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Last 1.7-liter Niva Legend leaves AvtoVAZ line
AvtoVAZ says it has built the final Lada Niva Legend with its long-running 1.7-liter engine. Updated models with a new 1.8-liter unit start production on July 20, 2026.
Image: iXBT
The last Lada Niva Legend fitted with a 1.7-liter engine has rolled off the assembly line, according to AvtoVAZ. The company said the engine traces its lineage back to its earliest classic models and has now been retired.
The Niva Legend will now switch to a new 1.8-liter engine featuring lightweight pistons and a timing belt. AvtoVAZ describes the update as the third and largest modernization in the model’s history.
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Earlier this week, the company unveiled new 1.6-liter and 1.8-liter engines. Production of the updated Niva Legend is expected to begin in the coming days, on July 20, 2026. That date was previously announced by AvtoVAZ CEO Maksim Sokolov at the SPIEF-2026 forum in early June.
Frontier Editor
Dan is our resident futurist, covering electric mobility, space exploration, and the smart home. He's interested in atoms just as much as bits. Whether it's a new battery chemistry, a reusable rocket, or a protocol that finally makes IoT devices talk to each other, Dan breaks down the engineering that pushes humanity forward.
via iXBT
