Exterior
The appearance of “Sable” did not change for almost a couple of decades. Today's exterior of the new product cannot be called clumsy, and the front can even be confused with a representative of some European automaker. The van's seating position is quite high, but there are no problems with frontal visibility, thanks to the short fenders and the huge windshield.
The hood is decorated with a raised protrusion and blends harmoniously into the overall picture.
Immediately below it you can see a wide decorative insert, which rests on the large head optics. The latter is surrounded by glass decor around the perimeter and visually divided into two parts. The radiator grille consists of massive vertical and horizontal stripes, with the factory logo located in the center. The dark plastic bumper occupies approximately half of the front part of the new product. Here you can see the continuation of the air intake system, a rectangular insert for a license plate and fog lights, recessed into the body kit and decorated with black decor around the perimeter.
The profile part of the Sobol has remained almost unchanged. The only innovation is the mounting of the rear windows. Here we do not have the usual rubber and grooves, but internal adhesive, like foreign minivans. The front windows remain unchanged.
The mirrors are placed vertically, painted to match the body color and complemented by a light rectangular turn signal repeater. A little lower you can see a relief hollow, which turns into a skid at the rear of the car.
A similar line runs above the sills, resting on the bumper. There is also a massive footrest for more comfortable seating for passengers. The arches with thresholds received massive plastic linings that act as protection against sand and stones.
The rear part of the Sobol looks at least nice. The massive viewing window is surrounded by a wide glossy insert around the perimeter. The lower part of the door is decorated with chrome plated nameplates, and in the center there is a modest-sized recess made specifically for a license plate.
The optics are located vertically and are visually divided into four parts. Below you can see fog lights, a pair of running boards and a slightly protruding spare wheel.
GAZ Sobol NN 4×4 of the new generation hit the camera lenses again
The Gorky Automobile Plant does not want to leave the market and offers many new projects. Among them there are even those whose appearance has been expected for several decades. We are talking about the GAZ Sobol NN 4×4 model. How many discussions this car has gathered around itself and how many more are to come. Pictures have repeatedly appeared on the Internet that supposedly depict this particular model. Many of them turned out to be fake; there were also those that were made through Photoshop and imagination. But is GAZ really planning to bring this model to the market, because this time quite plausible photographs have appeared on the Internet, in which the car can be seen from a distance of half a meter.
GAZ Sobol NN 4x4
Images of the new generation all-wheel drive GAZ Sobol have appeared on the Internet. The pictures spread across many public pages and websites. The source states that this image is not a rendering or a photoshop - this is a real prototype of a future new product on the market.
Let us remind you that now Sobol is the only family of the Gorky Automobile Plant that has not yet undergone an update, although the manufacturer has been planning it for a long time. For example, in 2013, Sobol Next was demonstrated at the Comtrans exhibition. However, even then the manufacturer did not indicate any deadlines regarding entry into mass production.
In 2022, the all-wheel drive Sobol Next 4×4 was presented at the forum. The prototype was equipped with a cabin module from the new GAZelle Next. The optics were borrowed from PAZ Vector Next buses, and all this was supplemented with a plastic cladding that was fashionable at that time. The whole thing was presented on the chassis of the previous all-wheel drive Sobol. The manufacturer changed the front axle crosspieces to CV joints, and increased the base to 318.5 cm, although previously it was 276 cm.
GAZ Sobol 4x4 Business
That prototype generated a lot of interest and many expected the company to launch a new all-wheel drive version in the near future. But almost 3 years have passed since the exhibition, and there are still no results. This time, another car was caught on camera - the Sobol NN 4x4. If you compare it with the concept that was presented at the exhibition, you can find few similarities. The latest photos show a completely different car. The name Sobol NN 4WD is located on the door. This designation indicates that this is an all-wheel drive version. Apparently, it is built on the platform of the modern GAZelle Next. The front part was designed a little differently, and the lighting equipment was taken from the passenger version of the GAZelle City.
New generation GAZ Sobol 4x4
Such cars have been caught on camera before. For example, the car was spotted in November 2022. But there is a big difference here - before this, only single-wheel drive versions of the model were seen; this time we are talking exclusively about all-wheel drive. Let us remember that last year it became known that certification of the new Sobol is planned for 2022. The company should begin production only in 2022.
Bottom line . Photos of the new GAZelle Sobol NN 4×4 with an all-wheel drive system have appeared on the Internet. So far, the manufacturer has not provided information about the new product.
Interior
The interior decoration of the Sobol has undergone some changes compared to the previous generation of cars. The chairs are upholstered in high-quality fabrics, and chrome inserts are scattered across the panel. I'm glad that the basic version of the new product is equipped with a more or less adequate radio.
The instrument panel is covered with an oval visor and includes a classic set of elements.
The four-axis steering wheel received a pair of buttons to control basic multimedia functionality. On the top of the dashboard you can see the usual compartment for documents and small items. The central panel is occupied by a small monitor, flanked by analog buttons. There are also two round deflectors, bordered by a wide decor made in chrome. Below are mechanical keys and washers for controlling the climate in the cabin and the car’s electronics. Next comes a couple of interfaces for connecting third-party gadgets, a cigarette lighter and a gearbox island.
The comfort of the seats can be assessed as satisfactory. There is no anatomical support as such, but more or less high-quality filling eliminates this point. All adjustments are mechanical, and only the front row has heated seats. The number of seats depends on the selected modification.
Unexpected new items from the Army 2021: Sobol-NN and Gazelvagen
Almost every article about Gazelle and comrades in the comments from readers has a question - when will the new Sable be released? Until recently, it was difficult to answer: factory workers commented on the sable’s fate reluctantly and without specifics. And imagine my surprise when, in a row of armored cars from the VPK company on the Army forum, I suddenly saw two new, and even all-wheel drive, Sobol standing next to each other - in camouflage, with the VPK emblem on the front grille and with the NN prefix to the name. What does it mean? Let's go in order.
Firstly, these machines are still prototypes. The serial all-wheel drive Sobol NN will have to wait - according to experts at the stand, it will appear no earlier than 2023. But, importantly, secondly, the concept of the model has already been approved and is unlikely to change much.
Externally, as expected, the new Sobol is a “small Gazelle” - with a low roof and a short body. The military-industrial complex company demonstrated what a command vehicle and a pickup truck with a machine gun mount built on its base could look like—hence the company logos.
The main innovation is independent front suspension while maintaining drive
The new Sobol is based on a modified frame from the Gazelle. At the rear there is a modified axle with new springs, disc brakes and single wheels. Well, in front there is a completely new module with drive wheels and independent suspension! Under the hoods of the presented cars are traditional 150-horsepower Cummins diesel engines. The production car will also have an alternative Evotech petrol engine and, perhaps, another diesel engine will appear - a two-liter VW.
Other changes include a six-speed gearbox and an electrically driven planetary transfer case - control of its modes is located on a rotary switch on the panel. Also, the buttons on the panel activate the differential locks - front and rear. By the way, the front panel of these Sobols is still old - from Next. Production vehicles will already receive a new one - from NN or, perhaps even their own. The total weight will also increase - up to 3.5 tons. This will increase the carrying capacity to 1.1 tons.
Of course, it’s too early to talk about prices for the new all-wheel drive Sobol-NN: no one knows what will happen in 2023. But if such a car were produced today, they would ask for about 1.7-1.9 million rubles.
The Civil Strela looks brutal, but in reality it is just a running model
The basic version of another device, a prototype of a large civilian SUV developed by the military-industrial complex together with the Youth Design Bureau from the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, could cost approximately this much. Actually, the idea of this car arose after last year’s premiere of the Strela light armored car - they say, on its basis it is possible to create a civilian SUV, our answer to the Hummer or Gelendvagen. The Strela, let us remind you, was based on gas units, and therefore this brutal-looking device is based on the usual Gazelle Next - it turned out to be a kind of Gazellendvagen.
The standard Gazelle panel covered with Alcantara looks unusual
Under the long hood, and already inside the base, is the same Cummins, which here works in tandem with a traditional five-speed manual transmission. The front independent suspension and rear axle are also from a GAZ truck. And yes, this car is not yet a full-fledged SUV, because it only has rear-wheel drive.
Immediately behind the hood is the cabin - also from the Gazelle, but “cut” in height. Because of this, we had to make our own doors. Inside is the interior of Next with the old panel. But both she and the chairs are all “expensively rich” covered in Alcantara. In the back row, by the way, there are three separate seats, and the trunk behind them is truly huge.
The quality of workmanship, of course, is poor: there are flashes and traces of sealant on the parts, the joints are uneven - it’s clear that the car was built in a hurry. And her future fate is still unclear.
This particular example was built solely to test public interest - if there is interest, work on the car will continue. Moreover, it is predicted that such an SUV could be produced at the military-industrial complex facilities in Kurgan or even at GAZ itself in Nizhny!
Whether it will come to this or the car will remain in a single copy is still an open question.
