Image source: topwar.ru
Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant plans to launch production of UAZ vehicles with a new powertrain closer to the third quarter of 2026. This was reported by the company's press service in January to popular publications. The cars will receive a 1.9 liter diesel engine coupled with a six-speed manual transmission (6MT). Maximum engine power is 136 hp at 4000 rpm, maximum torque is 310 Nm at 1800-2800 rpm, environmental class Euro-5.
In the spring, this model was certified and received Vehicle Type Approval (OTT). However, so far the UAZ truck with a diesel engine and a six-speed manual transmission still has the status of "pre-production".
Diesel vehicles are more suitable for commercial transportation, and this type of engine is preferable for them because it has more thrust and better efficiency compared to gasoline. In the armed forces, the majority of military vehicles are also equipped with diesels, but all of them have an environmental class of Euro-0 and do not place high demands on fuel quality, and many are multi-fuel.
Image source: topwar.ru
Previously, the UAZ Profi models were equipped only with gasoline engines or received modifications using liquefied or compressed natural gas. Our country simply did not produce diesels suitable for light commercial vehicles. The launch of production in Tatarstan in the summer of 2023 of a 136-horsepower two-liter turbodiesel for Argo trucks gave a chance for the appearance of this engine under the hood of the UAZ.
Of course, it's impossible to just install a new engine on a car. Serious adaptation and numerous tests are needed for mass production. That is why almost immediately after the start of production of such engines in the Russian Federation, the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant assembled a batch of test trucks for testing and fine-tuning the new power unit.
The car easily starts from the second and cheerfully picks up speed. Traction on the "bottoms" is scrap. It's perfect for a truck. On city streets, an empty truck can give a head start to other cars. The main thing is not to be lazy to change gears more often: there is no point in revving the engine above 3 thousand rpm - the car is confidently driving at the "bottoms". The sound insulation in the "Pro" is worse than the "Patriot" - the whistle of the turbine "solos" in the overall noise load. A gearbox with a clear gear shift and short strokes of the gearbox lever. The car shows an average diesel fuel consumption of 11.6 liters per 100 km.
