First created in 1971 as a linear successor to the GAZ-69 (itself a direct descendant of Soviet WWII vehicles) the UAZ-469 was for decades the go-to off-road light utility vehicle of choice for Eastern Bloc military units.

It sprang from the same form-and-function design brief as the Land Rover and the Jeep, in as much as it had to be simple, easy to maintain, limpet-like in its ability to cling to gruesome terrain at precipitous angles, and capable of being reimagined for use in all manner of different roles.

Manufactured at the UAZ (Ulyanovsky Avtomobilny Zavod) plant in Ulyanovsk, Russia, until 2011, the 469 had variants specifically designed for police, ambulance, fire service and other uses.

One version came with shielded electrical equipment, one with room for stretchers and nurses, one with low pressure tyres and one with ‘protection’ from nuclear, biological, and chemical attack. One amphibious version even came with two propellers and the ability to cross lakes and rivers.

All were tough, capable, basic and, if necessary, could be run on fuel with an octane rating as low as 72.

But if you’re thinking that there’s nothing glamorous or sexy about these old Soviet battle buses, think again. UAZ-469s have probably featured in more James Bond films than Aston Martins. You’ll see them being driven by all sorts of baddies and blown up, shot at, sunk, crashed, burned or otherwise dispatched in The Living Daylights, Golden Eye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, Die Another Day and Casino Royale, to name but a few.

The standard versions were the non-military UAZ-469B and the military UAZ-469, the latter (like this one) distinguished by a ground clearance increased to 300 mm.

The UAZ-469 was exported to over 80 countries and is still being assembled in, among other exotic locations, Cuba, Azerbaijan, Vietnam, Ukraine, Sudan and the Czech republic.

So, if you really want a brand new one you could pretend to be a paramilitary unit and place an order. Alternatively, you could try to find an authentic classic example that’s almost as good as new in every respect.

But where would you find one of those?

Oh…hang on.

1986 UAZ 469

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