Russia has decided to start producing the Niva with an airbag
Russian automaker AvtoVAZ is preparing to launch an updated version of the Lada Niva Legend SUV, which will be equipped with a driver-side airbag for the first time. The company also plans to expand production of the Lada Granta with an automatic transmission.
According to Russian media reports, mass production of the updated Niva Legend has already begun at the plant in Togliatti. The model’s modernization was timed to coincide with AvtoVAZ’s 60th anniversary.
In addition to the airbag, the car has been equipped with a new 1.8-liter engine producing 90 horsepower, replacing the previous 1.7-liter engine with 83 horsepower. Engineers have also made over 350 changes to the vehicle’s design.
Among the updates are a new gearshift mechanism and transfer case, an improved cabin ventilation system, a redesigned hood, and new 16-inch wheels.
AvtoVAZ CEO Maxim Sokolov stated that the updated Niva is intended to be a “safer and more durable” model for the Russian market.
At the same time, the company is preparing to launch production of the Lada Granta with an automatic transmission. To this end, the car is planned to be equipped with a Chinese continuously variable transmission (CVT) manufactured by WLY.
During the company-wide vacation from July 27 to August 16, the plant will carry out modernization of production lines and maintenance of equipment. The total investment in these works will exceed 370 million rubles.
Meanwhile, the model updates are taking place against the backdrop of Lada’s declining market share in the Russian automotive market. According to Autostat, the brand’s market share fell to 24%, down from nearly 26% a month earlier and 27% a year earlier. At the end of the first half of the year, Lada accounted for about a quarter of the new passenger car market in Russia.
Source: The Moscow Times.
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