The GAZ automobile plant presented the revolutionary Gazelle Next (21 photos)

Without exaggeration, one of the most significant premieres of the Moscow Motor Show was the new generation Gazelle - with the Next prefix.

This is truly a new car - only the frame, rear axle and gearbox remain from the current Gazelle. The presence of a frame was a fundamental decision - Gazovites are well aware of the overload with which their machines are operated, and they did not give up such a “competitive advantage”. Although work was also underway on a car with a monocoque body, a design project was even ordered from one of the Italian studios, but at the height of the crisis the development was frozen - it seems forever.

Gazelle Next in Nizhny was “drawn” and designed independently - according to the Gazelle workers, the development took only two years. The new cabin is much more spacious and comfortable than the previous one, the doorways are larger, there are plenty of pockets and drawers around, and the metal of the cabin is galvanized.

The driver's seat is ISRI brand, comfortable, with height adjustment and lumbar support, and an armrest has appeared on the door. But the two-seater passenger “bench” is from a regular Gazelle.

The ancient steering mechanism of the "screw-ball nut" type has finally given way to a rack and pinion steering mechanism - naturally, with hydraulic booster. The steering column is height-adjustable and has a telescopic folding mechanism in case of an accident. Already in the basic configuration there will be Bosch ABS of the latest ninth generation, and for an additional payment on the Gazelle Next it will be possible to order front airbags from Takata and even a Bosch stabilization system. That is, Gazelle Next can become the first domestic car with ESP, ahead of Lada! Other options include air conditioning and electric mirrors, and electric windows will already be included in the “base”.

Another innovation is a spring front suspension on double wishbones instead of the previous dependent leaf spring. A similar suspension has long been installed on lighter Sobols, but the Gazelle Next has a different design, designed for increased weight. The wheelbase compared to the current Gazelle has been increased from 2900 to 3145 mm.

There is only one engine so far - the Chinese Cummins ISF turbodiesel (2.8 liters, 120 hp), which appeared on Gazelle Business two years ago, but “tightened up” to Euro-4 econorms. There is no gasoline alternative and is not yet in sight: it was decided to abandon the ancient “four” UMZ-4216, but there is no suitable replacement for the price. The gearbox is left the same, with a long shift “poker” sticking out of the floor. Gas workers say that it would be unprofitable to modernize this box and remake the switching mechanism for a “joystick” - it would be easier to find a completely new unit. And it has already been found, adaptation and testing are ahead, but there is still silence about the timing of its appearance on the assembly line.

The start of serial production of the Gazelle Next is scheduled for February next year - preparations for production are already being completed at GAZ and by the end of the year the first batch of 250 vehicles will be assembled here, which will be handed over to the “most loyal customers” for testing.

The most popular flatbed truck will go on sale first - with a new aluminum cargo bed. The estimated price is about 700 thousand rubles, that is, a little more expensive than the Gazelle Business, which in the turbodiesel version now costs 646 thousand rubles. And most importantly, it is noticeably more affordable than competitors. Let's say, an onboard Ford Transit assembled in Tatars now costs at least 964 thousand and it is this that the Gaza people consider as their main market rival, while for a Fiat Ducato you need to pay more than a million rubles. Moreover, the warranty for the Gazelle Next is completely European - three years or 150 thousand km, service mileage - 20 thousand km.

Following the on-board vehicle, other modifications will enter the market: a van, a minibus, a “double-cabin”... Even a “heavy” modification with a gross weight of five tons is planned.

In addition to the basic lorry, the Gazovites brought to the auto show an experimental mini-bus with a total weight of 4.2 tons: frame-panel body, automatic sliding door, 18 seats. And during the press days there was also a “short” Sobol Next minibus on display at the stand, but this is too distant a prospect.

It is interesting that with the release of Gazelle Next, the current Gazelle Business will remain in service for at least five years - as the most budget offering on the market. Moreover, the old car will continue to be modernized. For example, a new all-wheel drive transmission should appear next year.