On the roads of the country you can find an unusual car: in appearance it looks like Kalina, but its body is located too high, and it moves on wheels whose diameter is much larger than those on standard models.
People interested in the world of cars will probably immediately come to mind with the Tarzan project - a development with which AvtoVAZ made a lot of noise at one time, but has sunk into oblivion. As it turned out, there are many craftsmen living in Russia who are capable of making a fundamentally new car out of the most ordinary Kalina.
Design features of Lada Kalina 4×4 XXL
The official successor to the “Tarzan” project is considered to be where you can still purchase an off-road frame like the “Tarzan” one and use the services of experienced specialists who will help convert a front-wheel drive VAZ into a full-fledged SUV.
The body is standard, but underneath there is a frame with the main elements of the all-wheel drive power train compactly placed on it: an axle taken from the Lada 4x4, and similar to it, but located at the rear at an angle of 180 degrees. These are the only moments similar to "Tarzan" (at least with "Tarzan" as most car enthusiasts remember it).
The Lada Kalina 4×4 XXL Short is equipped with an original Kalinovsky engine, and not a unit from Niva. Only now it is longitudinal and radically changed: with the help of special pistons, crankshaft and connecting rods, it was possible to increase the volume to 1.8 liters and power to 123 hp. With. (previously there were 98 “horses”). The engine is connected to a five-speed Nivov gearbox using a special adapter plate.
The transfer case is electronically controlled, but this cannot be called an innovation: similar devices were installed on Tarzans manufactured at the time of the release of the Lada-Consul. Here, unlike the Niva, there are no levers in the cabin that allow you to control the transmission, and the all-wheel drive locking function is also implemented.
In addition, Tema+ employees suggest using a mechanical disconnection of the front axle (owners of the Niva four by four, thanks to this solution, will be able to make their car rear-wheel drive). The use of this option made it possible, if necessary, to make the Lada Kalina 4x4 front-wheel drive (mode switching occurs not mechanically, but electronically, the function works through electric window drives).
When the vehicle developers realized that the power of the Lada Cross engine could be increased to 120 hp. p., an idea arose about how to make the car develop greater speed. The set of gears made it possible to change the gear ratio of the row in the transfer case from 1.2 to 1.0, as a result of which the car accelerated to 120 km/h at 3000 rpm instead of the previous 3400.
Another feature of the Lada Kalina Cross 4x4 transfer case is the inclusion of a lower gear simultaneously with the differential locking. These functions can be configured so that they are activated separately, but the creators are convinced of the uselessness of such an action: in their opinion, if the car is in conditions where a downshift is required, then blocking it in such a situation will definitely not harm it.
The anti-roll bar, located at the rear, is attached to the gearbox following the example of the Chevrolet Niva.
The parking brake uses a mechanism from Lucas, which is highly resistant to moisture.
A fairly large number of innovations were introduced into the design of the machine during its operation, when it became clear that it needed to be improved:
- the clutch was changed three times (in the end, the developers settled on the Sachs mechanism, after installing which the jerks when starting off and changing gears became minimally noticeable);
- Instead of a spare wheel located under the trunk floor and replaced with a repair kit, Italian gas equipment was placed there. The car was able to operate on two types of fuel, since the standard gas tank was retained. This is a particularly useful property for Russian car enthusiasts, many of whom in their practice have encountered low-quality fuel that damages the fuel system.
The car consumes about 8.5 liters of gasoline per 100 km; on gas, the consumption is slightly higher - about 10 liters per hundred, provided that it is driven at a speed of around 120 km/h. The figures are given for driving on front-wheel drive: naturally, when all-wheel drive is connected (for example, in winter), consumption increases.
This is not to say that the car is completely finished. In the near future:
- the mechanism for switching on the low range in the transfer case will be improved;
- the suspension and front wheel hubs were replaced;
- A 210mm clutch is installed.
However, the changes require serious financial investments, so exactly when they will be carried out is unknown.
The best all-wheel drive cars. Lada 4×4 was included in the ZR rating
Specialists from the magazine “Behind the Wheel” decided to find out the strengths and weaknesses of all-wheel drive transmissions of various car models. To do this, they used special platforms (micro-overpass with rotating rollers). Over the entire period, we managed to test more than 30 cars, among which was the Lada 4×4 Urban SUV.
All-wheel drive vehicle testing was carried out in four stages:
- "One axis." Installation of two platforms under the wheels of the main drive axle (or under the front axle if the all-wheel drive is permanent). We try to move forward and backward. 10 points maximum.
- "Diagonal". Installation of two platforms diagonally (under the right front and left rear wheels). An exit with noticeable slipping will result in a penalty point. Activation of any transmission functions is required (including connection of a second axle) - two penalty points. 10 points maximum.
- "Two/one." Installing three casters (only one rear wheel remains on the ground). Turning on auxiliary electronics is a penalty point. 10 points maximum.
- "One two". Installation of three platforms (only one front wheel remains free). 5 points maximum.
Overall rating of all-wheel drive vehicles according to Za Rulem magazine
| "One axis" | "Diagonal" | "Two/one" | "One two" | Total | |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE 350d | 10 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 35 |
| Volkswagen Touareg | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 | |
| Jeep Wrangler Rubicon | 6 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 29 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | 10 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 27 |
| Toyota Land Cruiser Prado | 9 | 8 | 8 | 25 | |
| UAZ Patriot | 6 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 21 |
| Mitsubishi Pajero | 6 | 6 | 8 | 20 | |
| BMW X5 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 19 | |
| Porsche Macan GTS | 10 | 8 | 1 | 19 | |
| Land Rover Discovery Sport | 10 | 8 | 1 | 19 | |
| Subaru Outback | 10 | 8 | 1 | 19 | |
| Mini Cooper Countryman | 10 | 8 | 1 | 19 | |
| BMW X4 | 10 | 8 | 18 | ||
| Audi Q7 | 9 | 8 | 17 | ||
| Ford Explorer | 8 | 8 | 1 | 17 | |
| Kia Sorento Prime | 8 | 8 | 16 | ||
| Jaguar F-Pace | 8 | 8 | 16 | ||
| Honda Pilot | 8 | 8 | 16 | ||
| Volvo V60 Cross Country | 8 | 6 | 1 | 15 | |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 8 | 6 | 14 | ||
| Suzuki Vitara | 8 | 6 | 14 | ||
| Nissan X-Trail | 8 | 6 | 14 | ||
| Mazda CX-5 II | 8 | 6 | 14 | ||
| Ford Kuga | 8 | 6 | 14 | ||
| Mazda CX-5 | 8 | 8 | |||
| Kia Sportage | 8 | 8 | |||
| Renault Captur | 8 | 8 | |||
| Renault Duster | 8 | 8 | |||
| Hyundai Creta | 8 | 8 | |||
| Renault Koleos | 8 | 8 | |||
| Lada 4×4 Urban | 6 | 6 |
Lada 4×4 has permanent all-wheel drive. Additional transmission features include reduction gear and center differential lock.
Such tests allow us to determine not the best all-terrain vehicle, but the most advanced all-wheel drive system.
Let us remind you that earlier another publication tested the cross-country ability of the Kia Sportage 2022, Chevrolet Niva and Lada 4x4 Urban. The Lada 4×4 performed the worst in the tests. Biased tests or harsh reality?
Key words: Lada 4x4 urban
Test drive Lada Kalina 4×4
The interior of the car almost completely replicates the interior of the most ordinary Kalina. The only thing is that under the console there is a button, by pressing which you can change the type of fuel (gas or gasoline).
In addition, there is a transfer case control unit, consisting of three buttons: one of them allows you to avoid accidental switching, the remaining two are responsible for the operation of the rear axle and turning on/off downshift.
Lada Kalina Cross 4x4 is easily able to move through forest off-road, unevenness and potholes of the city road surface are completely invisible in it. While driving, you get the feeling that you are driving a Niva, but the transmission squeal characteristic of that car is completely absent, and the car accelerates much more vigorously.
The dynamism is especially noticeable when driving in front-wheel drive mode.
Lada Priora all-wheel drive
What type of drive should you choose for your car - front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive? Heated debates on this topic have been going on, perhaps, since the invention of the car itself (by the way, Nicola Cugno’s steam cart, the distant ancestor of the car, was front-wheel drive). There have been countless debates about this in garages, over beer, on Internet forums. Of course, each drive type has advantages and disadvantages. The layout with a front engine and rear wheel drive is considered classic. However, now even AvtoVAZ does not make cars with such a design (the classics were discontinued several years ago).
Only automakers like BMW and Mercedes (and even then, not in all models) remain true to tradition. Porsche and several other manufacturers have been improving the rear-engine layout for many decades (respectively, the drive is also rear-wheel drive).
Most car manufacturers have adopted front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive with a front engine as a basis. It’s easier, cheaper, and most importantly, the car weighs less, which promises more modest fuel consumption. With the current “brutal” prices for fuel, this is very important.
So, let's talk about the pros and cons of all-wheel drive. But first, a little history. The first car with permanent all-wheel drive is our Niva. It appeared in 1977 and is still produced to this day, along with the new generation - Chevrolet Niva.
Apart from them, VAZ all-wheel drive vehicles are not currently produced - for example, the Lada Priora will not receive all-wheel drive at all. If we talk about purely road all-wheel drive, then the championship here belongs to Audi, which released the famous Quattro car in 1980.
It used to be that all-wheel drive was a privilege of SUVs. Indeed, the presence of an additional drive on the second axle promises a significant improvement in the off-road characteristics of the car, especially in combination with the other attributes of an all-terrain vehicle - “toothy” tires, low-range gearing, high ground clearance, etc.
However, as you know, you shouldn’t turn off your head when storming obstacles - otherwise you’ll have to run after the tractor.
There are also many cars in which all-wheel drive is installed solely to improve the reliability of control, and not at all for off-road use. Modern intelligent systems can constantly redistribute torque between the wheels using signals from sensors.
There are also “auto-kulibins” that independently install additional drive on the rear axle where there was none in the first place - for example, all-wheel drive on the Priora.
But, of course, all-wheel drive also has its disadvantages. The first and main thing is to make the structure heavier. This leads to increased fuel consumption, which is very important now. In addition, the car is complicated by additional components and assemblies. When purchasing, you need to pay a hefty sum for them, and later you will have to maintain and repair them. The Lada Priora has drive only on the front axle.
Don’t forget that you need to be able to drive a four-wheel drive vehicle. For example, in a Priora car, all-wheel drive greatly changes the character of the car - you need to train and be able to cope with the car in an unexpected situation.
Specifications
As for the technical characteristics, here the Lada Kalina 2 has also undergone significant changes. Despite the fact that the engine displacement remained the same (1.6 liters), it received a Garrett GT25 turbine, turning into a turbocharged engine with 197 horsepower. Even if one wanted to, there was no way a single turbine could make an engine so powerful. This was facilitated by:
- increased air filter area;
- use of lightweight pistons and connecting rods;
- improving the efficiency of the cooling and lubrication system (using an additional radiator to cool the oil).
Transmission of the Lada Kalina 2
The main advantage of the all-wheel drive of the Kalina 2 is its constancy, that is, there is no redistribution of torque. If we consider this constructively, the front and rear axles are connected thanks to a center differential: the rear and front wheels are united by blocking a viscous coupling and a limited slip differential of the rear axle. It follows from this that, on the one hand, the new Lada is deprived of an all-wheel drive scheme in its classical sense, and on the other hand, all this is not an electronic simulation of the rotation of all wheels.
Baburin
I have already briefly mentioned Alexander Baburin. This is a former VAZ designer who at one time even managed to work as the director of SeAZ (for a short time). At VAZ he worked on suspensions and all-wheel drive; he worked under Vladimir Guba, including in the sports car department. He rose to the rank of lead designer. The above-mentioned all-wheel drive Kalina is largely his work; it was also created under the leadership of Guba, as well as all-wheel drive vehicles based on the “Ten”, the integration of the Opel engine into the 2123 and the “Ten”...
Now Baburin, within the framework of Autoproduct, develops and produces various tuning hardware for VAZ cars - stretchers, subframes, brackets, levers... But this is all momentary, but the maximum task is to develop an SUV of our own design with a plastic body (in collaboration with Togliatti designer Vitaly Ivanov) . But there is no investor for the SUV yet. Therefore, Alexander took on an “interim” project - a crossover based on Kalina, in two versions - 4x2 and 4x4. Since VAZ can’t decide on this.
The guys from Autoproduct have prepared a full range of solutions that will allow you to convert a standard Kalina into a CUV with relatively modest efforts. These are new front and rear suspensions plus an all-wheel drive design. This is what the hanging solution looks like in metal. The design of both suspensions is McPherson.
Front suspension on subframe:
This is how Alexander himself talks about it.
By making the front suspension a single module on the subframe, we increase the rigidity of the entire structure, which improves handling. Even with such an archaic steering rack mounting as in Kalina. If it were possible to move the steering to a subframe, the accuracy of the reactions would increase revolutionarily. But - alas...
The front subframe adds a little more than 15 kg of weight to Kalina. For the 4x4 version this is even a benefit, as it compensates for the weight of the rear gearbox.
Rear suspension on subframe:
This is a unified design and can be used for both types of drive. Unless for a 4x4 there will be room to hang the rear gearbox. Let's listen to Baburin:
Springs and shock absorbers will also be “their own”. I put this word in quotation marks, since Avtoproduct does not have the capacity to produce such parts; you will have to order from a third-party supplier, but according to your own specifications. In principle, the St. Petersburg Plaza is already making a number of original single-tube sports struts for Avtoprodukt, but for the Kalina CUV the order will most likely be placed at another plant.
Exterior and interior
Lada Kalina 2 with all-wheel drive is a piece product, at least for now. If its production is put on the assembly line, manufacturers should be prepared for high competition. Similar cars are available in the arsenal of Ranault, Opel, Subaru and other companies. However, the domestic novelty has its own distinctive features that allow it to stand out from other models.
At first glance, Kalina 2 gives the impression of a practical car, in which there is nothing superfluous, and every detail clearly fulfills its purpose. It is worth noting:
- a low bumper skirt that slightly covers the wide front wheels;
- hood with open air intake.
Whatever one may say, it’s good!
In general, the front part has a laconic appearance. Looking at this model in profile, it seems that it is too pressed to the ground. The lower spoiler gives it special speed.
The interior of the second-generation car has also been transformed - now the driver's seat has become more functional. The center console contains a tachometer, as well as indicators for air boost pressure and power unit temperature. This will definitely not be superfluous for active transport.
The interior of the Lada Kalina 2 looks sporty
This approach to creating a car is quite correct, taking into account the characteristics of the area in which it is planned to operate (city streets and country roads). Comfortable seats and a reliable engine are quite enough for average Russians. The chairs, in addition to being comfortable, have an attractive appearance, since leather was used for their finishing.
