Cars of Coolhaven

Now this is a 4*4 I can appreciate! Being a huge Landrover Defender fan, it is great to spot a no-nonsense, hardcore, indestructible, ugly, all terrain vehicle. That is ugly. But who cares?! If you can’t walk over the roof of your car without worrying about its looks, you don’t own a true 4-by-4!

No, it isn’t a car for on the highways. But off-road, you just drive wherever you want to drive. This Niva doesn’t mind. The interior is el cheapo Soviet era grey plastic, the finishing on the car is somewhat minimal, but hey… This car is about driving off-road. One owner’s review: ‘point it at any time at any place at any direction, and it will go there. We know that eventually everything will break, well, the Niva won’t. If something would come off, you just bolt it back on. If you want a car to throw about off road, it can’t get better than this. ‘.

You don’t see that many of them in the Netherlands, so I was happy to spot this great off-roader. It is cheap, it is reliable, it will get you anywhere you want. Great!

Some specs from Wikipedia:

The Niva (2121) was Lada’s (VAZ/AutoVAZ) first non-Fiat model. Much of its mechanicals are carried over from the Fiat based Lada models, though the body and four-wheel drive system were designed by Lada. Production began in 1977 and still carries through with only minor changes to the engine, rear hatch design, and interior trim levels. In basic form, the Niva has a carbureted 1.6-litre overhead cam four-cylinder petrol engine producing 54 kW (72 hp) and 126 N·m (93 ft·lbf), a four- or five-speed manual transmission, and full-time four-wheel drive. There are no hubs and the transfer case can be locked on the fly. The original Niva has a maximum speed of around 130 km/h (80 mph), and can cruise at 90 km/h (56 mph) while consuming petrol at a respectable 8.25 litres/100km (28.5 mpg(US)). Its towing capacity is rated for up to 860 kg (1900 lb).

A 1.7-litre petrol engine was introduced later in production, as was fuel injection supplied by General Motors. Around this time the rear hatch was revised to have a lower opening. In some markets a 1.9L Peugeot diesel powered Niva was sold. Coil springs are located at each of the four wheels, and suspension is independent in front, whereas the rear axle is a 5 link live-type, with ratios between 3.90 and 4.30 depending on the model and market. Ground clearance is good at 235 mm (9.25 in) and water 510 mm (20 in) deep can be negotiated.

The brakes (disc front, drum rear) are servo-assisted dual-circuit style and the clutch is hydraulic. The turning circle, at 36.25′ is adequate, while the center of gravity is exceptional. Cargo space is 0.48 m³ (17 ft³), or 1.33 m³ (47 ft³) with the rear seats folded down. A spare tire is located in the engine bay under the bonnet, and as with all Ladas, a 21 piece toolkit is also supplied for do-it-yourself roadside repairs. The latter feature is considered a useful and practical feature by off-road fans.