Lada has quite a lot of history behind it, having
been founded way back in 1970. However, it really only made basic cars – and
“desirable” was never a word associated with any of them . The Lada concept pictured here
shows what a vehicle from the Russian company that you’d really want to buy for
its looks might have been like.
The Lada 4×4 Niva California was sent in to us by
reader Den Dizil. It was published on Behance back in early 2018, but was
actually first designed in 2016. Despite that, it still looks very modern and,
in our humble opinion, doesn’t look bad at all.
Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice about the
vehicle is just how compact it is. While it is technically a five-door, the two
rear doors are centered right over the rear wheels. This would likely
compromise headroom in the second row, but the layout is mandated by the short
wheelbase that is meant to help it tackle difficult off-road terrain – just
like its namesake.
At the rear, the concept does somewhat remind us of
current Volvo SUVs, although the taillights point down towards the bumper
rather than extending up the D-pillars. The front includes circular LED
headlights and a silver scuff plate, while in a handful of renderings, the car
also includes a white roof and white wing mirrors.
As much as we’d love to see this car become a
reality, it likely never will as Lada previewed a potential new Niva last year
in the form of the 4×4 Vision Concept that bears absolutely no resemblance to the
California.
