One fine August day, while walking around my neighborhood, I discovered a car of very interesting appearance. "Patriot"? No, it's clearly wider, and the shapes are different. The word "Simbir" somehow popped into my head - checking, no, not it, the "Simbir" has rear doors that are not as narrow, although very similar. What kind of wondrous beast is this? Let's figure it out.
By the end of the 80s, the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant was in a very sad situation in terms of the model range: the "goat" was of interest mostly to the military and the police, the "loaf" - to rural residents. The plant had no purely civilian car, and it was decided to develop one. However, in those years, the plant was engaged in the AZ-3172 "Vagon" project for the military, all resources and the best personnel were concentrated there, which led to the decision to seek help from the VAZ plant. The result of this collaboration was the UAZ-3160.
The car was equipped with 5 engines - 2 diesel and 3 gasoline. The top engine with 132 hp had acceleration to 100 km/h in about 12 seconds and a fuel consumption of around 11-13 liters. The youngest versions accelerated to 100 exclusively with a tailwind, but also had slightly lower consumption - 8-10 liters. And UAZ was never about acceleration, the main thing is to get out of the swamp, and quickly or slowly - that's secondary. The front axle has springs and disc ventilated brakes, the rear has leaf springs and a drum brake.
The interior is simple, without frills, but quite comfortable, especially in comparison with its predecessors. Due to the limited wheelbase, the inside of the car is not as spacious as I would like, but not cramped either. Seats and steering wheel with position adjustments, a functional instrument panel, and as options in some configurations - even power windows and a sunroof!
Despite the fact that the car did not become a sensation and only 6592 cars were assembled, the UAZ-3160 is an important milestone in the history of the plant, because the current "Patriot" is a direct descendant of the AZ-3160, although heavily modified. It was with the 3160 that research began in favor of not only strict practicality, but also the convenience and comfort of the driver and passengers.
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