Around a month ago, Russian carmaker Lada announced a major technical update for its classical off-roader Niva coming in 2024. Apparently, someone did not feel like waiting three years.
In the 15-minute video, the tuner team from Russia claim they built a Niva that basically “devoured the BMW whole”. It is also being compared to the X5 M. If you ask us, “devoured” is a bit of an overstatement; “nibbled at” would be a better fit. The old 1.7-liter engine with its modest naturally aspirated power flew out and a Bavarian-made turbo four-pot took its place. Around 250 diesel horsepower (185 kilowatts) in a Niva is indeed impressive, but let’s not pretend it puts it on par with the X5 M’s 4.4 liters of displacement and 616 hp (460 kW).
But wait, there is more. The tuner also reinforced the transmission and suspension, and even had to extend the engine bay to accommodate the much larger diesel engine. The interior landed with a BMW infotainment system and two-zone climate control. That’s a first for Nivas worldwide, as far as we know.
Watch the full film to see the freshly christened Lada Bronto sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) in six seconds and perform drift stunts.