Behind the wheel of a sea battle duster. sea battle

16.06.2019

Absolutely everything about this run was unusual. When the path from Russia to Russia lies through two state borders, this is unusual. When three popular all-terrain vehicles are sailing at a speed of 100 km / h in the cargo compartment of a landing ship and compete with an armored personnel carrier on the road - too. Mikhail Kuleshov (main text), Vadim Kryuchkov and Kirill Mileshkin remembered this adventure in the Baltic to the smallest detail, and the tireless Konstantin Yakubov immortalized the memories in beautiful shots.

Bison, MDKVP series 12322, gas turbine engines (5 × 10,000 hp), no gearbox, equipment: 10 armored personnel carriers, 140 paratroopers, 130 tons of cargo; UAZ Patriot - gasoline, 2.7 l (128 hp), 5-speed manual, Limited, 959,990 rubles. (hereinafter, the prices are given as of June 1, 2016); Chevrolet Niva- gasoline, 1.7 l (80 hp), 5-speed manual, LE +, 698,000 rubles; Renault Duster- gasoline, 1.6 l (114 hp), 6-speed manual, Privilege, 968,930 rubles.

Location: military training ground "Khmelevka"

Fourth day after launch

Landing geometry is not good. The seat is shamelessly piled back, the distance to the steering wheel is crazy. Efforts on the pedals will help pump your calves to the state of stone faster and more efficiently than the most merciless run. And transmissions out of habit have to be hammered into two hands. But for the sake of that crazy smoothness of movement, which this device demonstrates on the black soil that has become muddy after the rain, for the sake of the confidence with which it storms the most impregnable gullies, much can be forgiven for it. And yes, behind the wheel you really feel like a patriot.

At this thought, I stopped the BTR? 82A manufactured by Arzamas machine-building plant, thanked his instructor and moved the hatch to look back: Patriot, Niva and Duster obediently followed. That's the news! More recently, when the military showed us their test site by suggesting for better view to climb on the armor of the BTEer, I was absolutely sure that at least one of the cars would get stuck. And there was little doubt that Renault would be an outsider. In fact, the Duster, shod in civilian Amtel tires Cruise crawled forward almost more confidently than Niva and Patriot. And did not even hint at the need forced blocking clutch or disable the traction control system.

UAZ Patriot, Chevrolet Niva, Renault Duster.

Of course, the assault on the deepest mud mash is just one of several tests that we have in store for three popular off-road vehicles. But after a two-day transfer from Moscow to Baltiysk and taking “mud baths”, I decided on my absolute favorite. Duster! Here are just colleagues who spent more time with the Niva and UAZ, tried to appease my categoricalness, not stinting on the praises of the original Russian technology.

At some point, I gave in and decided not to rush to conclusions. The next day, Patriot, Niva and Duster were to be loaded on board and floating (in the slang of military sailors it sounds exactly like that) in the cargo hold of a landing ship, and then landing on a treacherous sandy shore. Who knows if the “Frenchman” has enough geometry not to tear off the bumper when dismounting from the ramp? Or maybe in the sand Renault will sit down to the very bottom before others?

Location: highway M9 "Baltic"

First day of travel

Riding in a convoy is a natural pleasure. Of course, if the company is well-coordinated. The one going first turns on the left turn signal and overtakes, taking oncoming lane. If the road is visible hundreds of meters ahead, and the markings do not prohibit overtaking, the leader continues to move in the opposite direction until last car in the column will not complete the maneuver. Scheme, debugged over the years. Fast, safe. Kirill Mileshkin, who led our procession on a Patriot, did everything carefully and correctly, but Vadim Kryuchkov, who was following behind the wheel of a Niva, kept getting stuck behind some truck, “dropping” the pace gained by the caravan.

Don't think badly, Vadim is an excellent driver. It’s just that the ancient 80? strong engine at highway speeds is catastrophically small. For 14 years of assembly line life in the car, everything was improved: the transmission was persuaded not to whine under load, the old-fashioned interior of the biodesign era was presented with good seats, and the doors were taught to close the first time. But there is still no engine that is adequate for a suitably tuned chassis. And probably not in this generation. In 2007, GM-AVTOVAZ made an attempt to launch mass production Niva with 122? strong Opel engine and five-speed Aisin mechanics, but due to the high price by then standards (from 550,000 rubles) and modest demand, everything ended with a limited batch of a thousand copies.

Even the heavy 128-strong Patriot is much faster and allows you to safely launch any attack. However, there are other claims against him, no less significant. I'm talking about an ugly chassis: a Patriot that received heating as a result of permanent upgrades windshield and all the seats, new door upholstery and a modern, albeit living its own multimedia system, I never learned how to drive normally. He shamelessly prowls even on flat road. And without this nervousness, driving pleasure is doubtful. The efforts on the pedals and the lever of the five-speed mechanics are masculine, and the steering wheel, empty and weightless in the near-zero zone, does not quite adequately become heavier when turning at large angles. This makes it necessary to catch tall car, endlessly taxiing. Do you remember how the drivers in the old black-and-white films kept spinning the steering wheel without stopping for the sake of liveliness of the frame?

Needless to say, against the backdrop of such bright flaws two middle-aged Russian SUV Duster is perceived as ultra-modern and almost premium - despite the fact that he is already aged. This is a perfectly balanced, one-piece car. Quiet and fast - though by and large the pressure of 114? strong aspirated can not be called convincing. Our complaints boil down to not the most comfortable chairs with insufficient lumbar support (it is not adjustable) and the low location of the touchscreen multimedia system. But, you know, after a trip to the UAZ and Niva, the tongue does not turn to find fault with these trifles. In general, Duster is a clear leader on asphalt roads. I did not even notice how quickly 620 km to the border with Latvia melted away. Welcome to the European Union!

Second day of travel

Patriot and Niva are able to overcome 550 kilometers at one gas station. Duster - about six hundred. This turned out to be quite enough to cross Latvia and Lithuania without resorting to the services of local currency gas stations.

Last night, just before the border with Latvia, we refueled to capacity in the hope of "flashing" on one tank (in the case of UAZ - on two) Latvia and Lithuania and refuel again in Russia. For rubles - in the city of Sovetsk, Kaliningrad region. Duster - the owner of a 50? liter tank, modern engine and six-speed mechanics, providing a highway consumption of no more than eight liters per hundred, had to effortlessly overcome the upcoming 530 km. But questions could arise for Niva and Patriot: 58? liter Chevrolet tank every hundred "versts" was emptied by about ten liters, and the "communicating vessels" of the UAZ with a total volume of about 78 liters (officially - 72 liters) for every hundred kilometers were missing thirteen to fourteen.

Sovetsk with a population of about 40 thousand people is the second largest city in the Kaliningrad region. Of course, after Kaliningrad. I can't call it polished, but it's nice here. Calmness and regularity are literally in the air, relaxing and distracting from the usual hustle and bustle. One of the strongest impressions was left by the bridge of Queen Louise, thrown over the Neman and connecting the Kaliningrad region with the Lithuanian city of Panyamyne. Niva, UAZ, and, of course, Duster safely crossed this bridge. On fuel from that gas station yesterday! The passage of the two borders took one hour.

The Queen Louise Bridge, thrown over the Neman River in 1907, connects Sovetsk and the Lithuanian city of Panyamyne. Lithuanian border behind. Russian - ahead. However Cell phones are already catching the networks of Russian operators.

Location: Kaliningrad, Baltiysk

Third day after launch

Six tons per hour! So many diesel fuel consumes Zubr - project 12322 hovercraft. If you drive 30,000 kilometers a year in a diesel passenger car with a consumption of no more than ten, these six tons will be enough for a carefree year and a half. While the ship was only being prepared for afloat, several “months” burned out in its five gas turbine engines. But impressions - per kiloton!

When the cargo compartment was filled with the roar of tens of thousands of “horses” and the huge Bison began to rise on an air cushion, all these accounting thoughts were washed away by a wave of euphoria. It's like balancing on a bike for the first time in your life or shooting a gun for the first time. Well, you know guys?

I don't know why the Zubr is called a small landing ship, because it is the largest hovercraft in the world.

Only two of them remained in Russia - "Evgeny Kocheshkov" and "Mordovia". And both are registered here, in the military harbor of Baltiysk. Five ships have been scrapped. Four are in service with the Hellenic Navy. A few more are in China.

Lieutenant Commander "Mordovia" Alexander Pavlovsky exudes confidence:

I don't want to upset you, but tomorrow it will hardly clear up, and at four points and above we try not to go to sea. Hovercraft are very sensitive to strong gusts of wind. Let's plan a swim for the day after tomorrow, but for now, hone the loading and landing. After all, you will have to parachute along with armored personnel carriers.

We were most worried about the front bumper of the Duster, however, the angle of entry was sufficient both when leaving the asphalt in the military harbor of Baltiysk, and when landing on the sandy shore of the Khmelevka training ground.

The ramp angle is impressive. Front bumper Duster during loading is a few centimeters from the disaster. Niva almost catches the asphalt with a towbar, but it worked out - and the whole trinity climbs on board.

Now the task is not an easy one - to turn around inside the ship in order to go to land with the engine forward (armored personnel carriers initially drive into the hold in reverse). I bet that at this moment Vadim Kryuchkov regretted for the first time that there is no rear-view camera in his beloved Niva and cannot even be an option. Although recently this blessing of civilization is available even to UAZ.

The ramp is solid, so it is impossible to fall through the wheel, as, for example, when driving into a pit. Nevertheless, the help of the signalman will not be superfluous, and according to the instructions it is necessary.

Bison is small world! With its own kitchen, cozy cabins and a wardroom for four officers. Of course, sailors do not live here permanently: housing has been built for conscripts and contractors near the military harbor of Baltiysk. Lovely modern houses with four or five floors - no worse than some economy class residential area near Moscow. By the way, some contractors serve here not for the first, not the second, and not even the fifth year. Indeed, by local standards, serving is not only prestigious, but also profitable for the family budget.

Trial "landing", to everyone's delight and surprise, went off without a hitch. All cars successfully rolled down the ramps to the pier booked for the parking of two Zubrov. The only difficulty was that during the upcoming landing on the sandy shore, you would have to leave the ship much faster so as not to dig in and get in the way of armored vehicles. But after today's landing, we trusted our cars much more than before. Everything gonna be alright!

Scene of action: cargo compartment of the MDKVP type "Zubr"

Fifth day after the start; birthday of the Baltic Sea Fleet - it is 313 years old!

Morning. There is no storm. There is only slight swell in the bay. Our vehicles in the company of two armored personnel carriers? 82A are securely fixed in the cargo compartment with the help of cables purchased the day before. And we were allowed to stay on the captain's bridge, where, unlike the cargo deck, it is quite quiet. In addition, a decent review opened up.

In order not to spoil the light-alloy wheels, it was necessary to abandon the use of chains that insure military equipment. Instead, we took car cables.

Vibrations in a working Bison are almost less than in a Patriot. And this is despite the fact that "Mordovia" was released back in 1991 and has already been sent for repairs several times to extend its service life.

While the ship is carefully maneuvering in the military harbor at low speeds, the floating is little different from a walk on a river bus. Only water dust, raised by four-bladed main propellers and at times clouding every view, gives a feeling of another reality.

Emotions begin to really run high when the Bison goes out to sea and gains a maximum of 60 knots. For those who are not in the subject: this is 111 km / h. One hundred kilometers per hour! On water. With cars and armored personnel carriers in the hold. The sea hides the speed, but when you cling to some landmark on land, euphoria enters a new circle: the colossus with a displacement of 550 tons is slightly inferior to our cars in maximum speed and very gently spreads over the water surface.

Zubr, project 12322 small landing hovercraft

When there are about ten minutes left before landing, we leave the bridge and go down the almost vertical stairs to the cargo hold, to our machines. Here the hum from power plants The bison presses on the brain through the eardrums, and the “earth” under the feet shakes as if it were drunk. I remember once in Japan I was "lucky" to survive a slight earthquake - and in the cargo compartment of the Bison, rushing through the waves on full throttle, I felt like I was inside a volcano with permanent seismic activity. No wonder armored personnel carriers are firmly fixed with metal chains!

Finally, the gas turbine engines slow down, the ship slows down smoothly, and the sailors deftly release the wheels from the stretch marks. Through the gap formed by the descending ramp, a bright light illuminates the cargo compartment. As we walked, the sun came out!

This can be either in Hollywood or in the army. Consider it a battle scene! Dozens of fighters of the Baltic Sea Fleet are met on the shore. Behind him, two armored personnel carriers? 82A make noise with KAMAZ diesel engines. Our trinity is in the spotlight. You can’t make a mistake, and it’s not so much about the bumpers that come off at once, but about the prestige of the profession: if everything is so harmonious with the sailors, then the mosquito should not undermine our brother’s nose.

You need to jump out onto the sandy shore, otherwise there is a great chance of getting stuck. Niva and Duster were close to tearing up the ground, but the bumpers remained intact. The Patriot passed with a margin, but he felt most insecure on the sand.

I'm back in Duster. By turning the transmission washer, I forcibly block the drive clutch rear wheels, I cut into first gear and dump it on the sandy beach.

Bumpers in place! And the confidence with which Renault crawls on loose sand towards the solid part of the land is amazing.

Vadim Kryuchkov on the Niva also goes out into the world without any problems. Most uncertain of all, having slipped with Chinese tires, on which we attribute the toothlessness that is unusual for a well-deserved all-terrain vehicle, the ship leaves the Patriot bumpkin. Behind him effortlessly take off armored personnel carriers.

Despite the debut, everything turned out quickly and smoothly - as it should happen with a real landing. The bison lifted the ramp, turned right on the sandy shore and after a few minutes turned into a dot on the water surface. Ahead of us was a military training ground, and then - long haul back through Kaliningrad, Lithuania and Latvia.

UAZ Patriot, Chevrolet Niva, Renault Duster. Final day of the trip. Early morning. Our heroes lined up on the square of the city of Ludza - one of the oldest in Latvia. Here we bought delicious and inexpensive sausages, cheeses and alcohol. Regardless of the fortress, it is allowed to import up to three liters per person into Russia

After all the tests passed, the issue with the winner was decided by itself. Duster performed incredibly, emphasizing its total superiority on tracks of any quality and surpassing the wildest expectations on off-road - in mud and sand. Of course, it is possible to simulate a situation in which the “Frenchman” will not have enough geometric cross-country ability and the old Patriot will take the lead. However, we did not succeed in disarming the Duster in a natural way under the conditions of the run - which means that the blow to the "cage" B0 failed. Renault is not killed or even injured. And it is he, on the basis of the combination of road and off-road qualities wins our "sea battle".

Niva disappointed impermissibly weak motor, promising not only problems on the track, but also a lack of traction on the road. However, the rest was balanced and nice car- neatly assembled and the most accessible in the test. It's a well-deserved second place, and we're not lying at all.

Well, the Patriot lost with a deafening crash: he was not ready for the conditions in which we found ourselves. Poorly adapted to driving on asphalt, the Patriot left questions on the road. He is very noisy and the most gluttonous. Yes, and assembled not so hot. The secret of his popularity remains a military secret to me.

Before a long journey, we drove all the cars on the lifts - just in case the fireman. We did not notice obvious jambs, but they did not calm down on that. The path is not close, and there is also a military training ground and landing - and in order to protect ourselves from unnecessary problems and put the cars on an equal footing, we decided to fill fresh oil into engines.

The choice was stopped at Motul oil. Motul 6100 Synergie + 5W40 with high anti-wear properties was poured into the Patriot (this oil can also be poured into gasoline engines, and in diesels), and in other cars - synthetics Motul 8100 X?cess 5W40, which is also designed for dual-fuel engines (gasoline + gas).

Six intense days, almost 4000 km of track and high loads on sand and off-road did not affect the engines in any way - not one of them required topping up the oil.

BIGGEST SMALL

Vadim Kryuchkov

Zubr, project 12322 small landing hovercraft

There are many abbreviations in military vocabulary. Sailors of the Baltic Fleet call this ship MDKVP, which means "small landing hovercraft." Of course, the Zubr of project 12322 is inferior in capacity to traditional ships. But this baby is the world's largest hovercraft and one of the fastest on the planet.

The bison was developed back in the USSR by the Leningrad Central Design Bureau Almaz. It is intended for the transportation of equipment, ammunition and paratroopers by sea, their landing on an equipped or unequipped coast, fire support, and also for laying minefields. Stormy weather is not the element of the Bison, but as soon as the sea calms down to at least three or four points, there is no other equally mobile means of delivering landings by water. About 70% of the coastline of the entire planet is available for disembarking people and unloading equipment from this ship.

The body of the Zubr is all-welded, made of aluminum-magnesium alloy. Despite the tendency of magnesium to oxidize, the hull in contact with salt water has been made corrosion-resistant. The power of each of the five gas turbine engines M? 35 - 10,000 hp; three engines drive four-bladed sustainer propellers, two serve air blowers. Flexible rubber fencing air cushion designed so that the Bison is able not only to go ashore without problems, but also to overcome obstacles higher than one and a half meters. For loading and unloading equipment, bow and stern ramps are used.

In the middle of the cabin is the commander's chair. The Bison is the only ship where he not only gives orders, but also controls himself.

Armored personnel carriers or other wheeled and tracked vehicles are placed on the platform inside the middle part of the body and are securely fixed. The paratroopers are located in the side compartments. People cannot be on the upper deck - they will be blown into the water at full speed.

Armament of the Zubr - air defense equipment, universal automatic guns with a caliber of 30 mm and 22-barrel systems salvo fire for "cleaning" the coast in the landing zone.

Fifteen Project 12322 ships have been built since 1986. Only two active Bison remain in Russia: MDK? 50 Evgeny Kocheshkov and MDK? 94 Mordovia. Both ships are part of the Baltic Fleet. For a long time the further fate of the unique project was not clear: the resource of the existing Bisons was close to exhaustion, and they were not expected to change. But things seem to have gone wrong dead center- there was information about the laying of new hovercraft.

BATTLE ALARM

Kirill Mileshkin

The mood from the very beginning was fighting: will the Baltics really not let them break away on serious off-road? They will surely have one! However, after an introductory circle on the armor of the BTEer at the Khmelevka training ground, our enthusiasm faded. The five-kilometer track in some places was a liquid mess with half-meter-deep ruts. But there is nowhere to retreat.

The first, as you might guess, was the UAZ. In his arsenal - hard-wired four-wheel drive and a lowering row in the razdatka. A formidable armored personnel carrier drove alongside for safety, but I didn’t want to turn to his help.

According to the old jeep rule, all transmission options were activated in advance. The patriot, with imperturbable calmness, digested all the ruts, never scratching the bottom, and pleased modern management transmission using a rotating handle (archaic levers are no longer even in the basic configuration).

In such situations, the Niva snorkel is not superfluous at all. However, Duster with UAZ safely cope with this mud obstacle without it.

And here Chinese tires Nankang NK SP-7, which are supplied from the factory for top-end cars with 18-inch wheels, are clearly not for off-road use. Slippage was felt not only in a downshift, when the torque increases sharply, but also in the normal razdatka mode. This does not add confidence to the driver and increases the chances of digging in mud or sand. For those who plan to regularly force serious off-road, stock tires can't hope. By the way, in the rain on the pavement, these tires also reminded of themselves: UAZ “floats” on them earlier than you expect, forcing you to slow down.

After the Patriot, the Niva seems like a passenger car, but the levers on the central tunnel instantly knock down the condescending mood. We block the central differential, we pass to lowered - forward! Following the path of the Patriot, Niva practically does not allow slippage, which is understandable: she is shod in firmy - in Continental tires CrossContact AT. For our test, their talents were more than enough.

Under the extended engine protection, the Niva has 200 mm - 10 mm less than stated by the manufacturer for the UAZ, and sometimes a rattle is heard from below (it does not affect the speed of movement). Weakness Niva, and in the truest sense of the word, is the engine. In the mud, an attempt to start without turning on the lowering results in uniform violence against the motor and clutch: there is a catastrophic lack of traction. Another disadvantage compared to the Patriot is archaic control center lock. The razdatka lever changes position reluctantly, and in order for the gears to engage, you need to drive at least a little forward or backward. Therefore, in the case of Niva, the rule is especially relevant to turn on the appropriate mode before storming difficult areas, which we did, not wanting to complicate our lives.

What, to compare "Chrysler" with "Volvo" and even more so with "Jaguar"? Isn't that too bold? After all, the American company does not position itself as a manufacturer of premium cars, its cars have always been relatively affordable.

But it looks like those times are over - 300C in standard equipment costs one and a half times more than the Volvo S80. Even the base Jaguar XF is cheaper - when has that happened! In general, he called himself a pie - climb into the box. Since Chrysler has rushed into the high realms, it will have to answer to such venerable cars as the XF and S80.

About the dress code

Overseas colossus is impressive at first sight. You look at it and marvel at how organic this more than five-meter sedan is. Yes, the body contours are similar to its predecessor, but the impression is completely different. Massiveness is now not in favor - the "three hundredth" has become faster and more elegant. However, there is enough brutality. Here you have a radiator grill plate, large lighting equipment, and impressive 20-inch wheels.

No less attention (except that nobody showed a finger) was attracted by the updated XF. The swift English sedan received new headlights with an arc of LEDs, like the executive XJ. They suit him like a cat - a predatory squinted look. Moreover, if "Chrysler" is not at all strict with the dress code of the driver, then "Jaguar" develops another habit - to correspond to the level of the car. In sneakers, shorts and a T-shirt, you feel some kind of stiffness here. I put on trousers and a shirt - you are at ease. Noblesse oblige, position obliges!

What about Volvo? "Swede" is too simple. It is felt that the model is not being released for the first year. On the other hand, the defiant design is not to everyone's taste, there are also enough fans of the discreet Volvo style. This is evidenced by the sales volume: the Swedish sedan is far ahead of its competitors. And the S80 is also respected by traffic cops: when they saw it, for some reason they immediately turned away. Apparently, Swedish sedans are driven by their bosses - why make trouble?
Salon "Chrysler" in a good way surprised: I did not expect it to be so chic. Especially if you remember the simple interior of the former "three hundred". I will note pleasant finishing materials - for a long time I have not seen linings made of real wood on Chryslers. And the instrument panel? You can admire its mysterious shimmer for hours! It is desirable, however, during the day, because at night the eyes quickly get tired of the illumination. Another ergonomic feature is the single steering column switch.

How can one not recall the Mercedes here: after all, the American company until recently belonged to the Germans. True, in Chrysler, it seems, they did not take over from former owners the ability to be meticulous about the little things. How else to explain that the buttons and switches in the 300C do not work as clearly as it is customary in the business class? And the display between the speedometer and tachometer is built in so clumsily, as if they remembered it at the last moment. But I will praise the color central monitor: it is not only larger than that of competitors, but also gives a better picture. It's a pity there is no navigator - for a "pollimon" they could ... The cup holders with the possibility of heating or cooling were also impressive. A lot could be forgiven for this in almost 30-degree heat. But not super-soft shapeless chairs (albeit with ventilation), in which, no matter how hard I searched, I did not find a comfortable fit.

Against the Chrysler background, the cream-skinned Jaguar seats seem ideal: dense, perfectly distribute the load and tenaciously hold in high-speed corners. I didn’t like only that you need to turn on ventilation or heating through the menu of the onboard computer. Another complaint is drafts: you turn on the minimum airflow, and a hurricane attacks you. Cover the air ducts - it gets hot. It is a pity that this problem was not eliminated during last year's modernization. Well, at least they removed the sensory unlocking of the glove compartment - doing it the old fashioned way is much more convenient.

In general, the interior of the Jaguar made the impression of the most designer. Only one washer-selector, which replaced the machine lever, which is worth it. True, because of the high and wide tunnel, the landing is tight, you feel like you are in a coupe cockpit. But what cannot be taken away from the Jaguar is aristocracy! The interior smells of luxury and well-being. Even the sound of working turn signals is somehow special - as if wooden sticks are tapping against each other. It is these nuances that distinguish the premium sedan from the usual.
The Volvo is spacious and well-finished inside, but it seems unsophisticated compared to its competitors. The modest and blind-eyed instrument panel, the center console with tiny buttons have been criticized more than once. The monitor recently registered on top of the front panel is alien. There are also complaints about the front seats with a push-out back - after an hour of driving you want to get out.

Dissenters

Cars differ markedly from each other in concepts. "Volvo" - typical front wheel drive sedan. At the Chrysler rear axle leading. "Jaguar" is also rear-wheel drive, but this instance is turbodiesel, while rivals are gasoline. Whose will take?

Starting from a standstill at 300C is a delight. And it's not even about the powerful, elastic acceleration, but about the amazingly tasty sound - goosebumps run from the American baritone! The aria of the 3.6-liter "six" after 5000 rpm is especially pleasant. Warm words deserve the work of an 8-speed automatic, which sensitively and correctly responds to the slightest movement of the accelerator. Thanks to a large number stages, the motor always runs at optimal speed for economy. So, if you drive 100 km / h, the tachometer needle will doze at only 1300 rpm (in standard mode, not in sports)! Therefore, the final fuel consumption turned out to be surprisingly modest for the dimensions and weight of the Chrysler - about 15 l / 100 km.

There was no doubt that the Jaguar would be the most economical - after all, a diesel engine under the hood. But the fact that he confidently outperformed his opponents in terms of dynamics came as a surprise. Already from the first meters it is clear: the "Englishman" is much more temperamental. You won't have time to blink an eye, as you scored the first hundred, a little more time - the second. The spirit is captivating! It is noteworthy that the acceleration takes place in amazing silence - the diesel engine is almost inaudible. Only somewhere near the mirrors and the sunroof the wind whistles. The six-speed automatic is no slower than Chrysler's. In a word, the Jaguar turned out to be extremely good.

"Swede" is very different from both. No sharp acceleration with slippage, no growling sound. Just a car. Calm, not provocative gambling ride. Someone will say - boring, but many do not need an active drive. No wonder the lion's share of the S80 in our market is sold with this base motor, although there are more powerful units in the range. The automaton has the same calm and reasonable habits. Gear changes are by no means lightning fast, besides, only the Volvo does not have a paddle shift. This, however, fits into the concept of the model.

As you know, the previous generation 300C was built on the basis of the Mercedes-Benz W210 of the mid-1990s. His successor inherited the same platform. Although she is not young, Chrysler is lucky to have her! He simply conquered with a smooth ride - he swallows bumps without a trace, there is no buildup inherent in many "Americans" on the waves. Is that low-profile 20-inch wheels tapping on the pits and interfere with high speed: because of the impressive mass, they begin to play on the cracks in the asphalt, the steering wheel begins to walk from side to side. Don't relax. But this feature appears only if you go faster than 150 km / h. Under normal conditions, not at the training ground, this feature character is invisible.

Let's pay tribute to the handling of Chrysler. It does not push for active driving, but if desired, it is able to take a turn with a twinkle. Due to the long base, it is not easy to start the “three hundredth” in sliding, but if it works out, in such a situation it will be extremely clear and very reliable. I recognize the Mercedes genes!
But with the "Jaguar" he will not argue. The XF is one of the few business sedans that makes it a pleasure to go through (or rather, rush through) a bunch of fast turns. The machine does it willingly, with passion. How accurately the British sedan writes turns, how large its stability margin is, how lightning fast it reacts to the driver's commands! In everything you can feel the breed. Moreover, the steering wheel of the Jaguar, although light, is saturated feedback These settings are very rare.

True, the XF is worse than the Chrysler in smoothness. He walked along the ruts with complete equanimity, but the “Englishman” already notices them and even shakes them harder on bumps than we would like. Still, there is more sport here than comfort.

If you expect rigidity from the initially sporty XF, then not from the S80. However, here it is, this very rigidity, even more! Who would have thought that such a solid car gives in to modest bumps. Bach! - the front suspension responded to a not-so-deep hole. Bang bang! - echoes back to her, it works noticeably louder. And it's in comfort mode adaptive chassis. If you translate it into a sports algorithm, smoothness becomes completely unimportant. And the S80 does not like ruts - it rushes about them like a fish in spawning. In a word, against the backdrop of Jaguar and Chrysler, the Swedish sedan is perceived as a cheaper car. Do not rule out that with ordinary, not adaptive dampers he would be more comfortable.
In the corners, the Volvo is completely detached from the driver - very calm, not pushy. He goes and goes. It is worth overdoing it with speed or choosing a too bold trajectory, the stabilization system will immediately work and the upset car will pass the turn serenely, with dignity. Peace, only peace!

Passenger cabins

The second row of the Chrysler is very spacious. I am glad that even with the front seats lowered as much as possible, there is a lot of room for the feet of the rear passengers. Sofa heating and an armrest with two cup holders and an impressive box are provided. On rear window curtain. It's a pity, side windows do not go down completely.

To say that it is crowded in the Jaguar is to sin against the truth. Although there is not much space - “by itself” sat down just fine. Places here are only for two - a huge floor tunnel interferes with staying in the middle, so the third headrest is more of a formality. The pluses include the presence of deflectors of the ventilation system, fully lowered windows. However, the XF is the only test participant without heated rear seats.
The second row at Volvo is the most hospitable. Legroom is the same as in the 300C, but there is even more space in terms of height. The seats are the most comfortable, there are already three-stage heating and climate ducts. Curtains are provided not only on the rear window, but also on the side windows. But the windows don't roll down completely.
Our S80 came with a rear seat multimedia system. Moreover, in order not to interfere with others - with separate headphones.

Ship holds

Despite the impressive dimensions, the boot of the 300C is not the largest - according to our measurements, only 392 liters. A lot of space is taken up by large wheel arches(the 20-inch “rollers” must be put somewhere), and the hinges are overly massive. I did not like the plastic handle with sharp edges - it is uncomfortable to take on it. And the Chrysler has the highest loading height.

Fourth day after launch

At this thought, I stopped the BTR-82A manufactured by the Arzamas Machine-Building Plant, thanked my instructor and moved the hinged hatch to look back: Patriot, Niva and Duster obediently trailed behind. That's the news! Quite recently, when the military showed us their test site, offering to get a better view on the armor of the BTEER, I was absolutely sure that at least one of the vehicles would get stuck. And there was little doubt that Renault would be an outsider. In fact, Duster, shod in civilian Amtel Cruise tires, crawled forward almost more confidently than Niva and Patriot. And he didn’t even hint at the need for forced clutch locking or turning off the traction control system.

Of course, the assault on the deepest mud mess is just one of several tests that we have in store for three popular off-road vehicles. But after a two-day transfer from Moscow to Baltiysk and taking “mud baths”, I decided on my absolute favorite. Duster! Here are just colleagues who spent more time with the Niva and UAZ, tried to appease my categoricalness, not stinting on the praises of the original Russian technology.

Location: highway M9 "Baltic"

First day of travel

Riding in a convoy is a natural pleasure. Of course, if the company is well-coordinated. Going first turns on the left turn signal and overtakes, occupying the oncoming lane. If the road is visible hundreds of meters ahead, and the markings do not prohibit overtaking, the leader continues to move in the opposite direction until the last car in the column completes the maneuver. Scheme, debugged over the years. Fast, safe. Kirill Mileshkin, who led our procession on a Patriot, did everything carefully and correctly, but Vadim Kryuchkov, who was following behind the wheel of a Niva, kept getting stuck behind some truck, “dropping” the pace gained by the caravan.

Don't think badly, Vadim is an excellent driver. It’s just that the ancient 80‑horsepower engine at highway speeds is catastrophically small. For 14 years of assembly line life in the car, everything was improved: the transmission was persuaded not to whine under load, the old-fashioned interior of the biodesign era was presented with good seats, and the doors were taught to close the first time. But there is still no engine that is adequate for a suitably tuned chassis. And probably not in this generation. In 2007, GM-AVTOVAZ made an attempt to launch mass production of the Niva with a 122-horsepower Opel engine and five-speed Aisin mechanics, but due to the high price by then standards (from 550,000 rubles) and modest demand, everything ended in a limited batch of a thousand copies.

Even the heavy 128-horsepower Patriot is much faster and allows you to safely go into any attack. However, there are other claims against him, no less significant. I'm talking about an ugly chassis: Patriot, which received a heated windshield and all seats as a result of permanent upgrades, new door upholstery and a modern, albeit living its own multimedia system, never learned how to drive normally. He shamelessly scours even on a flat road. And without this nervousness, driving pleasure is doubtful. The efforts on the pedals and the lever of the five-speed mechanics are masculine, and the steering wheel, empty and weightless in the near-zero zone, does not quite adequately become heavier when turning at large angles. This forces us to catch a tall car every now and then, endlessly taxiing. Do you remember how the drivers in the old black-and-white films kept spinning the steering wheel without stopping for the sake of liveliness of the frame?

Needless to say, against the background of such striking shortcomings of two middle-aged Russian off-road vehicles, Duster is perceived as ultra-modern and almost premium - despite the fact that he is already aged. This is a perfectly balanced, one-piece car. Quiet and fast - although by and large the pressure of a 114-strong aspirated can not be called convincing. Our complaints boil down to not the most comfortable chairs with insufficient lumbar support (it is not adjustable) and the low location of the touchscreen of the multimedia system. But, you know, after a trip to the UAZ and Niva, the tongue does not turn to find fault with these trifles. In general, Duster is a clear leader on asphalt roads. I did not even notice how quickly 620 km to the border with Latvia melted away. Welcome to the European Union!

Kuleshov Mikhail

Location: military training ground "Khmelevka"

Fourth day after launch

At this thought, I stopped the BTR-82A manufactured by the Arzamas Machine-Building Plant, thanked my instructor and moved the hinged hatch to look back: Patriot, Niva and Duster obediently trailed behind. That's the news! Quite recently, when the military showed us their test site, offering to get a better view on the armor of the BTEER, I was absolutely sure that at least one of the vehicles would get stuck. And there was little doubt that Renault would be an outsider. In fact, Duster, shod in Amtel Cruise civilian tires, crawled forward almost more confidently than Niva and Patriot. And he didn’t even hint at the need for forced clutch locking or turning off the traction control system.

Location: highway M9 "Baltic"

First day of travel

Even the heavy 128-horsepower Patriot is much faster and allows you to safely go into any attack. However, there are other claims against him, no less significant. I'm talking about an ugly chassis: Patriot, who received a heated windshield and all seats as a result of permanent upgrades, new door upholstery and a modern, albeit living its own multimedia system, never learned how to drive normally. He shamelessly scours even on a flat road. And without this nervousness, driving pleasure is doubtful. The efforts on the pedals and the lever of the five-speed mechanics are masculine, and the steering wheel, empty and weightless in the near-zero zone, does not quite adequately become heavier when turning at large angles. This forces us to catch a tall car every now and then, endlessly taxiing. Do you remember how the drivers in the old black-and-white films kept spinning the steering wheel without stopping for the sake of liveliness of the frame?