Bo Andersson, head of the GAZ Group, said that from the very beginning the project was designed with foreign markets in mind. Cummins powertrains already meet Euro-5 standards and are ready to be refined for Euro-6. As Andersson noted, the supply of commercial vehicles in Europe is large, and the competition for customers is very tight, so the launch of the Next model will be unhurried — the start is planned for Eastern European countries.
Production of the new generation of the GAZelle Next started in Nizhny Novgorod yesterday, April 9. The vehicle has a different engine, suspension, cab, and many other improvements, but retains the previous frame, rear axle, and gearbox.
In addition to the 2.8-liter Cummins diesel with 120 hp, it is noteworthy that the one-and-a-half-ton truck received independent front suspension and a rack-and-pinion steering mechanism. Thanks to this, the Russian GAZelle can now boast handling close to that of a passenger car and a decent level of comfort for the driver and passengers.
The quality of the new product should significantly improve thanks to modern technologies on the production line and the active use of foreign components in key units. The GAZelle Next now comes with a warranty of 3 years or up to 150,000 kilometers.
