Check this out!

[BlackBII]

Ever heard of a Lada?
Me neither, found these while browsing the web...
Pretty freakin awesome if you ask me

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

they are european and are terrible little cars.

jeremy clarkston likes to blow them up on a regular basis.

 

[Captain Ledd]

they're Russian I think. And they are pretty cool, tiny car, they're 4wd though Would be pretty sweet if we had something similar in the states. Lada is the company and the model is the Niva (I think at least)

Edit: on another thought, I believe you can import just about anything so long as it's over a certain age, because they're weren't much in terms of emissions and/or safety laws. I wanna say before 1978 but I can't say for sure. Also on a different side note, Renault just bought a major stake in the company fairly recently.

Factory twin sticks, yeah buddy!

http://rutube.ru/tracks/312938.html?related=1&v=38002d017a9f0336f5437a12b761e245
^pretty sweet clip, but I can just about garuntee it's edited.

I'd drive one.

other informative pics:
http://www.ladausa.net/niva2.php

 

[martin]

They used to sell them in Canada. They were cheap to buy and cheap to run. In stock form they were quite capable off-road, probably due to their low weight and good ground clearance. There are still a few running around here but there must be an issue getting parts for them now.

 

[Will]

That's the car the Russians joke about--it has a heated rear window to keep your hands warm while you are pushing it.

 

[reno]

That's the car the Russians joke about--it has a heated rear window to keep your hands warm while you are pushing it.

So they have copy right infringements? Sounds like Chevy has a Lawsuit a-comin!!!!

 

[odie1969]

So they have copy right infringements? Sounds like Chevy has a Lawsuit a-comin!!!!

no yugo has the lawsuit. then they'll have enough money to bring it back to the U.S.. so we could all laugh again.

 

[snake]

Yugo made a motorcycle and a mini van:

Motorcycle- Igo

Van: WeAllGo

Figures renault would buy it. Junk buying junk.

 

[Captain Ledd]

They used to sell them in Canada. They were cheap to buy and cheap to run. In stock form they were quite capable off-road, probably due to their low weight and good ground clearance. There are still a few running around here but there must be an issue getting parts for them now.

maybe. But I'm pretty sure they still make them, and they really haven't changed much since 1977? (Wiki says anyways, but it sounds about right). I remember the article in Business Week where it mentioned Renault buying them they were suprised that the manufacturing plant still used all the original 40 year old tooling and machine equipment to assemble them.

Parts are probably easy, just knowing somewhere in Russia you can order them from.... or heck, swap in something else (2.3 ) I have no idea how the transmission and transfercase deal is set up though.

Still .

 

[Captain Ledd]

Actually, the above got me thinking. So I decided to check it out.

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/FAQ Site/pages/page2.html#Anchor-13029

8. Importing a vehicle that is at least 25 years old.

A motor vehicle that is at least 25 years old can be lawfully imported into the U.S. without regard to whether it complies with all applicable FMVSS. Such a vehicle would be entered under Box 1 on the HS-7 Declaration form to be given to Customs at the time of importation. If you wish to see that form, you may download a copy from our website at www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import. You should note that the 25 year period runs from the date of the vehicle's manufacture. If the date of manufacture is not identified on a label permanently affixed to the vehicle by its original manufacturer, to establish the age of the vehicle, you should have documentation available such as an invoice showing the date the vehicle was first sold or a registration document showing that the vehicle was registered at least 25 years ago. Absent such information, a statement from a recognized vehicle historical society identifying the age of the vehicle could be used.




So basically anything earlier than ~1983 can be imported with little regard to it's compliance with emissions, crash safety, etc.

Edit: Also just found this:

http://www.ladaparts.ru/lada_niva.php

Serious stockage of parts.

 

[koda6966]

There are still a few running around here but there must be an issue getting parts for them now.

Yea, same happened with the Subaru Brat (Brumby)
They were amazing little vehicles, but eventually they stopped shipping them to the states, and the parts supply went down.

I remember the article in Business Week where it mentioned Renault buying them

The above pictures kind of remind me of a new Renault Clio.
Different style though.