Cayman 4x4

The Cayman (also spelled Kayman) was a four-wheel-drive off-road amphibian built in St Petersburg in 1997, using only Russian-made parts. It was offered through an organisation called "Security".

Design

The alloy body sat on a tubular space frame, with independent suspension on all wheels using transverse leaf springs and levers. It had power steering, disc brakes and lockable differentials, and its extra-low-pressure tyres could be inflated or deflated from on board (0.1-2.5 kg/cm²). In the water it was driven by a screw propeller. The cab seated two, with room for two more in the rear box, or up to 12 people in all.

The first version used a 1,294 cc VAZ-21011 four-cylinder petrol engine of 64 hp. The specification sheet lists 90 hp, a length of 4.75 m, a width of 2.54 m, a ground clearance of 500 mm and a total weight of 2,000 kg with a 500 kg payload. Top speed is given as 75 km/h on land and 7 km/h in water.

1998 version

A modified Cayman of 1998 had a larger 2,890 cc UAZ four-cylinder engine of about 100 hp, a new gearbox and transfer case, and a revised front suspension without the transverse leaf spring. A winch and self-locking differentials became available. At the time it was not yet on sale because it still had to pass safety certification and crash tests.