While Europe is increasingly dominated by small crossovers , which look like SUVs or perhaps even off-roaders, but never look off-road, Russia is a little different in this respect (as well as in many others). The Lada 4×4 (formerly Niva) is still among the most popular cars here, and the hot new item at the Moscow Motor Show will be the no less rough-looking second-generation Chevrolet Niva concept.
The joint product of GM and AvtoVAZ (hence the name Niva) was definitely not soft in the first generation, and the concept of the second generation only confirms it. Of course, we probably won't see an intake brought to the roof level, a carrier with an additional light ramp and a spare wheel, a winch, or 16-inch wheels with off- road tires 235/70 R16 in the basic standard equipment (maybe in the extra-charged one), higher ground clearance, a spare wheel on fifth doors or reinforced chassis and engine protection could already appear on the production car. In addition, Chevrolet reportedly does not want to ride the SUV wave with the Niva, because its customers expect perfect driving characteristics from it off-road.
According to as yet unconfirmed information, the novelty has a length of 4316 mm , which is 260 mm more than the current generation and at the same time it is comparable to the modern Trax crossover. Under the hood, we find a gasoline 18 -liter engine (diesel is not yet included) originally from PSA with an output of 135 hp and a torque of 170 Nm, which is connected to a five-speed manual transmission (in the future, an automatic is also considered) and a two-speed reduction gearbox. A permanent all-wheel drive with an inter-axle differential is a matter of course. The platform on which the Niva stands is completely new, which was developed specifically for this car with a feeling for Russian roads and local climatic conditions.
Serial production is planned for the end of 2015 , and for the time being it is expected to be launched on the domestic, i.e. Russian market, on the markets of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and several developing countries. But GM is still investigating the possibilities (and, of course, the return) of the eventual export of the Niva to Europe . Only a single five-door and five-seater body is still expected – there are currently no production capacities or financial resources for other, more spacious ones. If you happen to be interested in the pricing policy, then GM is planning a slight price increase compared to the current one, but it should still be a competitively priced car. In addition, the sale of both generations is in play.
Source: Chevrolet, auto.mail.ru
