A Top Gear 4wd trial from 1979. It 's about 8 four wheel drives, a small competition on 'a typical summers day in England', and guess which make won the battle ...
Unintentional hilarity at the end with the armoured car. It's worth the wait. Excellent video, thanks for posting.
@Astrosisphere
4 ай бұрын
"Now this is how the pros would take the course... ...err, guys - what are you doing?"
@street-level
4 ай бұрын
How embarrassing!
@steakandkidney3142
4 ай бұрын
It's good to know the Lada Niva is still available new, virtually unchanged.
@gingernutpreacher
4 ай бұрын
Might find it hard to get now in the UK with sanctions and they had. Edit Peugeot Citroen/ engines in them including diesels
@Sarji212
4 ай бұрын
same shit for 50+ years
@alfredocalzadilla7251
4 ай бұрын
@@gingernutpreacherI thought that the engines were Fiat
@gingernutpreacher
4 ай бұрын
@@alfredocalzadilla7251 sorry should of clarified yes they were originally fiat but to keep export sales they used foreign engines for emissions Wikipedia say say's PSA ie Citroen Peugeot I think I said Renault because they had a 20% stake in them and used a Renault driver drivers air bag "Lada Niva - Wikipedia" en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lada_Niva
@vanoscrap6296
4 ай бұрын
@@Sarji212 Lada, perfect from the beginning
@martinmcdonald4207
5 ай бұрын
The driver of the tank at the end made a right tool of himself for sure!
@danielalexander8588
4 ай бұрын
Yep, lasted all of 20 seconds!
@pauliewalnuts240
4 ай бұрын
Rumor has it, they never let Jenkins drive again.
@hypergolic8468
4 ай бұрын
@@pauliewalnuts240 They promptly sent him for Officer training.
@ColinCarFan
4 ай бұрын
Likely to have been a relatively inexperienced driver who got overtaken with adrenaline.
@simonrook5743
4 ай бұрын
That tank is an armoured car. The problem he has was it’s weight coming down the slippery slope, nearly 4 tons takes some stopping.
@johnny_w
4 ай бұрын
I had a Lada Niva from 1982 until 1990, great little car ! 👍
@user-rl8yp6it7s
4 ай бұрын
где живёшь?
@johnny_w
4 ай бұрын
@@user-rl8yp6it7s I live in the Netherlands. And you ?
@user-rl8yp6it7s
4 ай бұрын
@@johnny_w Russia. And this car released nowdays wihout serious changes nowdays((
@user-pf8vz5jr2l
4 ай бұрын
@@user-rl8yp6it7sЭто не соответствует действительности. Нива заметно менялась с годами.
@Yurefly
4 ай бұрын
@@user-rl8yp6it7sэто Лего , самому нужно улучшать )) за такие деньги что хочешь дружок
@connory6741
4 ай бұрын
Considering the Renault and Subaru had road tyres, they did a rly good job in comparison to the ones with all terrain tires. Also that Daihatsu could’ve made it up that last bit had the person been in the right gear.
@test-tl8dt
4 ай бұрын
interesting to note that the subaru was the fastest car to reach the final obstacle by about 5 seconds over the chief cherokee. 10+ seconds over most of them. great car and driving.
@Paul58069
4 ай бұрын
@@test-tl8dt I think this all has to do with weight. Weight is your enemy when going uphill.
@jammiedodger629
4 ай бұрын
@@test-tl8dt I noticed that mate. I might be wrong, but was that an early incarnation of the AWD system we see on Subaru's to this day?.
@kl9518
4 ай бұрын
@@test-tl8dt with the same type of tyres as the land rover, it would have won easily.
@BlahBleeBlahBlah
4 ай бұрын
The problem for the Daihatsu was he absolutely launched it off the bump mid-way up the final climb. All 4 tyres lost most/all traction and it all came to a halt. Big shame, it would have made it imho with a bit less speed on that first part of the climb.
@theobster
5 ай бұрын
All of them were awesome and all had one thing in common, non looked like ostentatious status symbols unlike the design monstrosities for sale these days!!!
@dontcallmezoo
4 ай бұрын
The Wagoneer and the Range Rover were very much status symbols. The Wagoneer cost more than twice the average yearly salary in the UK at the time.
@Reddsoldier
4 ай бұрын
@@dontcallmezoo It says a lot that they look understated by today's standards. That Range Rover's design was never bettered, absolutely iconic.
@test-tl8dt
4 ай бұрын
id love to see the same test done in nowadays status symbol SUVs.
@eyesodd
4 ай бұрын
@@dontcallmezooBut it's all relative, yes the were status symbols, they were luxurious and expensive, as you say double the yearly salary. What's happened today then, a low or basic level electric family car, (not a top spec luxury car like these were in their day), will also set you back more than the average yearly salary 🤷🏻♂️
@dunxy
4 ай бұрын
70 series Land Cruiser has entered the chat... Defender was still tough until its most recent incarnation as well.
@evilkneevilofgermany
4 ай бұрын
Did anyone notice the smooth ride of the Renault? What a tremendous suspension, even though the ground clearance and the travel of the wheels are not that big. What a shame, they don’t build such little beaters anymore.
@Handle_gravel
4 ай бұрын
I noticed very quickly, and was impressed. I imagine the driver could be sipping a cup of tea, without a drop on his pants.
@motoresruedas7357
4 ай бұрын
Of course, like all the other french cars from that time (torsional bars)
@Eargesplitten-Loudenboomer
4 ай бұрын
I did, It reminds me of an AMC Gremlin.
@nota-fj8qo
4 ай бұрын
Yes I noticed that smooth Renault ride. Also notable to me was the Niva suspension absorbed the bumps with firm compliance but never looked harsh or like it was bottoming out.
@SDwriter.and.surfer
4 ай бұрын
@@motoresruedas7357 Well, the Subaru also had torsion bars at the rear... but of course other factors come into play.
@robbrownfield7677
4 ай бұрын
We had the Subaru when living in SE Asia in a place called Brunei. Everyone drove a Subaru or a Land Cruiser. It used to drive along the beach when the proper roads were flooded during the monsoon season. It also used to take us up into the jungle along the logging routes. They were often deep mud and ruts. I was 13 in 1979, but I remember the Subaru so fondly. It held many happy memories. So much so, some 44 years later I am on my 5th Subaru, the latest Outback.
@brimleyhillmassive
4 ай бұрын
How have you fared with head gaskets on your outbacks? Great cars but sad at 120k miles when blue smoke came from the exhaust....
@robbrownfield7677
4 ай бұрын
@@brimleyhillmassive absolutely no issues with head gaskets. The head gasket issue only affected certain engines over a couple of years manufacture. Every time Subaru is mentioned, someone rolls out the head gasket issues. In reality it affected a handful of cars in the grand scheme of things.
@brimleyhillmassive
4 ай бұрын
@@robbrownfield7677 glad to hear. It was late 90s ones I think
@SDwriter.and.surfer
4 ай бұрын
@@robbrownfield7677 My first car was a '77 in the US. I drove it for 13 years and never had an issue with the head gaskets. This is news to me.
@Ruslan_Subarist
4 ай бұрын
👍👍👍✌️😎
@awtistiaeth4699
4 ай бұрын
I had a Sinpar 4x4 Renault 4 van that was very impressive. In certain terrains it was better than my other 4x4's including Land/Range Rover, Musso etc. It required a completely gung-ho approach to using off road as it has little power to use higher gears (no low-box) so when just aimed it and thrashed it in the very low first gear, a flat floor-pan meant it almost floated and skimmed across the soft stuff with the aggressive tyres acting like paddles where a heavier 4x4 would sink; this is a similar way of driving to using a Mk1 4x4 Panda (owned 2 of those as well). What the small ones won't do of course is carry weight, tow heavy trailers etc. However, on snow bound roads, the little ones are much more controllable and easier to regain control if it slides than the big heavy ones. "Horses for courses" as they say and it is a fact that tyres and skill count for as much as which particular 4x4 one decides to use off-road. Also had Nivas (excellent but much more comfortable in LHD), a Mahindra (good 4x4 but awful on road), UMM Transcat (wonderful and toughest of the lot) (Portaro Pampas (good, but dissolved) Ssanyong Korando and Mussos (very underrated IMO but crappy complex 4x4 selection method)), and a few Suzuki SJ and Jimnys (Amazing off road and acceptable on-road). Still using a JImny. Nice to see a Top Gear programme without insecure male presenters preening their egos, and that actually contained genuinely useful information.
@user-ow8mb9zd8r
4 ай бұрын
Согласен 👍
@kgo068
4 ай бұрын
Let's find that circuit in 2024, and compare with the current same models...Id like to see that
@ronaldrrootiii6040
4 ай бұрын
Yeah Jeep Wrangler would destroy all of them especially if they made the track harder and you had to go slow under a certain speed to reduce momentum
@kgo068
4 ай бұрын
I sorta think most current stock would just fall apart @@ronaldrrootiii6040
@lada_niva_1.7i
3 ай бұрын
@@ronaldrrootiii6040No, the Niva would win easily. Would perform even better than its older late 70s model since almost everything stayed the same expect an injector instead of a carb giving a bit more HP.
@Paul58069
4 ай бұрын
I am totally mesmerized by the superb suspension on that silly Renault
@PPC4
4 ай бұрын
That had me mesmerized. I was wondering if there was 2cv suspension under there!
@HowardLeVert
4 ай бұрын
@@PPC4 Very typical Renault torsion bar suspension of the time. My 16 had four torsion bars and the travel on it was amazing - it could roll like no other car around a corner but the thing was, it didn't come to grief. It just went round and soaked up the bumps. They've been described as the thinking driver's Citroen DS; all the comfort, none of the complication.
@martian9999
4 ай бұрын
@@HowardLeVert a lovely car, with sofa-like seats for all onboard, and a nice-sounding engine -- a real mile muncher. A friend of mine had one, and we with two more chums went on trips several times to south-west France back in the earl 1980s, no problems after a 12-hour drive. And yet -- his uncle also had a R16 but crashed it after he managed to completely unsettle the suspension when on a whim, he made several rapid-fire right and left slalom turns at 100 km/h.
@westmister
4 ай бұрын
I have no words to describe how Renault was so fantastic with that suspension.
@TonyLing
4 ай бұрын
I don't like French cars much, but you do have to admire their suspension
@westmister
4 ай бұрын
@@TonyLing I don't understand why lots of American, Britain people don't like french cars, they have a stereotype that they are bad, non-reliable cars. But the french cars have the same reliability, the same handling, safety, performance, durability comparing to the rest of the American and European cars a bit more or a bit less but there's nothing critical. So I do not understand the point.
@TheHairyHound
4 ай бұрын
Way say you have no words,, when 'fantastic' is the word you used to describe the suspension 🤔 🐕?
@TonyLing
4 ай бұрын
Well, Renaults were ugly as sin, and used to rot really badly here in England. Citroën made some very interesting cars. At the time when British Leyland were doing hydrolastic, Citroën were doing amazing things with active suspension. @@westmister
@TonyLing
4 ай бұрын
Sonts les pas du les mots qui parlez mois.
@dashingwomble
9 ай бұрын
I love watching the old Top Gear.
@zzhughesd
4 ай бұрын
It’s ace. End of. I was 2 when this came out.
@wiebobrouwer6900
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for this step forward to the past. Rainy weather combines very well with VHS quality because you get the impression you look through a wet windscreen. It is fascinating to see how well these cars perform, also some which don't look like conventional terrain cars at all. In retrospect, the Lada Niva is the winner for me. Not only because it was able to climb the very steep slope but also because of the really classical design of its exterior which will never look old fashioned.
@certifz1
5 ай бұрын
They are still selling nivas in the same design
@Vincentofvega
4 ай бұрын
I've owned two Nivas and they are amazingly capable.
@user-ow8mb9zd8r
4 ай бұрын
А я хочу купить старенькую для реставрации. Привет из России!🖐️@@certifz1
@mishabunin5872
4 ай бұрын
Предложи любому человеку, выбрать "ниву и ренжровер выпуска 2023 года!? Делаем выбор....
@cryololphosaurus
4 ай бұрын
almost every nivas been the same since 1979..
@oliviernoir6669
4 ай бұрын
Thanks for the video - it was nice to see a Renault 6 first car I drove when I got my drivers licence back in 1988 - it was a front wheel drive, 34HP monster.....
@pwatom22
4 ай бұрын
I remember watching this in 1979 and yes I've enjoyed owning and offroading a number of land rover vehicles and a Suzuki.. Land Rover has been a big part of my life..
@caravanstuff2827
4 ай бұрын
Obvious a man of distinction..a real big spender..you know how it goes!!.❤️🇬🇧🤣🤣
@jammiedodger629
4 ай бұрын
In all truth, how do you rate Subaru for off road capability (forester) ?.
@pwatom22
4 ай бұрын
@@jammiedodger629 good for winter driving and muddy tracks with the right tires. No low range, clearance ok but not great. Approach and departure angles limited. Also small wheel and tires
@samkirk3662
4 ай бұрын
Year I was born.😂😂
@51WCDodge
4 ай бұрын
Yeah Landy disease, an incurable condition.
@frallinger
4 ай бұрын
No one is going to see this - but you just made me cry... I just realized how much I missed Sverker, my old 88" SIII. A '73 model, so just a tad younger than me. I'll rant anyway. Bought unseen in 2010, I had a friend drive me though half of Sweden to pick it up, then the damn thing started acting up at the first roundabout. Leaky carb. Once I came home I found out that it had been a runabout for some Danish church community and as such exempt from inspections. Sverker had styrofome covered with vinyl glued to the rear wheel housings, cosplaying as seats. And 2-point seat belts bolted into the same wheel housings. It was also - as I discovered when power washing it first time - painted with acrylic indoors paint. Paint came of in chunks and slabs. All in all it was a BEAST off-road. Tug the red lever, slap the yellow one and he was EATING jeeps on rocks, in the mud - you name it. And once we managed to get the hard top of - it pulled the chicks as well... At least the ones that found it hilarious that this old dinosaur could not only go off-road, but topless as well. Fast forward a couple of years and Sverker is on the lot to settle my divorce. Just when I'd gotten him to the standard that I wanted - canvas top, safari sand paint (not indoors wall paint), nice steel rims, proper tires - I even had a saddle maker lined up to do the upholstery and a plan to get a Warn installed. At least I had fun with him while I owned him - and the looks on my kids friends faces when I dropped my kids off as school in this machine - priceless.
@GorillaZillas
2 ай бұрын
Bloody smashing vehicle! Shame bout loosing it to the marriage scam. Stuff getting married, a family is better off without it.
@E4RLIES
4 ай бұрын
Alan Partridge would kill for that jacket 😂❤
@user-yk1ye4ps1s
3 ай бұрын
Прекрасное видео! Эх, были времена, когда без политики и всё по честному!
@TheBasementChannel
4 ай бұрын
Land Rover driver’s back will never be the same after that run.
@R.Sole88109
4 ай бұрын
I bet the same for the other leaf sprung vehicle drivers too😂
@51WCDodge
4 ай бұрын
that w sthe Land rover Series hidden secret. They broke you before you broke it.
@user-eq2tv9de6d
4 ай бұрын
Наша нива не требует доработки и рестайлинга ага сразу получилась бестселлером на века !!!! Привет из России 2023 !!!
@Colt45hatchback
4 ай бұрын
I do wish they were still made in right hand drive. In australia we only had the niva for sale in the 1980's my dad had a beige one, my mum had a subaru in a similar colour from 1982. Both good cars for being comfortable on road, and not getting stuck on farms
@ChronosPauL
3 ай бұрын
2024, Нива продается с одной подушкой в водительской спинке :))
@user-eq2tv9de6d
3 ай бұрын
@@ChronosPauL подушки для слабо ков !
@molochi
4 ай бұрын
In the USA the selling point on the Jeep Cherokee, compared to other Mud/Snow Yachts, in the late 70s was the lever in the glove compartment that locked the differential so that all 4 wheels got equal power. So you didn't have to get out in the mud or snow and turn the thing on the wheel hub.
@craigbutler623
4 ай бұрын
The wagoneer with that lever was awesome, I couldn't believe it's capability. Made my Toyota and f150 look sad .
@5KpGD
4 ай бұрын
Back when Top Gear was genuinely educational
@Darwinion
4 ай бұрын
Lada did very well. Great value for.money, but people still took the piss.
@michaw73
4 ай бұрын
Das hat viel Spaß gemacht. 🙂 Grüße aus Deutschland.
@saltysavage3756
4 ай бұрын
45 years later, these beasts are considered as dinosaurs. I would buy any one of these 4x4s over anything produced today.
@MikeAnderson-uj3oo
3 ай бұрын
I guess that makes me a dinosaur as well.
@saltysavage3756
3 ай бұрын
@@MikeAnderson-uj3oo Welcome to the Jurassic Age.
@larryjex6485
4 ай бұрын
This episode of 'Top Gear' may have aired in 1979, but these aren't all '79 vehicles. For example, the Jeep Cherokee had already switched to rectangular headlights at this point. I would have also loved to see how the Toyota Landcruiser, and the new '79 Mercedes G-Wagon would have faired in this matchup.
@Roybwatchin
4 ай бұрын
In 1987 I bought a 79 Subaru Wagon with all wheel drive. I bought it for my wife as we were just married the year before. She took one look at it and said no way, lol. But, after some coaxing and a big snow storm later, she ended up loving that little wagon. We ended up keeping it for about 10 years and when I finally sold it, it had over 300K miles and still running strong. I beat the ever living hell out of that little car with taking it off-roading with my buddies over 100 times and we played hard along the river and hills and mud, sand, water, etc. I was always out performing my buddies with their Jeeps, Chevy Trucks, etc. They would all laugh at me until I soundly passed them at every turn. I ended up owning multiple Subaru Brats and other wagons, probably about 6 or so different ones over the years. Heck, right now, I own a 98 Outback Wagon that I use for Gambler 500 off-road rallys twice per year here in Kansas area. Good times!!
@spamanator666
4 ай бұрын
Imagine being that soldier that tipped the armored car over on Top Gear. I expect they sent one of their best needing him to do a good job for TV and he tips it! I bet he was called Tippy Tommy for the rest of his days serving.
@51WCDodge
4 ай бұрын
The Fox was a lethal piece of kit, wheel side up was it's natural stance.
@marcuselia5329
4 ай бұрын
Not surprised the civilians of the era weren’t wearing crash helmets… I would have thought armoured vehicle crews would wear them reflexively
@James-ld2jc
4 ай бұрын
The Renault was amazing - all of that off-road ability from 1108cc. I didn't know there was such a thing. The Lada surprised me, too. Very capable. Not knocking the Land Rovers or the Jeep - I expected them to finish well.
@gregorizi
4 ай бұрын
Fiat Panda left the chat😀
@fintan9705
4 ай бұрын
Off road ability isn't about power and displacement, it's about traction and gearing, you should see how capable a steyr puch haflinger is and it only has a 650 cc engine, they were so capable they were banned from 4x4 trials competitions in the UK at one point.
@saxongreen78
4 ай бұрын
The Lada was (and is) something of a revelation...works with the same formula as Jeep CJ and Landrover, but does it with less.
@TinLeadHammer
4 ай бұрын
@@saxongreen78Nope, the same formula as Range Rover.
@51WCDodge
4 ай бұрын
There was a bolt on for the Renault 4 . The lwb van at the time had a 10cwt load, and when added to the 4x4 was incredible. The other joy, if you did get stuck, four blokes could lift it out. The Subaru , was a game changer. First sold through agricultural dealers. I've had a few, they had all the performance of a Land Rover, and the comfort of a car.
@TA_Plus_Hemi
4 ай бұрын
I still want a Niva
@user-wn6us9un9z
4 ай бұрын
Добро пожаловать в Россию! Старую Ниву с карбюратором в отличном состоянии можно купить за 1000 Euro, с инжектором из первых рук-за 3000. Новую Ниву (выглядеть на будет,какие раньше)-за 10000 Euro.
@spyrolover24
4 ай бұрын
The Subaru was the quickest through there. Better tires and it would have made it to the top. I've got a few old 80s subarus and when they added the dual range, it helped a lot for steep areas.
@johnh3476
4 ай бұрын
I had an 87 with dual range. They will definitely perform where you'd not expect.
@TheArech
4 ай бұрын
even deflating the tires it had (just like they covertly did it for RR & LR) would help tremendously.
@nygelmiller5293
4 ай бұрын
Today, in Romania, where they come from, people swear by the 4WD version of the Dacia Duster, for getting up steep snowy hills!
@shalyn001
4 ай бұрын
Нива достойно выступила и оказалась в призовых местах👍.Субару очень понравилась,если бы не тот ухаб перед самым подъёмом,то могло быть первое место.
@user-lz1ur9qh5t
4 ай бұрын
Ниву придержали и это было видно.
@user-qx2hz8tn2l
4 ай бұрын
Возможно всю трассу шли на пониженной
@li1Prince
4 ай бұрын
нива рулит!)
@user-qx2hz8tn2l
4 ай бұрын
@@li1Prince чем рулит?
@user-jw9bg6ry8y
4 ай бұрын
@@user-qx2hz8tn2lрулём,это очевидно.
@5265060
27 күн бұрын
Thanks for the upload, I really miss things like this. No amount of production value or clout could match this type of swag. It was just a different time I guess.
@Lemma01
4 ай бұрын
Not a helmet in sight! Classic. Thank you.
@robbrownfield7677
4 ай бұрын
To be fair, that Fox armoured car is almost 7 tonnes in weight, fitted with bar tread tires that have virtually no lateral grip. Crazy to try that course with it.
@haydenwayne637
4 ай бұрын
Very top heavy too with that turret. A Ferret might have done better.
@elelegidosf9707
4 ай бұрын
Surely the point of an amoured car is to go almost anywhere. It looks more to me like user error was responsible for flipping it, rather than inability on the part of the vehicle
@ExcellentEngineering1966
4 ай бұрын
@@elelegidosf9707 The fox was notorious for its instability and was withdrawn quite early in its life, its turret was then used on a CVRT chassis
@martinparker9249
4 ай бұрын
yeah the weight showed on the first bend ....dug in ......no hope the really lol
@pendingtwitch9664
4 ай бұрын
The end of the video made it all the more worth watching 😂
@BITTYBOY121
4 ай бұрын
I was only 2 in 1979 when this was recorded, so never seen this episode of Top Gear before but It was a great laugh to watch and very interesting to see all those different 1970's 4 wheel drives put through their paces ! Great stuff !
@tqft
4 ай бұрын
So nostalgic! I loved the old school TG! Watching with my dad in the living room. Having to get up and press a button on the tv to change the channel. 😢 love it
@boris.m2624
4 ай бұрын
NIVA DID A VERY GOOD JOB 👍
@abazrum6669
4 ай бұрын
still ok. have one
@icampos1244
4 ай бұрын
It seems to me that neither RAnge Rover nor Land Rover, made it. Video was cut out. (19:17) on the Range Rover
@superpossum78
3 ай бұрын
Cherokee had them all beat if given proper line and steady throttle
@DeepBarney
3 ай бұрын
@@superpossum78 Pretty sure the Subaru had the fastest time leading up to the final hill climb. Given a hundred runs each, equal conditions, and no behind the scenes or editing trickery, I doubt we'd see a consistent winner.
@krus180
4 ай бұрын
that renault r6 sinpar, super rare but quirky 4x4, would love to own one for daily and offroading
@paulreilly3904
4 ай бұрын
Me too, but I doubt any still exist. Perhaps 1 or 2 in France or one of their former colonies. I think it did really well. Better tyres?
@skylined5534
4 ай бұрын
@@paulreilly3904 Yeah, probably still a good few knocking around in rural France! Gotta agree, while they did exceptionally well both the Renault and the Subaru would have likely made it up and over at the end of the course!
@paulreilly3904
4 ай бұрын
@@skylined5534 you're right. Tyres make a big difference. I'm not sure it was a fair fight. The Lada Niva was a great bit of kit. Early, and many subsequent Range Rovers were great too, but I love the idea that there's a vehicle out there that's a bit unusual, and not for the ponces in their Chelsea tractors.
@HowardLeVert
4 ай бұрын
There's a KZitem video of a Sinpar being given a complete restoration.
@user-pt1zg8te7q
4 ай бұрын
Очень интересный ролик 💪👍все машины хороши по своему, жалко что уазика не было, интересно было бы посмотреть показание.
@gwheregwhizz
4 ай бұрын
Today the challenge for a Range Rover is drop the kids off at school, go down the street to get nails and hair extensions done followed by a trip to Waitrose.
@adriaandoelman2577
4 ай бұрын
and then break down doing so. 😂
@ronaldrrootiii6040
4 ай бұрын
LOL yep even the defender which is pretty much the same except for better approach and departure angles it's just a Range Rover with a square body. They should do that test again with a new Wrangler and new Land Rovers and the challenges to go as slow as possible
@bishopcorva
4 ай бұрын
I remember driving a little very well used and abused Daihatsu, I was rather surprised at how well it took the trail i was threading my way down. Over rocks as large as watermelons, knee deep rocky bottom creek crossing. Sand and loose shake hill out the creek valley. Mud that was somehow clinging sticky while also being more slippery than grease. It only lost power once when the washboards and missing slowing down for a log ramp over a culvert knocked it out of gear and my head off the roof. It was a great little brush buggy. It's probably long rotted to rusted rubber trim or has been melted down to be a new washer. In my head though, it's still running and looks as good as it did back in '95 when it was merely 16 years old. But it paled to the Land Cruiser FJ40 that was the other camp rig. You were going to get wet and muddy driving it because it had no doors and only a canvas but over the driver and passenger seat. No side or back curtains. Rust holes as big as your fist some patched over with pop riveted license plates. But it started every time and ran like a scalded dog. Can't remember how many times we river and swamp crossed in it, water up to the dash. We got it for camp for a mere $400. Got it running for the price of a few fuses and a new battery connection terminal. Now to get the same rig would cost about base price of stripped two wheel drive "heap jeep". Finally the Land Rover, sure the short wheel base ones are nifty and springy. I just prefer the troopy wagons. The series 2 and 2a have the Land Rover iconic look. Even the old body style Discovery and Defender 110. Have those in camel trophy livery colors and components, that's style. Except for one downside that could easily be remedied, the Discovery petrol v8. Chuck that in the bin, swap in a 289 Ford unit if you really wanted to keep it petrol. Otherwise, a nice diesel out of a land cruiser.
@TheHairyHound
4 ай бұрын
Brilliant! From a era when Top Gear was 100% about the car and not about the knobs that come to present them. Not to mention price brackets that the majority of motorists could afford.
@TinLeadHammer
4 ай бұрын
The Niva was brand new at the time, meant as a Range Rover for the masses. Too bad it has not improved much in 45 years. From the beginning it was suffering exsessive NVH because the engineers were not allowed to develop a new transmission that would combine the main gearbox and the low range into one sturdy unit. Instead, they had to make do with existing Lada gearbox, so there is an intermediate shaft to the low range box, and this has been the source of all sorts of problems and still is not resolved properly despite that the car is still in production.
@sergodon.sekretar4647
4 ай бұрын
Всё верно, фиат запретил АвтоВАЗу вносить изменения в МКПП, было прописано в контракте.
@UPokrishkoy
4 ай бұрын
@@sergodon.sekretar4647 Ну да, а мы ведь до сих пор под фиатом ходим..
@timofeizakharov9053
4 ай бұрын
@@sergodon.sekretar4647не было такого, никто ничего не запрещал. Более того, нива - первая машина, разработанная вазом самостоятельно. Никакие контракты ее не касались
@timofeizakharov9053
4 ай бұрын
There are a lot of differences between 1980 lada niva and 2023 lada niva. Some of these ifferences are solve problems with low range box.
@Vovandoc
4 ай бұрын
На 1979 год нива была прорывным автомобилем но черт возми сейчас 2023 год а там мало изменений.
@ColinCarFan
4 ай бұрын
Still on the road??? In order of appearance Subaru 1991, Renault 1986, Lada 1994, Daihatsu 1991, Jeep 1996, Rangie 1991, Landie 2002!!!! but as of 2023 it is still SORN'd so probably a workhorse in some farmer's field!
@R.Sole88109
4 ай бұрын
Or the Landy is someone's unfinished restoration project😳😄
@nirfz
4 ай бұрын
The Lada is still the same today. Maybe they changed the engine from carburettor to injection, and added ABS at some point, but not much more.
@georgeboro5614
4 ай бұрын
LαΔα Nivα Φοrever!All time classic!
@user-xm6dj9nt1d
4 ай бұрын
Only two entities understand automotive suspension; Jaguar, and the French. Superb video and a great throwback to the good old days when TG was actually about cars rather than just presenters hooning about.
@Chevytravelleruk
4 ай бұрын
Wow!... I remember watching this when it was on TV.. I loved it
@rojbalc77
4 ай бұрын
Special mention for the drivers' rally attire too - a work shirt and a jumper, with no helmet of course!
@Jackthesmilingblack
4 ай бұрын
As someone who lives up a narrow steep minor road, on compressed snow I can assure you that difflock is vitally important for uphill traction. Downhill, it is important to stop the front wheels locking because you can't change direction with the wheels locked. So engage lowest gear, 4WD and difflock, presupposing your vehicle has this feature. I neglected to mention studless (mud & slush) tyres as I drive on them year round. Jack, the Japan Alps Brit
@martinb.770
4 ай бұрын
1979: let's chase these raw simple brute uncomfortable underpowered cars around this original offroad track until the damper domes fly start glowing during cold rain 2023: We have a nice range of couch 4wds with ASR, damper control, rear camera, 200+hp and A/C. Let's caress them through some staged illusions of offroad environment in slow-motion during bright sunshine.
@user-ky5vx2cn9s
4 ай бұрын
Yes, Martin !!!! Our world is one big fake...
@ronaldrrootiii6040
4 ай бұрын
Yeah I'd like to see a new Jeep Wrangler destroy all the new versions of these vehicles while going slow to avoid momentum and see what actually has articulation and traction with full Lockers and sway bar disconnects like the Jeep. Not Center diff lock LOL actual axle lockers
@Iombardia
4 ай бұрын
_I don't like change!_
@drchrisdavies2941
4 ай бұрын
I've done a lot of off roading in the past, and some of those cars were definitely let down by the tyres, not their ability to complete the course. The Lada Riva showed it is very competent off road, with coil spring suspension with long travel, and is fairly light. However, the Subaru cross axled itself, so probably wouldn't have made it anyway. Not particularly surprising the Series 3 Landy won, Roger was an excellent driver and the vehicle was in its element. The Larger RR and Jeep, may have had much more power, but they also carried more weight, so they equal themselves out in very muddy conditions. As many comments have said, if you tried the same course with many modern 4x4s there would be pieces of plastic from the vehicle all over the place! Wouldn't necessarily stop the vehicle, but those panels can be very expensive. For courses like this simple utility vehicles are best.
@robb_stepanovich
4 ай бұрын
В ладе нет рессорной подвески. Независимая пружинная спереди и мост на пружинах сзади
@danielmarshall4587
4 ай бұрын
WELL this is lovely, many thanks for posting this.
@Wimkrsk
4 ай бұрын
Thank you. What a fantastic show!
@bollomcbollo6260
4 ай бұрын
Thanks for sharing. I still have my 1970 Range Rover and 1965 Series !!a Landy - and they still perform like this
@ronaldrrootiii6040
4 ай бұрын
Take a new Land Rover against the new Jeep Wrangler and it would be pretty sad for the Land Rovers
@kramnam4716
4 ай бұрын
Thanks for posting! Shows how amazing the early range rovers arev
@thomash2806
4 ай бұрын
It seems today’s off-road tests don’t try and go quickly. The Renault shows how to do suspension to keep the wheels in contact with the road. With different tyres perhaps it would have done better. There’s no mention of what tyres any of the vehicles have, though, and no mention of which have diff locks or any other equipment that may help them. This was when I watched and loved Top Gear.
@evangelinewandering9547
4 ай бұрын
The most impressive, considering it is such a rich person’s show off car when they go shopping, was the Range Rover. Not only is it an expensive luxury car, but it actually handled the tough track splendidly. 👍🏼😊
@jncg2311
4 ай бұрын
Those early Range Rovers had none of the social baggage the more recent cars come with. They were expensive though, and Leyland quickly realised the potential and marketed them to the well moneyed folks but those early ones were manual everything, with rubber floor covers and very little sign of luxury, I assure you. Even in the mid '80s they were still basic. It was designed firstly as a all road car, with chassis upgrades to improve on all the shortcomings the Land Rover of the time had, both on road and off road. In that respect it was a triumph.
@martinparker9249
4 ай бұрын
UNSTOPPABLE ......ive watched loads of vids on early RR's
@fidan2fast
3 ай бұрын
The range rover became a luxury car in the 21st century, before that it was a farmer's car... Not the cheapest, but still far from luxurious and status bearing
@iamaparanoidandroid1
4 ай бұрын
Thought it'd be interesting to have a look at the tax and MOT status of all the cars. Most of them went untaxed between 1986 and 1996, with the exception of the Series III - that's still out there somewhere. SORN, but still out there...
@bidenhatesamerica
4 ай бұрын
Dang, I had no idea that the top gear tune was that old…or that top gear itself went back to the 70’s 🤯
@CO2isplantfood
4 ай бұрын
The top gear tune is called Jessica and was released in 1973by the Allman brothers
@TheHairyHound
4 ай бұрын
Not to mention it actually was about the cars.
@stuartr8356
4 ай бұрын
Brilliant viewing! Thank you for sharing.
@hartoz
4 ай бұрын
My Dad had a Lada Niva, which he bought when they first came to the UK, tremendously capable vehicle off-road, we never got bogged in it. However, it was horrible to drive on-road, and long motorway trips required a lot of re-fuelling stops as it struggled to cruise at 70mph. It was still a good car though, and built like a tank, though it was woefully underpowered. The modern Niva (yes, they are still being made) can be had with a diesel engine.
@kiwiwifi
4 ай бұрын
running gear was ripped off from jeep. 100% interchangeable lolz
@Rc-crawlerbuilder
4 ай бұрын
Out of interest what jeep? The lada has ifs front suspension and coil sprung solid rear axle, neither of which were of Dana/amc type found in the jeep cj/Cherokee etc
@MrOMGtime
4 ай бұрын
@@kiwiwifi cool story bro. but in real world the Lada Niva is assembled on the mechanical base of the Fiat 123, the production line of which they legally bought
@kristoffer3000
4 ай бұрын
@@kiwiwifi Is that why they use entirely different suspension setups?
@ibmujic4764
4 ай бұрын
@@kiwiwifinot even close if you know anything about cars
@01322521959
4 ай бұрын
That's the most entertaining car video I've seen for a while. The little Niva showed why it was so popular back in the day. Well done to the BRITISH Land Rover for winning!
@davidhughmurrayuk
4 ай бұрын
Love that they basically open by commenting on the Chelsea tractor phenomenon.
@michaelbamber4887
4 ай бұрын
We're in a 4x4 drive madness? Hope he is still with us, 44 years later, we still are! Did well to get a range rover to stay running for long enough to finish the course.
@zeproo
3 ай бұрын
One of best top gear narrative ever
@istp1967
4 ай бұрын
Back in Highschool my Best Mate had the Daihatsu Scout. His Dad took out the 1600cc engine and put in a Toyota 18R 2.0L from the Selica ... We could do in 1st gear what we had to go down to low range with the stock donk.
@pexonifikacija
4 ай бұрын
Лада нива , један од најбољих теренских возила , одличан , поуздан, ретки кварови и приступачно одржавање, једино потрошња горива мало већа али и то је прихватљиво, можда је УАЗ бољи... 🇷🇸❤️Лада
@kenboulder212
4 ай бұрын
Lada ist a russky sh*t.
@mufflejoy
4 ай бұрын
Completely brilliant. I just love the Lada Niva (and yes, I know the country it is made in has made that an impossible proposition at the moment - lets just stay car factual).
@sovetskiy_bomzh
4 ай бұрын
покупай в Германии этого дерьма ещё навалом на складах
@michaelhastings7441
4 ай бұрын
I was 8 in 79 what a fab programme i had a series 2a swb and loved it what a brilliant test never saw a the big Jeep in the UK in Yorkshire but driven many Range Rovers the 3.9 excellent 😊
@davidmacdonald8021
3 ай бұрын
I love the bit where he says something like “….Viewers who drove the Jeep in World War 2….” Amazing to think that in 1979 many people sitting watching this at home in slippers had fought in the Battle of Britain and the D-Day landings. Great episode.
@saladbreath607
4 ай бұрын
Top Gear without the fluff, b.s., and staged incidents. How refreshing!
@Lemma01
4 ай бұрын
Really shows up the current incarnation, for sure...
@VLG105
4 ай бұрын
Just what I was thinking. A 20 minute segment just showing all the cars runs in full with good narration. Wouldn't work today with attentions spans measured in seconds.
@dcanmore
4 ай бұрын
if you don't know already there loads of Thames TV 'Drive In' show on KZitem, lots of 1970s goodness without the preening personalities @@VLG105
@kuhpfau
4 ай бұрын
0:33 Barbie Girl really set up a contest for these cars. Surprised by the Renault suspension, I bet this was on par with the Range in terms of comfort.
@simonzzz6777
4 ай бұрын
Thanks for sharing this blast from the past
@dadgarage7966
4 ай бұрын
Good upload. Most were small, simple vehicles to have fun on and off road for not a lot of money. One thing not mentioned (although a moot point today) is the performance of the vehicles' carburetors bouncing around and on steep hills.
@TheCounty90
4 ай бұрын
Thanks for uploading. So funny watching the Army of all people cock it up at the end.
@James-ld2jc
4 ай бұрын
Is it such a surprise?
@ColinCarFan
4 ай бұрын
Likely to have been a relatively inexperienced driver who got overtaken with adrenaline.
@TheCounty90
4 ай бұрын
The Fox wasn't the best vehicle for that sort of thing.@@ColinCarFan
@antimoroz970
4 ай бұрын
Нива хорошо себя показала, с учётом ее стоимости)
@user-ln1nx9dy3m
4 ай бұрын
Идеально
@user-lf6bc8rb6y
4 ай бұрын
Они на ней специально притормозили, чтобы свои машины вперед пропустить, можно было быстрее. Знаю о чем говорю, так как являюсь владельцем Нивы.
@robertsteel3563
4 ай бұрын
I am amazed that Range Rovers from the late 70's to the early 80's still look similar to todays Rang Rovers!
@MikeMikeSmith
4 ай бұрын
Gotta love the Tanks training in the background… Didn’t skip a beat
@kjelle5350
4 ай бұрын
The suspension on the Renault looked really comfy.
@HowardLeVert
4 ай бұрын
I had its contemporary - a 16 - and they were really comfortable cars with huge thick seat cushions.
@lewlewis6511
4 ай бұрын
That was enjoyable. Had the Subaru and Renault been on proper all terrains like all of those which completed the climb they would most likely have made it too. I used to take my old 2 door Rangie to Devils Pit near Luton, some slopes there that would terrify you. Gave up on LR's and went Toyota, not necessarily a more capable design just easier to live with and nothing goes wrong.
@johnh3476
4 ай бұрын
Disappointing not to see a Land Cruiser in the group.
@fenby1976
4 ай бұрын
Things most certainly can go very wrong with Toyotas: Chassis and body corrosion in the UK climate is pretty severe. Many are beyond economical repair after 15 to 20 years.
@martinparker9249
4 ай бұрын
@@johnh3476 or a Nissan Patrol
@tallyho1586
4 ай бұрын
I remember watching this at my grans in kent when i was 12...
@Rek_Rc
4 ай бұрын
That Subaru is the same year as me, and I want it so much!
@__-pl3jg
4 ай бұрын
Where can I find more videos like this? It sounds like i'm listening to a golf TV show but this is way more entertaining.
@mamareiga4856
4 ай бұрын
This hasn't been fixed for the british cars aaaaat aaaaall... In any case, super interesting test, no way you can see something like this nowadays!
@Andrew-ki5jz
27 күн бұрын
Very good show back in the day vehicles weren't really to highest quality and safety, thanks Barrie Gill for excellent cominating ,this was really the beginning of top gear taken on Big challenges and risks even before James may , Richard Hammond and Jeremy clarkston came along although they made it amazing ,the road was set for not just looking at vehicles but having fun with them and pushing them, like the red Toyota pick up they brought out and they couldn't kill it
@jackmckinnon3208
4 ай бұрын
Bovington golf bowl, spent time there on trials bikes happy days
@MrSarus86
4 ай бұрын
Как хорошо показала себя Нива. Оператор подчеркнул работу подвески. Ну и конечно штурм крутого склона как вишенка на торте.
@user-ce1qg8sr7z
4 ай бұрын
солидарен с Вашим мнением!
@leonshackleford9585
Жыл бұрын
I ❤ Range Rovers / Classic 70’s / 80’s / 90’s Range Rovers
@themagicboy6548
4 ай бұрын
Imagine being the folks responsible for spilling that armored car lol
@frankez1975
4 ай бұрын
All chuckles until that tank leader got back to his unit 😂
@raywest3834
4 ай бұрын
I suspect there was a big difference in tyres, which makes any sort of direct comparison moot.
@jtgnc7529
4 ай бұрын
The intent was probably to test them as is - how they came off the showroom floor, without modification of any form (including tires). I’d say the Subaru and Renault made great showings for themselves, all things considered.
@TheArech
4 ай бұрын
Yep, even in tire pressure, which makes a huuuuuge difference and frequently a thing that draw a line between "pass" and "fail". They definitely deflated LR's tires though, who might have thought :D
@willtricks9432
4 ай бұрын
Taking a top heavy Ferret on that course was a mistake.
@R.Sole88109
4 ай бұрын
Technically the Fox😉
@Madpegasusmax
4 ай бұрын
amazing that the lada looks exactly the same today . And the Subaru and Daihatsu where quite good 4WD too
@aleksandrnestrato
4 ай бұрын
Three thoughts. I kinda miss that professional and respectful narration of again professional TV journalists. 1979, the Geländewagen's production is just commencing. Lada Niva is the only vehicle from this group that is still in production with quite minor changes (at least in January 2024).
@stewartjmurray
4 ай бұрын
Great video, I hadn’t heard of those 4wd Renaults and the fact the conversion was done in Perth of all places. This is a real off road test, so much better than the likes of Carthrottle and similar channels do now
@kerrcat
4 ай бұрын
I work for the company in Perth that converted them. Our director regularly talks about the conversions and how they did them.
@stewartjmurray
4 ай бұрын
@@kerrcat oh wow so what does the company do now?
@kerrcat
4 ай бұрын
It was a Renault dealer at the time but sourced the parts directly from France and converted them in the workshop. The business is still owned by the same man and is a Volvo, Audi and Volkswagen dealership now. Camerons Motor group. They had more brands at the time but now have the 3. The Renault dealership was called Inveralmond Renault.
@jfk64kennedy95
4 ай бұрын
I'd love to see May, Hammond and Clarkson do a 10 vehicle, 4wd test on 'the Grand Tour' that would probably be a great epsode
@awtistiaeth4699
4 ай бұрын
As long as it didn't have insecure but egotistical males presenting it. Oh! That excludes at least one of them.
@jfk64kennedy95
4 ай бұрын
@@awtistiaeth4699 you understand those were "characters" right, much of, scripted
@awtistiaeth4699
4 ай бұрын
@@jfk64kennedy95 Thanks for the response. Clarkson's other 'journalistic' exploits and certain behaviours off-screen would suggest otherwise, in relation to to him at least. TG lost the plot to my mind, (subjective opinion, granted) and became too scripted and utterly non-informative.
@jeckjeck6943
4 ай бұрын
@@awtistiaeth4699 100% agree. I always saw top gear as a comedy show and not "car show". i think clarkson is a moron.
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