Chinese automakers will set foot on U.S. soil anytime now, and India already did it with the Mahindra Roxor. Russia will enter the United States too with two rugged vehicles, but there’s a bit of a catch about them.
Founded in 1956 in Italy, Bremach went under two years ago. Only the American division - Bremach Inc. - has survived. As it happens, this legal entity has struck a deal with Russian automaker Ulyanovsky Avtomobilny Zavod - a.k.a. UAZ - to sell two body-on-frame vehicles.
Both of them are based on the UAZ Patriot, which has been manufactured in Ulyanovsk since 2005. The mid-size sport utility vehicle – also known as the 3163 in Russia – is joined by the UAZ Pickup or 23632. The confusing nomenclature has been simplified by Bremach into Taos and Brio, and these bad boys will go on sale next year for the 2022 model year.
“Wait. Are these things made in the United States?” Yes, but actually no.
In order to avoid the chicken tax, Bremach imports all the necessary parts and subassemblies as knock-down kits to a production facility in California. The pickup is still undergoing final homologation, but the SUV already has a price tag. Believe it or not, the American company with Italian roots is asking $26,405, excluding freight, for such an outdated design.
Described as a premium 4x4 even though it’s obviously not, the Taos features lots of interior appointments from the General Motors parts bin. The biggest of the Big Three in Detroit also supplies the Hydra-Matic 6L50 automatic transmission, which is paired to a 2.7-liter powerplant.
The four-cylinder UAZ engine develops 150 horsepower, which is a bit underwhelming for such a lumbersome vehicle. The Brio pickup shares these underpinnings with the sport utility vehicle, and Bremach is eyeing a starting price of $27,882. Both models feature electronic 4x4 and a two-speed transfer case as standard, which makes them viable for off-roading.
As far as the Taos is concerned, five years or 60,000 miles (96,560 kilometers) of bumper-to-bumper warranty isn’t half bad. The powertrain, meanwhile, should be good for 10 years or 120,000 miles (193,120 kilometers).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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