Uran Is A Tank-Powered Russian Monster, Kept Hidden For Years

Not many people can tell you anything about Uran. That's because the Russian project is still just a project, and it's so old that the author has probably forgotten it. Don't panic, we're coming with more details and stories. 

There have been plenty of civilian cars in automotive history, coming from the "military". Military engineering, modified for use on public roads has always had a special place in the hearts of car enthusiasts.

They're rugged, tough, powerful and they give you the confidence to go anywhere, anytime. 
Jeep, Hummer, Mercedes-Benz G-Class are just three of the most popular ones you've surely heard of. But Uran it’s a whole different story. 

It all started in 1990. Thirty years ago, engineer Ghennady Hainov got hold of an engine from the BMP-01 vehicle he was trying to find a use for.

The 16-liter volume SUV, the UTD-20, was capable of 300 horsepower and 980 Nm of torque, and since the tank engine wasn't very picky about diesel quality, Hainov thought it was a good start for his SUV. 

Later, the engineer brought the axles into the garage, also from a military vehicle, this time a BTR-60, and the "foundations" of the Uran project were laid. Eight years later, in 1998, the first drawings were already on the drawing board, the only thing missing was the person interested in such a vehicle. Fortunately, in 1999 a certain Moscow businessman showed interest in Ghennady's car and started construction. 

The ZIL -131 engine, axles and gearbox were mounted on a rigid frame, built from scratch. The Russian also used parts from a coach, LiAZ, from which he borrowed suspension elements and air cushions. Two 120-liter diesel tanks were also fitted to the chassis. You can already tell it was a real monster and not a SUV. 

Almost everything Hainov used in the construction of his all-rounder were parts borrowed from other cars: the electric hatch from the Mercedes-Benz W140, front windows from OKA (two layers glued together), the rear ones from the VAZ-2109, even the name Uran is glued from the letters of the Subaru emblem, except for the front and rear bars - welded from 3-5 millimeter sheet metal, or the interior sewn from scratch. 

And lo and behold, after four years of toil, Uran was ready to make its public debut. But the owner - not ready! The man with the money was an elected member of the State Duma and didn't want to be in the limelight with such a car. It was only 11 years later that the Uran passed into the MP's ownership, only nobody brought it to light. Most likely, even today, it sits dusty in some garage on the outskirts of Moscow.