The Derways Cowboy, also known as the Derways 3131, was a boxy five-door SUV with a panel-on-space-frame body, built at the Derways factory in Cherkessk, Karachay-Cherkessia, from 2004 to 2006. The first prototype was designed and assembled in 2003 and shown at the Moscow international motor show.
Derways Cowboy at a glance
| Maker | Derways, Cherkessk (Russia) |
|---|---|
| Production | 2004–2006 |
| Also known as | Derways 3131 |
| Body | five-door SUV, flat panels on a tubular space frame |
| Chassis | ARO 244 components until 2005, Chinese chassis afterwards |
| Engines | 2.7 ZMZ-409.10 142 hp; 2.0 Peugeot turbodiesel 90 hp; 2.4 Mitsubishi 4G64; 3.0 Nissan VG30E V6 153 hp |
| Gearbox | five-speed manual |
| Length, width, height | 4,440 × 1,813 × 1,880 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,600 mm |
| Ground clearance | 230 mm |
| Kerb weight | 1,880 kg |
| Luggage space | 600 l, 1,600 l with the rear seats folded |
| Fuel tank | 90 l |
| Top speed | 145 km/h |
| Tyres | 265/70 R16 |
Production totals are disputed in the sources and are given as they appear in the English Wikipedia article.
History of the Derways Cowboy
The Cowboy was the first car of the Derways company, founded in Cherkessk in 2003. Its prototype was built in 2003 and exhibited at the Russian International Motor Show in Moscow. The car was constructed with components and units of the Romanian ARO 244 — transmission, steering, brakes and suspension — while the body was made of flat metal panels on a tubular space frame. It passed all tests at the NAMI proving ground and received certification, and the plant opened in 2004 with series production beginning that year.
The design was the work of Oleg Shapkin from Tolyatti. Standard equipment included a steering column adjustable for height, electric windows on all doors, electric mirrors, doors with side-impact bars, a removable roof hatch and front fog lights. The steering wheel, dashboard and centre console came from the VAZ 2110, the seats from UAZ. Folding the rear seats raised the luggage volume from 600 to 1,600 litres. There was hydraulic power steering, independent front suspension with springs and an independent rear with springs; the front brakes were ventilated discs and the rear drums.
The transmission was a selectable four-wheel drive with a lockable centre differential and a low-range gear. Air conditioning was never offered by the factory. The car was produced on the ARO 244 chassis until 2005, when production switched to a Chinese chassis and continued until 2006.
In 2006 the plant suspended Cowboy production because ARO went bankrupt, and turned instead to localising Chinese cars. Sales figures for the Cowboy are uncertain: about 800 were sold, while some sources claim around 5,000 were built and a few hundred on Chinese chassis; the journalist Kostya of the AcademeG channel believes only 164 were made.
Design and features
- Space frame body: flat metal panels over a tubular frame, cheap to build and repair.
- ARO underpinnings: Romanian transmission, steering, brakes and suspension.
- Four-wheel drive: selectable, with a lockable centre differential and low range.
- Parts-bin interior: VAZ 2110 dashboard and steering wheel, UAZ seats.
- Four engines: from the 142 hp 2.7 ZMZ petrol unit to a 3.0 V6 Nissan and a 2.0 Peugeot turbodiesel.
- Practical body: 1,600 litres of luggage space with the rear seats folded.
Derways Cowboy versions
- 313101: Chinese variant.
- 313102: Chinese variant.
- 313104: original ARO-based variant.
- 313105: Chinese variant.
The Cowboy was the first model of the Cherkessk plant; its successors from Chinese kits were the Aurora and the Saladin. More cars are in the Derways collection.
Sources
- Derways Cowboy, English Wikipedia: design, equipment, engines, dimensions, variants
- Derways Cowboy, Russian Wikipedia: equipment, production story
- Derways Automobile Company, English Wikipedia: plant history, production figures
