Exactly three decades ago, one of the most unusual projects of the domestic automotive industry appeared in Russia – an all-wheel drive version of the VAZ-21099. Later, similar versions were given to the Lada 2111 station wagon and even the Lada Kalina. However, none of these cars ever turned into a full-fledged production model.
At the same time, the idea itself did not seem strange or unpromising at all. After the success of the Audi Quattro in the 1980s, many global manufacturers began to actively develop all-wheel drive for ordinary passenger cars. And it was no longer just about off-road capability.
All-wheel drive offered several advantages at once:
- improved handling
- helped to more effectively realize engine power
- increased stability on slippery surfaces
- made the car more confident on snow, ice, and wet roads
For Russian conditions, such a scheme looked particularly attractive. Bad roads, dirt, snow, and unstable surfaces have always been a common part of car operation.
First attempt – Lada Victory 4x4
Engineers from the Tolyatti-based company Metallic-Kvadro were among the first to be inspired by the idea. They chose the Volkswagen Golf Syncro as a benchmark – a compact German car with a relatively simple all-wheel drive system and a viscous coupling.
In 1996, the Lada Victory 4x4 project appeared, based on the VAZ-21099.
The choice of a sedan was dictated not by the prestige of the model, but by practicality. It was this body type that allowed the installation of an all-wheel drive transmission with minimal modifications. In fact, the designers only had to seriously change the location of the fuel tank. Hatchbacks would have required more complex and expensive modifications.
Technically, the car remained quite close to the ordinary "Samara":
- the 1.5-liter engine remained standard
- the gearbox remained five-speed
- the rear axle was automatically connected via a Volkswagen viscous coupling
- the car received fully independent suspensions
On heavy off-road, such a scheme did not turn the car into a full-fledged SUV. But on ice, wet grass, or muddy roads, the all-wheel drive version behaved much more confidently than the ordinary front-wheel drive model.
The car also proved to be very successful in terms of asphalt behavior. The car became more stable and composed. Theoretically, organizing small-scale production was quite realistic.
The problem turned out to be the price. In the late 1990s, the Lada Victory 4x4 cost almost three times more than the standard VAZ-21099. For such money, buyers often chose used imported all-wheel drive cars.
All-wheel drive station wagon with an Opel engine
Nevertheless, the idea did not disappear. Later, AvtoVAZ itself took up the development. The plant had significantly more capabilities than a small company.
Vadim Klassen became the chief designer of the project, and Sergey Zakharchenko became the lead test driver.
The new car was built on the basis of the VAZ-2111 station wagon. In the early 2000s, many Russian motorists considered this body type to be the ideal option for an all-wheel drive car.
In 2001, at the Moscow Motor Show, a model with the long index VAZ-21116-90, named Lada 111 GTi 2.0 4x4, was presented.
Structurally, the car resembled the previous development, but the level of execution was noticeably higher.
The car received:
- independent suspensions front and rear
- subframes for mounting units
- disc brakes on all wheels
- power steering
The main feature was an Opel engine with a volume of 2 liters and a power of 150 horsepower.
For a domestic station wagon of the early 2000s, the characteristics looked very serious:
- maximum speed reached 195 km/h
- the car received noticeably sharper handling
- steering reactions became significantly more precise
Even different transmission operating modes were provided. In the "hard" option, more torque was transmitted to the rear, and in the "soft" option, the front wheels did the main work.
In addition, engineers planned to release a Country version with increased ground clearance – by analogy with the Golf Syncro of the early 1990s.
According to test drivers, the all-wheel drive station wagon turned out to be very interesting to drive. Behind the wheel, the car felt completely different from the standard "ten".
However, the imported engine made the project too expensive. Therefore, a more affordable option appeared later – the VAZ-21113-04.
It was equipped with a domestic engine:
- with a volume of 1.5 liters
- with a power of 88 hp
- accelerating to 100 km/h in 9.8 seconds
- with a maximum speed of 170 km/h
Even such indicators looked very decent for a Russian station wagon of that time.
But the main problem did not disappear – the price. Potential buyers looked at unusual cars at exhibitions with interest, but few were willing to pay almost twice as much for an all-wheel drive version.
Last attempt – Kalina 4WD
The third serious attempt to create a passenger all-wheel drive Lada occurred in 2007. Then the Lada Kalina 4WD crossover was presented to the public.
The overall scheme of the car practically repeated the design developed on the VAZ-2111.
The prototype was equipped with:
- a 1.8-liter engine
- a 90 hp engine
- an all-wheel drive system with the already familiar architecture
However, the project did not progress beyond the exhibition model.
Formally, launching such cars into small-scale production did not seem impossible. But the reality turned out to be different. The plant had enough of its own problems, and the mass buyer was still not ready to overpay for a complex and expensive transmission.
As a result, the Russian analogue of "Quattro" remained an interesting, but unfulfilled page in the history of the domestic automotive industry.