AvtoVAZ is conducting laboratory tests of 6-speed manual transmissions for the future Lada Azimut crossover. The unit from the Chinese brand WLY is already familiar from the Iskra and Vesta models, but for the "Azimut" it was decided to test it again — due to the greater curb weight of the car.
On a special test bench, the transmission is subjected to loads that correspond to the full mileage life. According to Timofey Vazhentsev, a design engineer at the VAZ transmission testing bureau, there are already samples for the "Azimut" that have withstood the equivalent of 190 thousand kilometers. The gearbox is also tested in a climate chamber: before starting, it is frozen to –40 and even –45 degrees.
The factory notes that the WLY gearbox has a good safety margin and remains operational in severe frosts. For the "Azimut", it will receive a main pair with a gear ratio of 4.3 — this differs from passenger car models and should provide more dynamic acceleration.
Lada Azimut is AvtoVAZ's first crossover built on the reinforced base of the "Vesta". Production of the model is scheduled for autumn, with gasoline engines ranging from 120 to 150 horsepower under the hood.