In the socialist Soviet Union, many classic models were born under the planned economy system. When it comes to off-road vehicles, the most familiar one is naturally Lada NIVA. Today, this car was born in the 1970s. The classic off-road vehicles with doors, full-time four-wheel drive and three locks are still warming up in the Russian market. In addition to NIVA, there is also a Soviet off-road vehicle that was also born in the 1970s and is still in production today, and it is still the standard equipment of many Eastern European countries and the North Korean army. This is UAZ-469. Over the long years, UAZ-469 has also produced a large number of derivative models, including the civilian version of Hunter, which is still in production. So next, let’s talk about those things about UAZ-469.
UAZ-469 appeared as an alternative to GAZ-69, and was officially identified as the standard equipment of the 0.5/0.75-ton light off-road command vehicle of the Soviet Red Army in 1972. As for GAZ and UAZ, although there is only one letter difference, they are two different manufacturers. The former is the Gorky Automobile Factory, and the latter is the Ulyanovsk Automobile Factory.
In the production process of UAZ-469 for more than 40 years, it has been produced in Russia, Germany, Cuba, Azerbaijan, Vietnam, Ukraine, and even the United States has been produced between 1997 and 2005. A modernized version based on the UAZ-469 is marketed as the Hunter.
In terms of appearance, the shape of UAZ-469 well reflects the violent aesthetic design elements of the red Soviet era. It is completely indistinguishable from contemporaneous products such as Mi-8, MiG-21 fighter jets, and T-62 tanks. No sense of incongruity. In terms of vehicle shape, UAZ-469 is somewhat similar to my country’s BJ212, both of which adopt the design of small fenders and trapezoidal doors. It has widened the gap from the independent fenders of the previous GAZ-69, which is very in line with the overall design style of the 1970s. The attitude of the whole vehicle is the same as that of the off-road vehicles in the 1970s, which is light and practical. The use of narrow tires also makes its appearance not as powerful as the current tactical command vehicles.
In the creation of details, UAZ-469 uses a large number of round features to make it highly recognizable, including round features such as the hood, fenders, and air intake grille. UAZ-469 also adopts a very simple design inside the vehicle, and all the instruments are arranged on the steel instrument panel frame. All functions of the vehicle are controlled via individual switches. It is worth mentioning that the warm air of UAZ-469 is extremely powerful.
Like GAZ-69, UAZ-469 also uses a quick-detachable soft-top canvas roof, and the angled door itself is set by Wie for quick detachment. The interior of the vehicle provides a standard five-seater design, and the trunk can be equipped with two independent seats facing each other to achieve a seven-seater internal structure.
In terms of power, the UAZ-469 unveiled at the initial stage is equipped with a 2.5L inline four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine code-named UMZ-451M, with a maximum output of 56 kilowatts. It is matched with a four-speed manual transmission and four-wheel drive system. This carburetor engine can run on No. 72 gasoline. At the same time, the setting of the power system has also taken into account the harsh operating conditions in the Far East as much as possible.
On the Hunter model launched in 2010, UAZ-469 was replaced with an optimized 2.7L engine with a maximum output of 94 kilowatts and a maximum torque of 201 Nm at 2500 rpm. The matching gearbox has also been replaced by a new five-speed manual gearbox from the previous four-speed manual gearbox. In addition, an additional 2.2L diesel engine is added to the power structure of the Hunter, with a maximum output of 84 kilowatts. In terms of chassis, whether it is the current Hunter or the previous UAZ-469, they all adopt the setting of front and rear hard axles and non-load-bearing body. The steering system adopts recirculating ball steering system, which is similar to the overall structure of my country’s BJ212.
To this day, UAZ-469 is still playing its aftermath all over the world. As its successor, UAZ-3151 also serves Russia, the main successor of the red Soviet Union. Although UAZ-469 is already incompatible with the current SUV in terms of appearance and chassis structure. However, its 210 mm ground clearance and powerful off-road performance configuration can still gain fans of enthusiasts. What’s more, this retro appearance that has not been changed for more than 40 years reflects its retro and romantic side.
