At one time, a project for an all-wheel drive Lada Kalina appeared and was presented. However, this car did not go into production, and a few years later the cars of the “1117/1119” family were discontinued. Their place was taken by the next generation Ladas, VAZ-2192/2194 (Kalina-2). According to experts, it will not be possible to simply take and transfer the developments from the “1117” model to the “second Lada Kalina”. Perhaps the Lada Kalina 2 will never receive all-wheel drive, even despite the emergence of new developments. But there are actually exclusive versions of the VAZ-1119 hatchbacks equipped with 4x4 drive. One of them was the twin-engine Lada Kalina, designed by engineer Yuri Kostyukovich.
"VAZ-1119 Bimoto", design features
Two identical 16-valve 11194 engines are combined with two manual gearboxes. The first motor, installed under the hood, rotates only the front wheels, the second – the rear ones. Of course, two clutch units are also used. The cables from them are connected to one pedal.
Design features of the twin-engine Lada Kalina
The gearboxes are “synchronized” with each other. Moreover, synchronization is achieved simply: two scenes are connected to one lever. In the same way, or something like this, synchronization of engine speeds is achieved - one gas pedal “pulls” two cables at once. There are no cardan shafts or differentials in Kalina Bimoto. However, the presence of all-wheel drive is an obvious fact. But the front and rear axles may not always rotate at the same speed.
The scheme discussed here is traditional for sports cars. Or rather, it appeared in the 30s and 40s of the last century. As an example, we can name the Railton sports car, equipped with two identical Napier Lion W12 engines (1200 hp each).
Technical characteristics of the twin-engine Kalina:
- Gross weight – 1339 kg (before tuning it was 1080 kg);
- Weight distribution along the axles – 52%/48% (front/rear axle);
- Power plant power – 178 hp. at 5600 rpm;
- Maximum torque – 2 x 127 N*m at 4200-4800 rpm;
- Maximum speed – 205 km/h;
- Acceleration time to 50 km/h – 2.9 s;
- Acceleration to 100 km/h takes exactly 8 seconds;
- Braking distance (100 – 0 km/h) – 51.6 m.
Exterior and interior of the crossover
And yet the Lada Kalina 4x4 stands out. It’s worth mentioning right away that this is still a piece product. But at least the car can already be assessed from the photo. If it appears on the assembly line, it will have many competitors. After all, among all-wheel drive passenger cars there are several charged hatchbacks. Similar cars are also in the arsenal of such manufacturers as Opel, Ranault, Subaru and other companies. Moreover, Subaru is the clear favorite here, having long and glorious traditions. New photos of Lada can be found on various sites.
Vehicle interior
At first glance at the photo of the all-wheel drive Kalina 2013, you can understand that this is a charged car. The low bumper skirt, even with a larger width, barely covers the wide front wheels. The hood is distinguished by an open air intake. The front part looks laconic, without frills. Everything is clear, functional and smart.
In profile, the 2013 car in the photo appears to be pressed to the ground. Large wheels (size R17) with low-profile tires fit slightly into the wheel arches. The lower spoiler gives the car even more speed.
Inside, the all-wheel drive version is distinguished by greater functionality of the driver's seat, as can be seen in photo 3. Several additional round instruments have been added, but there is no multimedia installation screen. The center console contains a tachometer, an indicator of air boost pressure, as well as the temperature of the power unit. It seems that these devices will not be superfluous for such an active car.
The approach is absolutely correct, because when using a car for driving on country roads, additional means of ensuring comfort are not needed. If only the seats were comfortable and the engine did not let us down. The chairs, by the way, look very good, judging by the photo.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=W6HkGg05T9k
Other projects of Kalina cars with all-wheel drive
One of the most sophisticated Russian cars approved for use on regular roads is the all-wheel drive Lada Kalina TMS 4wd Turbo. An aerodynamic body kit was added to the design of the VAZ-1119 hatchback, the iron hood was replaced with a fiberglass part...
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And under the hood hides a turbocharged power unit that develops 197 hp. At the same time, the engine displacement remained the same (it is 1.6 liters).
Kalina 4wd project from Torgmash company
The Kalina TMS Turbo all-wheel drive transmission was developed by engineers from Tolyatti. Its design contains a center differential, a locked viscous coupling and a limited slip differential that transmits force to the rear wheels. In general, everything here is like in the Toyota RAV-4. Both the rear suspension and the transmission of the TMS Turbo car were developed from scratch. And the result looks like this: the maximum speed exceeds 210 km/h, acceleration to hundreds takes 6 seconds.
O is a concept. The car is made in a single copy. This is the main disadvantage - you will have to buy original spare parts from Torgmash. And there are a lot of them here: suffice it to say that the manual transmission is a 6-speed one.
In conclusion, we cannot fail to mention the project that appeared in 2007 at AvtoVAZ itself. We will talk about an all-wheel drive station wagon, made on the basis of the serial Lada 1117. The design of the car was supplemented with an original angular gearbox, which takes power from the standard “box”. The characteristics of the Lada Kalina with all-wheel drive are not disclosed in the video, but it is known that the engine of this car develops 98 hp. It uses a 1.8-liter power unit - the “old 21128” with bored out cylinders.
Technical features of Kalina
Even during experiments with all-wheel drive for the VAZ 2110, an ordinary “classic,” significant changes were made to the car that could increase its cost by 100%.
Technical characteristics of different modifications of the crossover
The engine installed on the 2013 model is decent. At first glance, the engine has the same volume of 1.6 liters. But it has undergone major changes, it has become turbocharged, and the Garrett GT25 turbine has taken its place. There is a remarkable inscription on the head cover - LADA Sport.
With this combination, the engine is capable of delivering 197 hp. With. But a single turbine could not increase power so significantly. The air filter has a large area, the engine has lightweight pistons and connecting rods. The engine cooling system has become more efficient, and the lubrication system has received an additional oil cooling radiator.
The main advantage that the Kalina 2013 all-wheel drive has is that it is permanent, without any redistribution of torque. The design of the scheme looks like this: the connection of the front and rear axles occurs due to the center differential. The wheels of the front and rear axles are combined by blocking a viscous coupling and a limited slip differential in the rear axle. Thus, the Lada 2013 does not have the classic scheme that implies all-wheel drive, but it does not look like an electronic simulation of the rotation of all four wheels.
Taking into account the design changes in the VAZ 2013 transmission, as well as the excellent capabilities of the modernized engine, the suspension could not but undergo significant changes. The rear one received a new independent scheme called diagonal. Such a suspension should provide excellent handling. This will not hurt the car, given its dynamic characteristics.
The new engine allows you to spin up to an unusual 7-8 thousand rpm. With excellent tires in combination with suspension settings, the car will not only feel confident on a straight line, but also corner sharply. Whatever one may say, the 4x4 formula simply cannot allow the 2013 Kalina to behave differently.
The car engine is quite powerful
The designers also took care of decent noise insulation. It is claimed that for this purpose the car received an additional 35 kg of “subcutaneous fat” necessary to take care of the ears of the driver and passengers. But this is unlikely to make the car any less loud from the outside.
What can you buy now?
Everyone knows that the Lada Kalina Cross never received all-wheel drive. Here we are talking about a crossover, officially supplied to LADA car dealerships. There is another similar model, a cross-country hatchback from Avtoprodukt. So, this car can be equipped with all-wheel drive, but only “on order”. It is stated that there are two branches of the project: 2WD and 4WD. But no reviews have yet been received from buyers of the all-wheel drive cross-hatch.
Autoproduct, Kalina Cross 2WD
It should be noted that AvtoVAZ has nothing to do with the project. SUVs produced by Avtoproduct were not certified. But we know about VAZ Kalina crossovers that they fully comply with the safety requirements of modern cars.
Priora is front-wheel drive: pros and cons
AvtoVAZ did not immediately comprehend all the secrets of installing front-wheel drive in its cars, however, it bore fruit: the cars became lighter, fuel consumption decreased, the “tail” does not skid, and if it does, it is very easy to get out of the skid. But all-wheel drive has moved further. There are even systems that synchronize the operation of all wheels in order to get out of a skid, drift, or avoid slipping on an incline.
Installing 4wd will not turn the Priora into a Lada 2121 Niva, but, one way or another, it will make passing mud obstacles easier. In winter, it will be easier to get out of the “parking” snowdrift, but the front drive wheels still won’t save you from hitting the bottom of the snowdrift. All-wheel drive will take the load off the driver and will help in many driving situations.
There is no single correct answer to the question of which wheel arrangement will be best for this car. But you will have to listen to the designers and manufacturers of the Volzhsky Automobile Plant and leave only the front drive wheels: the entire car is made just for it. Craftsmen, wanting to make a Priora 4x4, almost completely remake it, leaving the car only with its original body.
What's included?
The creators made sure that the Lada was comfortable inside the cabin. At the same time, they did not forget about safety. Here are some options that are installed in the car:
- The car is equipped with two airbags for the driver and passenger.
- ABS braking system.
- Already built-in alarm system with central locking and remote control.
- Air conditioner.
- Heated front car seats.
- Electric windows.
Since the engineers significantly raised the car's center of gravity, it was necessary to seriously think about handling. And this was reflected in reinforced mounting of the steering racks and a powerful rear engine mount. As a result, on a flat road at high speeds, the car is stable and responds to rapid swings of the steering wheel (does not shift from side to side).
If you look at the appearance of the Kalina Cross 4x4, you will notice that it resembles the Kalina Universal, with only one significant feature. The developers have increased the clearance much more.
Note that ground clearance is the distance from the bottom point of the body to the road. In normal condition it is 208 mm. And this is quite a lot, even if you compare it with similar models. When the car is loaded, the ground clearance will decrease to 188 mm. This will especially please fans of off-road driving.
A test drive in Kazakhstan showed that the car copes well with off-road conditions. Also, the increased ground clearance has almost no effect on the stability of the car when driving fast on a flat road.
During development, engineers were able to slightly increase ground clearance due to:
- use of gas-filled shock absorbers;
- the spring supports have been changed;
- Some elements in the suspension have been improved.
The salon has been greatly transformed. It has become brighter, more spacious and now looks fresher. This impression is due to the bright interior finishes. Decorative colored inserts on the steering column give the car a sporty look.
Baburin
Alexander Baburin
I have already briefly mentioned Alexander Baburin. This is a former VAZ designer who at one time even managed to work as the director of SeAZ (for a short time). At VAZ he worked on suspensions and all-wheel drive; he worked under Vladimir Guba, including in the sports car department. He rose to the rank of lead designer.
Now Baburin, within the framework of Autoproduct, develops and produces various tuning hardware for VAZ cars - stretchers, subframes, brackets, levers... But this is all momentary, but the maximum task is to develop an SUV of our own design with a plastic body (in collaboration with Togliatti designer Vitaly Ivanov) .
The guys from Autoproduct have prepared a full range of solutions that will allow you to convert a standard Kalina into a CUV with relatively modest efforts. These are new front and rear suspensions plus an all-wheel drive design. This is what the hanging solution looks like in metal. The design of both suspensions is McPherson.
Front suspension on subframe:
This is how Alexander himself talks about it.
By making the front suspension a single module on the subframe, we increase the rigidity of the entire structure, which improves handling. Even with such an archaic steering rack mounting as in Kalina. If it were possible to move the steering to a subframe, the accuracy of the reactions would increase revolutionarily. But - alas...
The front subframe adds a little more than 15 kg of weight to Kalina. For the 4x4 version this is even a benefit, as it compensates for the weight of the rear gearbox.
Rear suspension on subframe:
This is a unified design and can be used for both types of drive. Unless for a 4x4 there will be room to hang the rear gearbox. Let's listen to Baburin:
Springs and shock absorbers will also be “their own”. I put this word in quotation marks, since Avtoproduct does not have the capacity to produce such parts; you will have to order from a third-party supplier, but according to your own specifications. In principle, the St. Petersburg Plaza is already making a number of original single-tube sports struts for Avtoprodukt, but for the Kalina CUV the order will most likely be placed at another plant.
Lada Kalina Cross 4x4
On the roads of the country you can find an unusual car: in appearance it looks like Kalina, but its body is located too high, and it moves on wheels whose diameter is much larger than those on standard models.
People interested in the world of cars will probably immediately come to mind with the Tarzan project - a development with which AvtoVAZ made a lot of noise at one time, but has sunk into oblivion. As it turned out, there are many craftsmen living in Russia who are capable of making a fundamentally new car out of the most ordinary Kalina.
How the differential and wheel drives work
Due to the fact that the Lada Kalina is a front-wheel drive car, unlike all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive, the differential here is located in the gearbox and is called cross-axle because it acts on the front wheels of the car. There are three types of differentials:
- conical;
- cylindrical;
- worm.
The Kalina is equipped with a bevel two-satellite differential. There are also four-satellite differentials, they are installed on more powerful cars. All types of differentials consist of:
- axle gear;
- satellites;
- main gear;
- differential housings (differential cups).
This interacts in such a way that the differential housing receives torque from the main gear and, in turn, through the satellite gears, transmits it to the axle gears, which then direct the torque to the drive wheel drives. Let's look at the design of the drives themselves. They consist of CV joints (constant velocity joints), or, as they are popularly called, “grenades,” and a shaft connecting the joints.
Find out: is 4x4 drive possible in a Priora car?
What would the Priora be like if it had a 4x4 drive - would it have increased cross-country ability, the dynamics of the Lada Priora's engine would be enough for two drives, that's the question! Or rather, it would remain as dynamic as it is now, or the acceleration would become even worse. The chassis would be more expensive, there would be a transfer case, perhaps it would be like on the Niva. And this is not a reliable unit on the VAZ 2121. Of course, in nature there is a car with a 4wd drive, but it would be easier to say: the entire suspension has been redone - there is no other way to make an all-wheel drive Priora - it was designed that way.
Lada Priora is a standard city car with easy handling that even an inexperienced driver can handle in bad weather. What kind of drive is economical and safe in the city - front-wheel drive is correct. The Lada Priora, like all AvtoVAZ cars after 2107, has a front drive. But even such a car can be made even more manageable, but this operation will have the opposite, negative “side of the coin”.
The Lada Priora has always been produced by AvtoVAZ as a front-wheel drive car, but a car enthusiast could never dream of an all-wheel drive Priora. Someone may shake their head skeptically, but someone will say that this 4x4 drive formula for a Priora car is just right for Russian roads! Yes, we are not only talking about rural areas: in the city, on the slopes, a good roll of ice is created.
