The UAZ Hunter is the last form of the UAZ-469 line. It appeared in 2003 as an updated UAZ-31514 with the factory index 315195 and replaced the base models for the Russian market. UAZ kept the old body and running gear, and the Hunter stayed in production long after the rest of the line had gone.
UAZ Hunter at a glance
| Maker | Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant (UAZ) |
|---|---|
| Production | from 2003; discontinued in 2015, back in 2016 |
| Factory index | UAZ-315195 |
| Based on | UAZ-31514 |
| Body | five-door wagon or soft top on a ladder frame |
| Name abroad | UAZ Tigr, later Baijah Taigah in Germany |
| 2010 record | 32 people and 1,900 kg over 10 metres |
| 2011 update | classic bumpers back, plastic mouldings removed |
| 2017 edition | 469 cars in teal and white |
| 2019 version | Expedition, orange and black, with roof rack |
| 2021 | electric Hunter by MW Motors, called Spartan |
There is no separate English Wikipedia page for the Hunter; its history is the last part of the UAZ-469 article.
History of the UAZ Hunter
From the 31514 to the Hunter
In 2003 UAZ presented an updated version of the old UAZ-31514 as the Hunter, and from that year the Hunter replaced the 31514 and 31512 in the showrooms while the simpler cars were kept for the army. Under the body it was still the 1985 design: a ladder frame, rigid axles, a four-speed gearbox and a two-speed transfer case. UAZ sold it in Germany and some Asian countries as the UAZ Tigr, until General Motors complained that the name was too close to the Opel Tigra; in Germany it was then renamed Baijah Taigah.
Records and special editions
In 2010, for Victory Day, UAZ built a limited edition of the Hunter under the original UAZ-469 nameplate. On 4 June 2010 the model set a Guinness record for passenger capacity: with the Rumyantsev State School of Circus and Variety Art, a Hunter took 32 people including the driver — 1,900 kg in all — and drove the required 10 metres without anyone falling out. It beat the previous record of 23 people in a Kia Spectra. A facelift in 2011 brought back the classic bumpers and removed the plastic mouldings, so the car again looked like the 2010 UAZ-469, and after it UAZ released a series of limited editions.
The end that was not the end
In 2015 UAZ decided to stop the Hunter because its technology was outdated, and marked the occasion with a Victory Series finished in a livery inspired by the aircraft of the Soviet war film Only “Old Men” Are Going Into Battle. The following year the factory changed its mind and put the Hunter back into production. In 2017 a special edition for the model’s 45th anniversary came in a teal and white scheme, limited to 469 cars after the original index. A 2019 Expedition version added an off-road bumper and a roof rack and was sold only in orange and black. In 2021 the Czech company MW Motors began building an electrified Hunter called Spartan, a project first shown in 2019 and delayed by the pandemic. For the 50th anniversary in 2022 UAZ assembled 50 soft-top cars under the original UAZ-469 name.
Design and features
- Old-school chassis: a ladder frame with rigid axles and a two-speed transfer case, unchanged in principle since 1985.
- Classic looks restored: the 2011 facelift removed the plastic add-ons and brought back the metal bumpers.
- Special editions: anniversary, Victory and Expedition versions from 2010 onwards.
- Electric conversion: the Czech MW Motors Spartan showed the old body could be reworked as an electric vehicle.
UAZ Hunter versions
- Hunter: the standard five-door wagon and soft-top, factory index 315195.
- 2010 Victory Day edition: sold under the UAZ-469 nameplate.
- 2011 facelift: classic bumpers, no plastic mouldings.
- 2017 45th anniversary: teal and white, 469 cars.
- 2019 Expedition: orange and black, off-road bumper and roof rack.
- MW Motors Spartan: electrified Hunter from 2021.
The Hunter is the last form of the UAZ-469 line, whose civilian hardtops ended with the 31514. Its modern replacement in the range was the UAZ Patriot. More vehicles are in the UAZ collection.
Video: УАЗ Hunter Тест-драйв. Anton Avtoman.
Video by Антон Воротников on YouTube.
Sources
- UAZ-469, English Wikipedia: Hunter history, editions, record
