Lada Kalina 4x4 with two engines: it is simple in design and goes fast. Description, review, test drive on video

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.

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.

Trunk. Can accommodate cargo with a volume of no more than 355 liters. If you fold the rear seats, capacity increases to 670 liters. This will especially appeal to people who travel frequently and regularly go to the country with their family.

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...

Having trouble on the road? For reference, the cost of evacuation consists of the following: distance, complexity of the evacuation procedure, type of vehicle. Having decided to order a tow truck for an inexpensive price, you need to contact us https://evacuator-msk.com/evakuator-moscow.html in order not to overpay!

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.

Exterior and interior

Lada Kalina 2 with all-wheel drive is a piece product, at least for now. If its production is put on the assembly line, manufacturers should be prepared for high competition. Similar cars are available in the arsenal of Ranault, Opel, Subaru and other companies. However, the domestic novelty has its own distinctive features that allow it to stand out from other models.

At first glance, Kalina 2 gives the impression of a practical car, in which there is nothing superfluous, and every detail clearly fulfills its purpose. It is worth noting:

a low bumper skirt that slightly covers the wide front wheels;
hood with open air intake.

Whatever one may say, it’s good!
In general, the front part has a laconic appearance. Looking at this model in profile, it seems that it is too pressed to the ground. The lower spoiler gives it special speed.

The interior of the second-generation car has also been transformed - now the driver's seat has become more functional. The center console contains a tachometer, as well as indicators for air boost pressure and power unit temperature. This will definitely not be superfluous for active transport.

The interior of the Lada Kalina 2 looks sporty

This approach to creating a car is quite correct, taking into account the characteristics of the area in which it is planned to operate (city streets and country roads). Comfortable seats and a reliable engine are quite enough for average Russians. The chairs, in addition to being comfortable, have an attractive appearance, since leather was used for their finishing.

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.

Tarzan returns? Test drive all-wheel drive Lada Kalina XXL

With my peripheral vision I catch a very strange car in traffic - it seems like an ordinary Kalina body, but it “sits” unusually high. Huge wheels, wide arches, nice body kit. The genes of the long-lost Tarzan project are clearly visible here... In pursuit!

And the car seems too fast for Tarzan. After all, those all-wheel drive Tarzans built on Niva units had a standard 83-horsepower engine (as an option - a 75-horsepower French diesel), and this Kalina moves so easily in traffic that catching up with it becomes an almost impossible task. Finally, we stop at an intersection, and I manage to hand the driver a business card, introduce myself and explain what I actually need.

We roll to the side of the road, and Alexander willingly talks about his car. He started as an engineer in the VAZ Engine Design Department, ended his career at AVTOVAZ as the head of the measuring and testing bureau, and at the beginning of the 2000s he went to work on the Tarzan project . That development, having made a lot of noise, unfortunately, sank into oblivion, but Alexander remained the proud owner of Tarzan-2 in the back of a twelve-wheeler. And when a few years later, actually at the price of scrap metal, he “turned up” a new Tarzan frame, Alexander had no other options for a new personal car except an all-wheel drive built according to proven recipes.

In 2012, a new first-generation Kalina was purchased, almost completely stuffed: the leather interior, air conditioning, music and goodies in the form of parking sensors and a rain sensor were included in the kit, and the only thing missing was a standard navigator, which in Kalina was then built in between the speedometer and a tachometer. A year later, through the efforts of Alexander and his friends, this Kalina turned into something that could be called Tarzan-3 - in fact, when registering this car as a converted one, the Vehicle Type Approval that the “classic” Tarzans had was very helpful.

Why a hatchback and not a station wagon? Perhaps this is the question the owner is asked most often. The answer is simple: the final choice of body was decided by the recently launched Nissan Juke, and the Kalina XXL became a kind of response to the Japanese SUV.

Despite its unusual appearance, “Kalina-Tarzan” looks very harmonious from any angle, not least thanks to the “carbon-look” body kit, which Alexander’s friends, young specialists from Togliatti, made in their free time.

Design

Kalina XXL has an off-road arsenal, created according to Tarzan’s patterns, but improved and adapted to the owner’s requirements. It is partly the successor to the technologies of the Tarzan project (here, to this day, you can order a “Tarzan” frame and, with the help of the company’s specialists, turn your front-wheel drive VAZ into a piece-built SUV), in addition, it has a lot of its own developments on the topic of tuning all-wheel drive cars, so part of the work is on Kalina XXL was held here.

A frame was rolled under the body of a standard Kalina, on which elements of an all-wheel drive transmission were mounted - one front axle from a Lada 4x4 in front, and a second one, exactly the same, but rotated 180 degrees, in the rear. But this is probably where the 100% parallels with Tarzan as we know him end. First of all, because of the power unit. The Kalina XXL does not have a Nivov engine, but the original Kalina engine, only converted from “transverse” to “longitudinal” and slightly modified.

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.

Specifications

As for the technical characteristics, here the Lada Kalina 2 has also undergone significant changes. Despite the fact that the engine displacement remained the same (1.6 liters), it received a Garrett GT25 turbine, turning into a turbocharged engine with 197 horsepower. Even if one wanted to, there was no way a single turbine could make an engine so powerful. This was facilitated by:

increased air filter area;
use of lightweight pistons and connecting rods;
improving the efficiency of the cooling and lubrication system (using an additional radiator to cool the oil).

The main advantage of the all-wheel drive of Kalina 2 is its constancy, that is, there is no redistribution of torque. If we consider this constructively, the front and rear axles are connected thanks to a center differential: the rear and front wheels are united by blocking a viscous coupling and a limited slip differential of the rear axle. It follows from this that, on the one hand, the new Lada is deprived of an all-wheel drive scheme in its classical sense, and on the other hand, all this is not an electronic simulation of the rotation of all wheels.

Considering the design changes that affected the transmission of this VAZ model, and the improved capabilities of the engine, the suspension could not remain unchanged. The rear suspension system has a new diagonal design that provides excellent handling

In any case, such an upgrade will not hinder the car, especially if you take into account its dynamic performance

As a result, the updated motor can show a rotation speed of 7000–8000 rpm. In combination with excellent tires and a tuned suspension, this will allow the car to feel confident not only when driving on a straight road, but also when cornering. A car equipped with all-wheel drive simply cannot behave any other way.

AvtoVAZ engineers also took care of the ears of the driver and passengers, providing internal sound insulation for Kalina 2. Unfortunately, this is unlikely to make this model any less “loud” from the outside.

The mass production of the Lada Kalina 2 will allow fans of frequent forays into nature or a summer cottage to appreciate its advantages, because it can safely overcome clayey crossroads and puddles formed after rain.

Is it possible to make the viburnum all-wheel drive?

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.

All-wheel drive Kalina capabilities

New crossover Kalina

Passenger cars with all-wheel drive have been rapidly gaining popularity recently. This is largely due to the fact that alternative crossovers began to be content with front-wheel drive, and their purpose as off-road vehicles became more than blurred. By equipping a passenger car with all-wheel drive and adding several off-road accessories, you can significantly increase the capabilities of the car without overpaying for status.

Many global companies have taken the path of equipping their passenger models with all-wheel drive. AvtoVAZ is also trying to keep up in this direction, offering customers the all-wheel drive Kalina. What abilities did the car acquire with such equipment and has the functionality of the car really increased? It's worth looking into this.

Prospects for an all-wheel drive car

If we talk about the potential use of a car with all-wheel drive, then it should be noted that this car has a target category. Active young people who like a quick start from a traffic light, who use cars in everyday life, and those who like easy, quick country walks.

Important improvements to the chassis system

The popularity of the 2013 model with the 4x4 index will largely depend on the cost. To the starting price of the AvtoVAZ hatchback, which is about 250 thousand, it is worth adding the costs associated with installing a more powerful engine. The permanent all-wheel drive system should also be taken into account. This may require another 200-220 thousand. Thus, the car is unlikely to cost less than 470 thousand. But additional costs need to be added to the list, taking into account the sporty nature of the car.

If you take into account the installation of wide wheels on alloy wheels, leather interior trim, installation of a modern high-quality music installation, then you can add another 130 thousand to the initial cost. And the transformation of the external appearance, which suits this car very well, will raise the price bar to more than 700 thousand. Of course, the price, at first glance, is rather high. For that kind of money you can buy a new foreign car with good equipment. But it’s the heart and sparkling eyes that always vote for a car like this, not the wallet.

The use of an all-wheel drive Lada Kalina should not be assessed only from the point of view of how charged the car is. Attempts to create a car with all-wheel drive were made from the very beginning of the model's release. With the start of mass production, lovers of forays into nature or to the countryside will certainly be able to order a car with a similar design. This will allow you to more confidently overcome puddles and clayey crossroads after the rain.

Until recently, the only all-wheel drive VAZs were Niva cars. After them, prototypes of the “ten” appeared, but never reached production, and now there is “Kalina”.

The design looked like this. A bevel gear with a gear ratio of 1:1 was implanted into the standard gearbox by welding to the clutch housing, which removed the torque after the main gear. A cardan transmission was pulled from it to the rear axle, ending with another rear angular gearbox with a differential. A viscous coupling was built in front of it to connect the rear wheels. The gearbox was attached to the body on a subframe. An independent suspension was mounted on the same subframe. The fuel tank, in order to make room for the driveshaft, took the place of the spare wheel, and the spare tire itself was transferred to the trunk.

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.