LADA NIVA Legend: 45 years on and off the roads
April 5th marks the birthday of offroader VAZ-2121 Niva, which is now called LADA NIVA Legend. The vehicle has been issued for 45 years, has conquered every continent of the Earth and in many countries considered LADA’s signature vehicle. Since its serial production has begun over 2.5 million offroaders have been produced. Throughout its marvelous history, NIVA has undergone significant changes but it kept its DNA – a unique combination of off-road performance and compactness, design and comfort, equipment and cost.
45 years of victories and achievements, yet the history of NIVA still continues.
HISTORY OF LADA NIVA Legend
2022, April 5
45 years since the launch of NIVA. In this time almost 2.5 million vehicles have been produced, of the over 700 thousand released in over 100 countries.
1971
Volzhsky plant has started designing a vehicle with high off-road performance for rural areas.
1972
First test vehicle is assembled, titled E2121. It’s an offroader with a tilt-covered body which served as a testing ground for different types of transmission.
1973
Construction of building 062 has been launched, which then housed Niva production
1974
Niva patent is issued: patent No.4444 for industrial sample “Passenger car 2E2121”
1976
Industrial test batch is assembled with 50 Nivas that were first presented in Moscow and then sent for test drives in different places
1977, April 5
April 5th – test assembly of the first VAZ-2121 Niva on the conveyor. This date is now considered Niva’s birthday.
1977, July
Serial production of four-wheel drive vehicles has begun with 12-14 cars per day
1977, August 31
The thousandth Niva is released
1978, March 2
The 10,000th Niva is assembled
1978
Export begins. Export modification VAZ-21211 with a 1.3 liter engine began production.
1980
Niva enters the global sports stage: French pilots drove VAZ-2121 in the famous rally race Paris-Dakar.
1981
Bronze award in Paris Dakar
1982
Silver award in Paris-Dakar
1983
Second silver award in Paris-Dakar. In addition to the results in this famous rally race, Niva wins many other awards: gold in rally races Paris-Tunis and Algeria (1981), first place in rally races Algeria and Pharaoh Rally (1982), wins in rally races Atlas and Pharaoh Rally (1983-1984); in 1985 it wins Cameroun rally, Monteblanco off-road bajas, Algeria rally, Valley, the hardest New Zealand trial, Australian rally race McQuay 1000.
1986
External assembly of Niva is launched in Greece.
1990
Niva began working in an Antarctica station.
1992
First armored vehicle with Niva base is issued.
1993
The millionth Niva is released.
1993
First major modernization of Niva – model 21213 with a 1.7 liter engine, 5 stage gear box, updated interior, modernized body and new lighting technology is released.v
1995
Five door Niva is launched – the vehicle combines off-road performance and a spacious interior.
1995
The diesel edition 21215 is launched.
1996
Injector engine production is launched.
1999
Niva reached the height of 5726 meters in the Tibetan mountains. This height has never been achieved by a wheeled vehicle on its own.
1999
Swamp buggy based on NIVA makes a journey to the North Pole. Similar journey has been made in 2000.
2005
Niva is renamed LADA 4x4 due to the launch of Chevrolet Niva.
2006
Serial model with HPS is launched, making controlling the vehicle more comfortable
2009
Second major modernization. Completely reworked chassis, which increases steering on asphalt and comfort on dirt roads
2011
New interior: cast and thick door, central column and side trim. Diagonal brake system. Electronic accelerator pedal and ABS – first for export, then for the local market.
2013
The 2,000,000th Niva (LADA 4x4) is released.
2013
Improved paint shop technology: catophoresis and anti-corrosion treatment of the body replaced anaphoresis.
2014
Urban model is released – the vehicle obtains a series of urban options, including air conditioner and seat heating
2016
Chassis improvement: front wheel hub bearing no longer requires periodic regulation; gas filled shock absorbers; independent front axle reduction unit fixture.
2017, January
Offroader painting and assembly are moved from building 062 to the modernized main conveyor. This increases the color palette and allows us to use modern production methods, increase the level of automation, use metal-coated enamels.
2017
To celebrate Niva’s 40 year anniversary a limited series is issued with 1977 vehicles. Each car has a serial number printed on the cabin shield. Vehicle No.13 is not sold and placed in the plant museum. Several cars from the anniversary series have been painted in three color camo in the plant environment for the first time.
2019
New dashboard, new seats, hard ceiling trim, Era-GLONASS system are implemented.
2021
The offroader is renamed NIVA once again. The full name is LADA NIVA Legend.
2021
Updated NIVA BRONTO is launched: new interior, while keeping its clearance (240 mm) and powered chassis with inter-wheel blockers.
2022, January
In 2022 NIVA enters Dakar rally again, but in the retro category Dakar Classic. The Red Legend Team is officially sponsored by the LADA brand. Red Legend successfully finished the race after completing all 12 stages and driving 7800 kilometers.
2022, April 5
45 years since the launch of NIVA. In this time almost 2.5 million vehicles have been produced, of the over 700 thousand released in over 100 countries.
1971
Volzhsky plant has started designing a vehicle with high off-road performance for rural areas.
1972
First test vehicle is assembled, titled E2121. It’s an offroader with a tilt-covered body which served as a testing ground for different types of transmission.
1973
Construction of building 062 has been launched, which then housed Niva production
1974
Niva patent is issued: patent No.4444 for industrial sample “Passenger car 2E2121”
1976
Industrial test batch is assembled with 50 Nivas that were first presented in Moscow and then sent for test drives in different places
1977, April 5
April 5th – test assembly of the first VAZ-2121 Niva on the conveyor. This date is now considered Niva’s birthday.
1977, July
Serial production of four-wheel drive vehicles has begun with 12-14 cars per day
1977, August 31
The thousandth Niva is released
1978, March 2
The 10,000th Niva is assembled
1978
Export begins. Export modification VAZ-21211 with a 1.3 liter engine began production.
1980
Niva enters the global sports stage: French pilots drove VAZ-2121 in the famous rally race Paris-Dakar.
1981
Bronze award in Paris Dakar
1982
Silver award in Paris-Dakar
1983
Second silver award in Paris-Dakar. In addition to the results in this famous rally race, Niva wins many other awards: gold in rally races Paris-Tunis and Algeria (1981), first place in rally races Algeria and Pharaoh Rally (1982), wins in rally races Atlas and Pharaoh Rally (1983-1984); in 1985 it wins Cameroun rally, Monteblanco off-road bajas, Algeria rally, Valley, the hardest New Zealand trial, Australian rally race McQuay 1000.
1986
External assembly of Niva is launched in Greece.
1990
Niva began working in an Antarctica station.
1992
First armored vehicle with Niva base is issued.
1993
The millionth Niva is released.
1993
First major modernization of Niva – model 21213 with a 1.7 liter engine, 5 stage gear box, updated interior, modernized body and new lighting technology is released.v
1995
Five door Niva is launched – the vehicle combines off-road performance and a spacious interior.
1995
The diesel edition 21215 is launched.
1996
Injector engine production is launched.
1999
Niva reached the height of 5726 meters in the Tibetan mountains. This height has never been achieved by a wheeled vehicle on its own.
1999
Swamp buggy based on NIVA makes a journey to the North Pole. Similar journey has been made in 2000.
2005
Niva is renamed LADA 4x4 due to the launch of Chevrolet Niva.
2006
Serial model with HPS is launched, making controlling the vehicle more comfortable
2009
Second major modernization. Completely reworked chassis, which increases steering on asphalt and comfort on dirt roads
2011
New interior: cast and thick door, central column and side trim. Diagonal brake system. Electronic accelerator pedal and ABS – first for export, then for the local market.
2013
The 2,000,000th Niva (LADA 4x4) is released.
2013
Improved paint shop technology: catophoresis and anti-corrosion treatment of the body replaced anaphoresis.
2014
Urban model is released – the vehicle obtains a series of urban options, including air conditioner and seat heating
2016
Chassis improvement: front wheel hub bearing no longer requires periodic regulation; gas filled shock absorbers; independent front axle reduction unit fixture.
2017, January
Offroader painting and assembly are moved from building 062 to the modernized main conveyor. This increases the color palette and allows us to use modern production methods, increase the level of automation, use metal-coated enamels.
2017
To celebrate Niva’s 40 year anniversary a limited series is issued with 1977 vehicles. Each car has a serial number printed on the cabin shield. Vehicle No.13 is not sold and placed in the plant museum. Several cars from the anniversary series have been painted in three color camo in the plant environment for the first time.
2019
New dashboard, new seats, hard ceiling trim, Era-GLONASS system are implemented.
2021
The offroader is renamed NIVA once again. The full name is LADA NIVA Legend.
2021
Updated NIVA BRONTO is launched: new interior, while keeping its clearance (240 mm) and powered chassis with inter-wheel blockers.
2022, January
In 2022 NIVA enters Dakar rally again, but in the retro category Dakar Classic. The Red Legend Team is officially sponsored by the LADA brand. Red Legend successfully finished the race after completing all 12 stages and driving 7800 kilometers.
2022, April 5
45 years since the launch of NIVA. In this time almost 2.5 million vehicles have been produced, of the over 700 thousand released in over 100 countries.
