The Lada Niva is associated with off-road prowess and affordability, but this heavily modified example is a whole different story. The immortal Niva has been tuned to produce 300 hp alongside a large number of exterior and interior modifications, leading to an eye-watering price tag of $37k.
The owner, Vaggelis Tsoumanis from Igoumenitsa, Greece, spent a lot of time and energy on this unconventional build. As described on the listing on Classic Trader, the Niva has been fully restored prior to receiving the modifications, with a number of “racing parts” making it behave like an “everyday sportscar”. The listing suggests that this is a 2004 model that has only traveled 4,600 km (2,858 miles) after the restoration, which explains the pristine condition.
Watch: Lada Niva Bronto Shows Its Off-Road Credentials In Latest Promo Video
The highlight of the blacked-out Lada is the massive 22-inch alloy wheels shod in stretched tires measuring 245/30R22. Wheels of this size would look more fitting to a Lamborghini Urus or a Cadillac Escalade, making the 3,740 mm (147.2 inches) long Niva look like one of those wild renders.
All of the lights have been replaced with LEDs, with a metal front bumper and side steps keeping the lowered bodywork protected. Bolt-on fenders try hard to cover the wider tracks, while the suspension has obviously been lowered for improved handling – as much as you can say that for an off-roader dating back to 1977. Still, we have to admit that the Niva is the first of its kind with a unibody chassis instead of the more traditional ladder-frame solution. Stopping power has also been upgraded with disc brakes all around featuring Porsche-badged calipers.
If you are wondering why you need all these upgrades, you have to look under the bonnet – or behind the intercooler that is sticking out of the grille. There, lies a heavily modified version of Lada’s ancient 1.7-liter four-cylinder engine with an enlarged displacement of 1.8-liters, a turbocharger, a racing ECU, and the ability to run on three types of fuel.
As a result, the power output is 175 hp with LPG, a more respectable 210 hp with pump gas, and a crazy 300 hp with racing fuel or methanol. All of those numbers represent a significant increase over the 82 hp (61 kW / 83 PS) of the stock Niva. Power is transmitted to all four wheels through a five-speed manual transmission with the help of Lada’s 4WD system and locking differentials.
Moving inside, the additional equipment comes to ease the spartan nature of the original. The seats – buckets at the front, sourced from not a Lada obviously – are upholstered in red leather, while an aftermarket infotainment touchscreen has been added to the center console. The Pioneer subwoofer occupying most of the space in the boot hints at an upgraded audio system. Other amenities include air conditioning, hydraulic power steering, electric windows, and a central locking system.
For those interested in acquiring this unique version of the iconic Russian off-roader, the asking price is £30,678 ($37,013 / €34,698). Interestingly this is not the most expensive Lada Niva we have come across – the title belongs to an off-road-focused Niva by German tuner Zubr which was listed on eBay for €44k almost a year ago.
