# Toyota-Powered Lada Niva Is Super Capable V8 Dune Crawler

The Lada Niva was first introduced in 1977, designed to be a rugged car suitable for Russia’s rural areas. It was essentially a Renault 5 built on a Land Rover chassis, resulting in a hatchback-style crossover with impressive off-road capabilities. Although the Niva has undergone some changes over the years, the current model sold in Russia remains largely unchanged from the original version. However, one off-road enthusiast felt that the factory qualities of the Niva were not enough for serious dune crawling, so he decided to modify every aspect of the vehicle.

In the video at the top of this page, we meet Andries from South Africa and his modified Lada Niva. The small off-roader hasn’t been particularly popular in the country, but in the 1980s and 1990s, Lada officially imported several versions of the Niva into South Africa. These vehicles are now hard to find on the used car market, and sourcing parts has become increasingly difficult. This presented the perfect opportunity for Andries to install a new engine under the hood.

Andries decided to replace the original four-cylinder gas engine with a 4.0-liter 90-degree V8 from a first-generation Lexus LS. While not the most powerful engine, the V8 is known for its reliability. In its early years, it produced 254 horsepower (191 kilowatts), although Andries says the peak power of his modified Niva is slightly lower. However, the engine can be revved to the redline without any worries of overheating or stalling.

Why didn’t Andries opt for more power? Simply because it is challenging to find a transmission and differential that can handle the increased horsepower from the Lexus V8 engine. Instead, Andries focused on modifying the suspension to enhance the Niva’s performance in mud and sand. Combined with lifted suspension and Maxxis off-road tires, this once humble Niva is now a formidable rock- and dune-crawling monster. Watch the video above for the full story.