for the 2123 model was finally formed and sent to the design departments of AVTOVAZ.
An important feature of the terms of reference for the model 2123 was the body type - frame. This design with hinged plastic panels at that time in Togliatti had both supporters and opponents. There have already been production cars in the world made according to this scheme - for example, the Renault Espace minivan.
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However, soon the idea to "frame" the Niva was abandoned, because this required huge financial costs and a complete changeover of production: in large-scale production conditions, the production of a car with a frame body required the development of new technologies and materials. The load-bearing structure had to be made using high-alloy steels, and the bezels required expensive and difficult-to-manufacture plastic. And this meant that with all the seeming advantages of the frame-panel construction with the use of "eternal" plastic, its serial implementation at that time was inexpedient.
Crossover thoughts
In order to test the idea of using a chain drive in a transfer case in practice, VAZ purchased a transmission from a first-generation Mitsubishi Pajero SUV.
As it turned out, in order to use such a design, the plant would have to acquire a license, as well as eliminate all the "technological" issues associated with a cardinal alteration of the transmission. New propeller shafts, pedal assembly, body parts (central tunnel and bottom), exhaust system and much more stopped the designers, forcing them to remain faithful to the "native" scheme, which by that time had already been tested and verified by both professionals and hundreds of thousands of privates car owners.
There were also those at the plant who believed that the new Niva needed to be brought closer to a passenger car, deliberately deteriorating its off-road qualities. Moreover, such a "crossover" model could be widely unified with the newest front-wheel drive - VAZ-2108. Yes, some experts insisted that the motor on 2123 should be placed not along, but across the engine compartment!
In order to study the issue in practice, the UGK VAZ purchased two "Japanese" - Nissan Prairie and Honda Civic Shuttle, which passed comprehensive tests.
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Opinions were divided: some designers believed that in the new car it was possible to sacrifice cross-country ability in favor of other consumer qualities, while others believed that the Niva-2 should not be inferior to the VAZ-2121 in its off-road potential. It is not surprising that the "jeep" concept was adhered to by those designers, constructors and testers who were directly involved in the development of the first Niva. They just stood up for the "native" scheme and did not allow turning the compact Togliatti SUV into a crossover like Toyota RAV4 or Hyundai Tucson. History does not imply a subjunctive mood, but Niva seems to have had the opportunity to step into the same river twice and again ahead of time with his own concept - this time "parquet". It did not work out - due to the fact that the "twenty-first" in terms of off-road qualities showed itself very brightly, they did not dare to abandon its main trump card at the plant.
Don't forget about beauty
Having finally decided that the new Niva will conceptually be an improved successor to the ideas of the previous SUV, the designers moved on to the body design.
Initially, two mock-ups were made. V. Syomushkin's version strongly resembled the modernized VAZ-2123, which was clearly "tied" to the old platform.
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| Early design of the new Niva (1980) | ||
While in the sketches of A. Belyakov, the promising Niva appeared completely different - a five-door, more streamlined and "chubby", with narrow headlights and an aerodynamic silhouette.
Much in the lines and solutions in one way or another echoed with, on which at that time they were also working at VAZ.
More precisely, the concepts of Belyakov and Syomushkin (later) looked more like a station wagon with an index of 2111 - plasticine models of 2123 give a clear understanding of who the car of the tenth family owes its original appearance to.
A little later, Belyakov emigrated, and for obvious reasons they departed from his ideas on the appearance of 2123. But somehow a delegation from Japan came to the plant. Honda representatives got acquainted with the developments and ... in the late nineties, the world saw the compact crossover HR-V, amazing.
Another version of the appearance of the VAZ-2123 belonged to the VAZ designer V. Stepanov, who a little later used his own developments for a new UAZ with an index of 3160, also produced at the STC VAZ.
The technical part of the future Niva-2 was being run in by that time.
Despite the fact that conceptually the car remained the same, the designers had to qualitatively improve its driving performance and increase the level of comfort, and without deteriorating the cross-country ability! We coped with the task perfectly.
More powerful, more comfortable, more spacious
The designers have not seen the new Niva with the same engine. As a power unit, they proposed using the engine of the future "ten" (16-valve 2110), as well as a 1.8-liter diesel engine, which at that time was being developed for the "forty-first" Moskvich together with AZLK.
At VAZ, they tried to adapt a purchased diesel engine to the Niva - for example, the ultra-efficient German ELKO unit, which the Germans themselves wanted .
Finally, there was a "voice of reason", suggesting at first to install under the hood an ordinary "Zhiguli" engine, "unclenched" into a hundred or two cubes, which later received the index 21213. The irony of fate, but the new Niva was destined to be born and grow old with just such a unit - albeit not the most modern and high-power, but really existing in production.
Working on the interior and ergonomics of the future Niva, the designers were faced with the fact that the compact five-door has practically no serial counterparts that could be used as a "starting point"! So I had to measure anything - larger imported jeeps, Suzuki Samurai and Vitara, even my own "perspective" - a model of a tenth model car!
The designers were faced with a difficult task: the new car should become noticeably more comfortable than the usual old Niva woman, providing an acceptable fit for all five occupants of the cabin, and not just for the driver and front passenger, as was previously practiced taking into account the intended purpose of the off-road vehicle. The builders and ergonomists did a great job on the layout, trying to get the most out of the project for the driver and four passengers. Over time, the landing mock-up turned into a demo interior project, which clearly showed what the interior of the new car would be like.
Long road to release
By 1989, at the technical council of the STC VAZ, the concept of model 2123 was considered and finally approved. Thus, the result of five years of research and experimentation was a five-door car with a longitudinally positioned engine and permanent all-wheel drive according to the usual scheme for Niva - through a center differential with the ability to lock.
Alas, the collapse of the USSR in 1991 greatly influenced the history of the 2123 model, the work on which was temporarily tacitly recognized as secondary. As in the case of the "eight", all the forces at the plant were concentrated on the launch of a new passenger car - this time the model 2110.
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In addition, at the VAZ, while the upgraded Niva with the index 21213 was launched into the series, but due to problems with the taillights, at first it was possible to master only the "hybrid" with the index 21219, where the "two hundred and thirteenth" 1.7-liter engine was installed in the old body with a short tailgate and six rear optics.
For a number of reasons, the work on project 2123 from the VAZ STC was transferred to the OPP - a pilot industrial production, where four bodies for aggregate carriers were welded out of eight ordinary Niva bodies. Alas, they did not wait for their components and assemblies, leaving for write-off after a couple of years of fruitless downtime.
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| Variant of appearance from V. Kryazhev (1992) | |
Since the plant did not pull off a serious modernization of the transmission in the new economic conditions, it was decided to stop at the maximum unification with the transmission of serial VAZs - gearbox 21074 and "razdatka" 2121.
There were also problems with the exterior: since the design of the previous models turned out to be too "lightweight", it did not really fit with the "jeep" concept of the car. In addition, at the beginning of the nineties, the exterior of the prototypes looked already from the strength of today, and not tomorrow. And this means that by the time it was put on the assembly line, the new Niva would be hopelessly outdated. At VAZ they understood this and tried to find another "timeless design", as it was possible to do on the 2121 model.
Nevertheless, by 1993, the same Syomushkin "again found" the look of the Niva - this time a five-door and modern one.
An interesting detail - the designer really did not want to place the spare wheel on the tailgate, which many of his colleagues insisted on. After all, the previous solution with a "spare" in the engine compartment was, first of all, "beautiful in terms of engineering."
That is why they tried to attach the fifth wheel under the trunk bottom - in much the same way as it was done on the Renault Duster. However, for layout reasons, the "spare wheel" was still placed "in a jeep" - on the tailgate.
In parallel with the usual five-door model, the designers worked on modifications of the Niva-2 - a pickup, a van and even a convertible!
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Moreover, the work on enthusiasm was successful not only in terms of the final result, but also in terms of time - it turned out to complete the entire range in just one and a half to two years.
By that time, the first running samples of 2123 were ripe. They showed that the car should be more stable, roomy and comfortable, but ... in terms of cross-country ability, the new model was clearly inferior to the old woman-2121.
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In parallel with the fine-tuning of the technical part, the VAZ worked on the appearance of the Niva. In particular, the management of the plant did not like the "Dnieper power station on the front end", as the plant workers aptly dubbed the solution of the radiator grille with many vertical holes.
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