Lada Niva

[BRABUS]

Many people think of Ladas as crappy cars but I see it differently! I mean these cars were meant to take punishment due to their low price. Once you finish abusing one, just go buy another! My favorite model is the Niva! Just look at this little toy! It begs to be thrown around in mud!!

The cool toyish 2121 model (sweet!)


The newer 2123 model

[Heep]

I love Nivas. They look really tough, plus they're a car you can ding, dent, and smash and not care. I love the turn signals over top of the round headlights. I like the old taillights better though, the rectangle red ones with the white reverse rectangle in the middle.

[Chris]

I have only seen them in Sault ste. Marie. Still, they suck.

[Thunda Downunda]

I too have always liked Nivas, and remember seeing my first photo of one way back in the early 1970s and was struck by the little Russian's attractive lines and advanced unibody design.

Since then I've learned that you can improve performance by swapping in a revvy 2 litre Lancia twincam engine, or maybe even a Chrysler 360 V8 like their Factory-backed Paris-Dakkar rally cars used!

And ... speaking of modified .. have you ever seen anything as awesome (note it's road-registered!) from any other mainstream manufacturer as this Factory catalogued 'BA3-1922 MAP III' model featured in the AutoVAZ website?

[Chris]

Thats a little wacked!! It would need a little more than a 4-banger to move it with any kind of authority, though.

[Heep]

They offer several big huge tired versions like that, I remember seeing them on the official webpage

[Thunda Downunda]

The only vehicle I've ever seen with FIVE flywheels

[Moppie]

My god! that would almost float!
Dont tell the south Island farmers!

That bought a couple out here in the late 70s and entered them in the NZ off road compititions, and cleaned up. They used totaly stock Niva's and put them up against full modfied mud pluggers etc. They won every race they were entered in.

I remember seeing one at a Car show, the Lada guy at the stand told me it was so tuff I could puch it as hard as I wanted to, and there was no way I could dent it. I had a sore hand for several days afterwoods.

[Chris]

So I guess the parts are fairly sturdy. Is there anywhere I can learn more on this vehicle? I'm intrigued

[dejoux]

My only real experience with them is them holding buses up on the way to skifields lol

[Jimster]

They still sell em in NZ, they don't come mouch tougher than the Niva, they are much better than a similar priced Suzuki Jimny

[Heep]

Pretty sure they still sell 'em in Canada too, although they pulled out of the US a long time ago

[Moppie]

Originally posted by Jimmy_11_cars
They still sell em in NZ, they don't come mouch tougher than the Niva, they are much better than a similar priced Suzuki Jimny

They retro fit most of the new ones sold here with a 3l Turbo desiel from the Hilux, makes them into little 4wd hot rods!

[Chris]

I fixed the pole :bandit: (original, the winner had 0 votes)