Lada news

[boobydoo]

Whilst flicking through some mags in Morrissons yesterday, I read an article claiming that the Lada Niva is to be re-imported again into Britain for the first time in 12 years!

 

Available in LHD only in basic spec, it will sell for £9995 and is aimed at buyers of 3-5 year old Defenders.

 

Not really had any experience of these, but at under £10k it sounds like a bargain!!

 

Here's one that has been parked on a little industrial estate not far from me for ages...no tax or anything...not quite sure why its there.

 

 

....and here's a nice one!!

 

 

She looks thrilled with her one!

[dollywobbler]

Aye - I saw that too. Can they really get them to meet type approval or are they just IVA/SVA ing them?

[barrett]

I'm not really sure how type approval works, but i'm guessing the only thing that would be an issue was the emissions, and presumably they aren't using the same old lump from the old nivas? I bet it would ace most of the NCAP tests, better than most moderns i'd suspect!

[RedSparrow]

Saw a Lada showroom in Czech with one of these in it.

The showroom was closed the entire 2 weeks I was there and I didnt see one of the new models on the roads anywhere.

Still, the Czechs still aren't that keen on Russians.

[Tayne]

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[Spottedlaurel]

I learnt only today that they still sell the Niva in Germany. I'd imagine if it complies with their standards it would be OK for here too?

 

http://www.lada.de/modelle.html

[Tayne]

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[Alexg]

These have been imported into the UK for a while. There was a bloke advertising new ones on ebay and on RR - less than 10k too

[Cavcraft]

I did read a thread about these not so long back (possibly R-R) and I recall one downside was the high VED rate due to emissions.

[Simon M]

http://www.lada.de/modelle.html

Oh, that's interesting - have they stopped making the Riva then? I like the look of the Priora 2172 - it looks like a child's drawing of a 1990s Ford Escort.

[Pete-M]

the Czechs still aren't that keen on Russians.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what you call an understatement.

[Tayne]

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[AnthonyG]

The 'Priora' was introduced in the mid 1990s, one of the last purely Russian designs. It looks quite different like the Escort Mk5/Astra in reality. I don't think it has anything to do with either.

 

Interesting that the Nivas have the proper front grille/lamps, not the hideous 'restyling' that was done by the UK importers towards the end of official imports in the 1990s.

 

I think the new Dacia will probably outsell it easily, but a few hardcore Lada nuts/farmers/greenlaners will probably get one. After all, it is half the price of the most basic Defender, and is quite narrow compared to its competition, useful for farm tracks and field entrances.