Fortunately, that hasn’t stopped aftermarket tuners from making their adjustments. A Russian-based company has taken it upon themselves to revitalize the Lada Niva with a diesel engine, sourced from BMW. Yes, the Niva gets a BMW N47 diesel powertrain, which is a welcome alternative for off-road enthusiasts. Diesel-powered engines provide a lot of torque –the perfect accessory for an off-road adventure.

However, the 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine is under kill considering there are much more powerful alternatives available for the swap. Anyway, the modification is commendable as the Russian company has done a lot of work to fit the inline-4 powertrain into the engine bay. The shocks have been changed, the engine foundation fortified and other tweaks have been made to accommodate the new guest.

The N47 is mated to an automatic transmission taken from the BMW 3 Series, which takes power to the rear wheels. The set-up produces 250 hp, allowing the Niva to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.0 seconds. The massive 20-inch wheels help out a lot with this matter.

The Lada Niva also gets a few upgrades in the interior such as the dual climate control and a modern infotainment system, both taken from BMW vehicles.

There is no price tag on the SUV as of now but you can expect the modification to cost a lot considering the changes.

Fortunately, Audi went against the standard and introduced the E-Tron GT with only slight changes to the design. Usually the production version differs from the one shown at auto shows.

The E-Tron sedan comes in two versions. There is a 4-wheel drive Quattro GT variant and then the much sportier RS E-Tron GT tuned by non other than Audi Sport.

Exterior

At first glance, this sedan looks like a dream come true for most car enthusiasts. It is very low to the ground, with a dominant hood and sloping roof joining in with the rear. The aggressive lines are a nice touch but so are the sleek headlights. In the rear, the taillights fill the canvas with the rear diffuser finishing the look. There is no exhaust pipe since the GT is an all-electric four door coupe. The E-Tron GT does not look like an Audi at all but whatever they are doing we love every inch of it. The car is a direct rival to the Tesla Model S, so expect more than a few upgrades.

Powertrain

Audi has been working on improving its EV range and bringing it on par with the competition. As such, the E-Tron GT gets a 92 kWh battery of which only 85 kWh is usable and the rest is saved for use in emergency situations. The EPA estimated battery range is 238 miles on a single charge for the GT version. The RS on the other hand is good for only 232 miles.

Charging ports are available on both sides of the front fender and fast charging is also available which fills up the battery from 5 to 80 percent in 23 minutes.

The dual motor setup allows 469 hp taking the car from 0 to 62 mph in 4.1 seconds. The sportier RS variant does the same in 3.3 seconds.

Availability

The 2022 Audi E-Tron GT shall be available in the Spring of 2021 with prices starting from $99,900.