SUVs Moskvich-2148/2150 and Izh-5/14 - they were destined to lose to Niva

Passenger off-road vehicles, which, by the way, are still produced today, can be divided into two categories - military and civilian. If everything is clear with the first, then the second needs to be discussed in more detail.


The most popular Soviet off-road vehicle, which, by the way, is also Russian, is the VAZ-2121 Niva. It was she who became the world's first serial crossover, while often surpassing even frame SUVs.

But in the 1970s, when they were just starting to work on the Niva, it had two serious competitors from the AZLK and IzhAvto factories. These are the Moskvich-2148/2150 and Izh-5/14 models, respectively.


At least one of the cars from each of the competitors was not inferior to the experimental versions of the Niva. And if AZLK and IZH received funds for the development of their projects, who knows what car would take the place of the Niva.

Moscow developments in off-road vehicles

If you understand the history of the Soviet automotive industry, it turns out that the main manufacturer of off-road cars was originally the Gorky Plant. It was there that the GAZ-69 was produced, which formed the basis of all UAZs, including the modern Patriot.

The second oldest automobile plant can be called Moskvich, no matter how it is called there. It only at first glance seems that AZLK cars were clumsy and outdated - this happened after the construction of AvtoVAZ. They stopped financing Moskvich for the development of new models, and this manufacturer had enough prototypes, ranging from sports coupes to minivans.

The Moscow Automobile Plant also had SUVs. The first model appeared in 1957. This is an experienced Moskvich-415, designed to replace the GAZ-69.


Externally, the car copied the Willys MB, and technically it was unified with the 410 model. Under the hood of an SUV, a 402-hp Moskvich-35 engine was placed. With.

The first prototype turned out to be unfinished - the military immediately rejected it. It was not powerful enough, and in terms of cross-country ability it was inferior to the GAZ-69.

In 1959, MZMA specialists assembled a couple of modified SUVs. The most important changes are a new gearbox and an engine with a capacity of 45 hp. With. This was also not enough - the cars were again recognized as "raw" for conveyor production.

At the same time, military experts argued that the design of the SUV is successful. If it is finalized, then it will become a worthy opponent of the GAZ-69. Only for this you need at least a powerful engine.

In 1960, the latest generation Moskvich-415 appeared. His motor remained the same, so the military finally abandoned the SUV.

In the same year, when the army team rejected the 415 model, the MZMA designers decided to follow their advice and create a car for the village. They became the Moskvich-416, featuring an all-metal body.

Inside, the new SUV has also changed - instead of a full-fledged rear sofa, it received folding benches on the sides. Accordingly, it was possible both to transport goods and 6 people along with the driver.


The State Commission recognized the SUV as worthy, but refused to mass production. The reason was that it made no sense to produce a model inferior to the GAZ-69, especially since the MZMA did not have enough capacity for this - the country needed Moskvich, which, by the way, were actively sold for export.

Off-road projects have been postponed for the future. Remembered them only after 10 years.

Moskvich-2148/2150

In the early 1970s, the Soviet Union urgently needed civilian SUVs. They were required mainly for rural areas, although a huge army of tourists, hunters and fishermen would also not refuse such equipment.

First of all, civilian off-road vehicles had to be comfortable and economical, which UAZs just couldn’t give. Even the chairmen of the collective farms grumbled that the "Kozel" was too hard.

The task of creating a civilian SUV was assigned to AvtoVAZ, AZLK and IzhAvto. At first glance, it was the Moscow plant that had the most chances to become the winner in this competition.


Technical documents on 415/416 models were extracted from the bins and AZLK prepared two experimental vehicles - Moskvich-2148 and 2150. The first was again created with an eye on the military - it was with an open body type and tarpaulin. The second SUV was intended for the civilian market.

Moskvich-2148/2150 was created on a spar-type frame. It was intended more for rural workers than for pampered city dwellers. The side benches were not comfortable, and the front seats looked more like trolleybus seats.

The rear part could also be effectively used for the transport of goods. Spring suspension and high ground clearance gave off-road patency, but negatively affected the level of comfort.

Under the hood, a derated engine from Moskvich-412 was installed. It was adapted for the use of 76 gasoline - so that there are no problems with refueling in rural areas.

The designers have tried to make a reliable SUV. The engine received a preheater for starting in the cold season. So that the power unit does not overheat in the heat, the cooling system was modernized.

AZLK engineers also thought about connecting additional equipment - Moskvich-2148/2150 received a power take-off shaft. Despite the heavy frame, the SUV accelerated to 120 km / h on the highway and could tow a trailer up to 850 kg.


Unfortunately, the Moscow model never became serial. She lost to Niva, which turned out to be better suited for the civilian market. Accordingly, the VAZ-2121 was suitable for export - and this was one of the priorities.

Moskvich-2148 has not survived to our time, but the prototype 2150 is now a museum exhibit.

The main differences between the Niva and the SUV produced by AZLK:

✅ Chassis frame design
✅ Spring suspension of all wheels
✅ Continuous bridges
✅ Four-wheel drive with a connected front axle
✅ Two fuel tanks of 30 liters each
✅ Ability to refuel with 76th gasoline

It turns out that off-road Moskvich-2150 was definitely better than VAZ-2121. But as a universal family car, he did not fit well. The Soviet Union needed a cross-country vehicle, not a lightweight UAZ.

Izh-xnumx

Izhevsk Automobile Plant was forced to develop its model from scratch. They did not have any developments, like AZLK. But the designers immediately decided to make a car without a frame, with a load-bearing body. Since IzhAvto engineers had no experience, NAMI specialists helped them.


They decided to take the main nodes from the serial Izh-412. The rear suspension and transfer case were developed independently - under the guidance of the chief designer of IzhAvto Kondrashkin.

The SUV turned out to be outwardly unsightly, but the main task was a test of strength. Izh-5 proved that a car with a monocoque body is a working concept, and the engineers of the Izhevsk plant are able to come up with something of their own, original.

Izh-xnumx

The new SUV IzhAvto has become a full-fledged opponent of the Niva. The load-bearing body was developed by designer Savelyev.


It is interesting that the designers from Izhevsk had already assembled their off-road vehicle and started testing it, and by that time AvtoVAZ had managed to make a model of the Niva on a scale of 1 to 5. Only by 1974 did both cars meet at the Dmitrovsky training ground.

During the tests, it turned out that the VAZ-2121 Niva is superior to the Izh-14 in everything, from design to cross-country ability and economy. Yes, and the level of comfort was an order of magnitude higher - the Izhevsk SUV turned out to be Spartan, rather, military. It is unlikely that they would be interested in European countries.

SUVs AZLK and IzhAvto lost to VAZ-2121 Niva. The main reason is a misunderstanding of the crossover concept. The world needed just such a car, and the VAZ-2121 Niva became the first, by the way.