Manufacturer AvtoVAZ | Class Compact car | |
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Also called Lada 1500 (Colombia, Canada)
Lada 2104 / VAZ 2104
Lada 2105 / VAZ 2105
Lada 2107 / VAZ 2107
Lada Classic
Lada Clásico (Ecuador)
Lada Nova (Denmark & West Germany)
Lada Kalinka (France, East Germany, Portugal, Spain)
Lada Laika (Argentina & Brazil)
Lada Matriuska (Venezuela)
Lada Riva (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Netherlands & United Kingdom)
Lada Signet (Canada)
Lada Sputnik (Cuba) Production 2105: 1980–December 2010
2107: 1982–
2104: 1984–September 2012 Assembly 6th of October City, Egypt
Argun, Russia (Chechen Avto)
Cairo, Egypt (Alamal Group, 2002 - )
Cherkasy, Ukraine (Bogdan)
Izhevsk, Russia (IzhAvto)
Kherson, Ukraine (Anto-Rus)
Kremenchuk, Ukraine (Kremenchug Car Assembly)
Lutsk, Ukraine (LuAZ)
Tolyatti, Russia (AvtoVAZ)
Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan (Azia Avto)
Zaporizhia, Ukraine (ZAZ) Body style 2-door pickup
4-door sedan
5-door estate |
The VAZ-2105, VAZ-2104 and VAZ-2107 (collectively known as the Lada Riva in the United Kingdom and the Lada Nova in much of continental Europe) are a series of medium-sized family cars built by Russian car manufacturer AvtoVAZ, introduced in 1980 in the Soviet Union, and progressively in other European markets through the early 1980s and sold in saloon and estate versions. AvtoVAZ cars are currently branded as Ladas.
Contents
- History
- In Britain
- New Zealand
- 2104
- 2105
- 2107
- Other variants
- Production at Suzuki Egypt
- End of production
- References
Today they are generally referred to as the Lada Classic series, being derived from the original Fiat 124 platform which has been the now-iconic mainstay of the AvtoVAZ lineup since the company's foundation in the late 1960s. The production in Russia ended between 2010 and 2012, however, the Lada 2107 remained in production in Egypt.
It is the third best selling automobile platform after the Volkswagen Beetle and the Ford Model T, and one of the longest production run platforms alongside the Volkswagen Beetle, the Hindustan Ambassador and the Volkswagen Type 2.
History
Although introduced in 1979 and first produced in quantity in 1980, the Riva's origins are older: it is a modernised and restyled version of the original Lada type VAZ-2101 Zhiguli saloon, which was introduced in 1970 as a modified license copy of the Fiat 124. The Riva itself is officially designated – and known in the home market – as VAZ-2105 (base saloon), VAZ-2104 (estate), and VAZ-2107 (deluxe saloon identified by the large chromed grille). In Russia, VAZ-2105, VAZ-2104, and VAZ-2107 are considered to be different cars rather than variants but nonetheless all of them are part of a single "Klassika" ("Classic") family along with older models such as the VAZ-2101. They are popularly known as Pyatyorka ("the five"), Chetvyorka ("the four") and Semyorka ("the seven").
Mechanically, the car is virtually identical to the first-generation VAZ-2101, featuring the Fiat-derived manual transmissions, coil spring suspension all round, and aluminium alloy drum brakes with cast iron brake shoes on the rear wheels. The smaller-engined variant, the 65 hp (48 kW; 66 PS) 1,294 cc (79.0 cu in) version (VAZ-2105) had a revamp of its inline four-cylinder compared to the original VAZ-2101 (Lada 1200). The old OHC design had its camshaft driven by chain, while the new one had a toothed belt drive. Some modifications of the Riva's larger-engined version (VAZ-2107) carried on with the 1,452 cc (88.6 cu in) chain-driven OHC engine coming over from the original Lada 1500 (VAZ-2103), while others had a later 1,569 cc (95.7 cu in) 1,6L VAZ-2106/21067 engine. Another change was made to the engine in 1992, when single point fuel injection and catalytic converters were specified to keep up with emissions legislation.
The 2107 was announced in 1982, offered as the luxury version (and the most expensive), with improved interior (including front headrests), a new instrument panel, and a chrome grille; it came with either 1,294 cc (79.0 cu in) (21072) or 1,570 cc (96 cu in) (21074) engines. (The 21079 was a Wankel engined version.)
The first 2104 estate appeared in 1984, in three models: the 2104 with 1,294 cc (79.0 cu in); the 21041 with 1,198 cc (73.1 cu in); and the 21043 with 1,452 cc (88.6 cu in) (VAZ-2103) engine.
Export sales proved to be very good in Eastern Europe. In the West, Rivas had limited presence in such countries as Great Britain, the Netherlands, New Zealand (where it served as a taxi), and Canada. In Finland, they had much larger sales due to the fact that Finland had closer economic ties with the Soviet Union. Canada was the only market to offer whitewall tires. Canadian 2107s were "briefly sold as the Dennis Signet", after the importer, Peter Dennis Motor Corporation. Canadian sales, along with several European markets, ended on 4 July 1997.
Tightening safety and emissions legislation combined with the economic instability in the former Soviet Union during the 1990s led to the Riva being withdrawn from most Western European markets by 1997, although it remained in production at the AvtoVAZ factory in the Russian Federation and was sold as the Lada Classic. It was one of the cheapest automobiles available in the Russian market and remains the most popular second-hand car in Russia even after its production ceased.
In 2002, production of the estate model was taken over by Izh, before assembly was also started at the Bogdan Group's LuAZ plant, and later in Cherkasy, Ukraine. The 2107 model was produced also at the ZAZ factory in Ukraine and at Suzuki's factory in Egypt. In August 2011, Russian production of the 2107 was moved to Izh. After about thirty years of production, the 2105 was discontinued in 2010, followed by the 2104 and 2107 in 2012.
In Britain
The British market was opened with the 1300GL in 1983, and the 21051 (Riva 1200L) had the 1,198 cc (73.1 cu in). British sales were based heavily on low sales price and durability. In 1986, 20,000 Ladas were sold in Britain, 30,000 in 1988.
In a review of the new economy car, the British automobile magazine Autocar noted its low price of only £3,158, improved road performance and an "impressive list of standard equipment", which included "height-adjustable headlamps, internally adjustable driver's door mirror, velour-covered seats, heated rear window, illumination lights for bonnet and boot", and a 21-piece toolkit. However, its spartan interiors and aging design meant that it was never aimed at buyers of market leaders' similar-sized but more expensive products, such as the Ford Sierra, Vauxhall Cavalier and Austin Montego. Nonetheless, the Riva was still selling well in the United Kingdom and many other Western markets in the early 1990s, but the next few years saw a raft of new models come from budget competitors such as Daewoo, Hyundai, Kia and Proton, pushing Riva sales into terminal decline. This, combined with the economic hardships and much-needed investment to adapt cars to stricter European Union emissions requirements not being available, resulted in the decision to withdraw Lada from the UK (and some other European markets) and Canada on 4 July 1997. They had tried to produce catalyst equipped cars (EU mandated from 1992) using carburettors, when all other car makers changed to fuel injection to more accurately control fuel/air ratios, but this caused many reliability and emissions issues.
New Zealand
The car was also sold in New Zealand, where it was distributed by the New Zealand Dairy Board. The Dairy Board received the cars in lieu of cash payments for deliveries of mutton and butter to the Soviet Union. The last such trade was carried out in 1990.
2104
Estate edition
Pickup Edition
2105
2107
Other variants
Model variants included the Riva Signet, Riva 1200, Riva 1300, Riva 1500, and Riva 1600, with trim levels "E" and "L". A Turbo charged model Lada 2107 Turbo was sold in Finland, this version was made by Finnish Lada importer.
Small numbers of Lada rally cars were built with 150 hp (110 kW; 150 PS) Wankel engines, fitted with a pair of Weber DCOE twin-choke carburettors.
Production at Suzuki Egypt
In Egypt, the Amal Foreign Trade Company and Lada's parent company AvtoVAZ signed a joint venture agreement to assemble Ladas for the North African market in 2000. However, as they did not have their own factory, space was found at a local Suzuki plant in Cairo to assemble the 2107 version of the Riva. As of 2006, production continued at Suzuki with an additional model, the 2110, being produced.
End of production
In the 2010s, the sales of the Lada Classics remained strong in the car's native Russia and some of the former Eastern Bloc nations. In April 2011, it was reported that Russian sales of the 2105 and 2107 series showed an increase of 140% on a total of 28,633 in the first quarter of the year. However, production of the 2105 ceased at AvtoVAZ's Togliatti plant at the end of 2010 after a 30-year production run and nearly 3,000,000 units, with production of the other variants being fully subcontracted to the IzhAvto plant near Izhevsk in a strategic alliance with AvtoVAZ.
The 2107 made the transition to the IzhAvto plant in August 2011, rumoured to be in preparation for the launch of the Lada 2116, thus marking the end of production of the original Fiat 124 derived models at Tolyatti after a 41-year production run and over 14 million units.
In September 2012, the history of the sedan model in Russia was over, when the last 2104 came off the IzhAvto assembly lines. The last unit of the Lada Classic series, a 2104 model, was produced by IzhAvto on 17 September 2012. Starting from the same month, production at the Izhevsk factory will be replaced with the new Lada Granta. However, as of 2014, the 2107 model was still in production in Egypt.