Kamaz Poland – is successively expanding the number of available varieties coming from the light-delivery GAZ Business 4×4 family.
These vehicles have been on offer for several years.
As Wojciech Traczuk – commercial director of Kamaz Poland – emphasizes, the importer’s intention in the domestic market is for them to take a position after our Lublins.
This is because the issue concerns lightweight cars, tonnage category up to 3500 kg, relatively modern and available in many target versions.
At the same time, they are attractive in terms of price and cost, i.e. they are distinguished not only by a competitive price for the purchase itself, but also by a long period of trouble-free operation, as evidenced, among other things, by an
extended warranty.
Their attractiveness is also enhanced by the fact that many items of equipment, with well-known Western rivals available as options, here come as standard and are included in the base price.
Thus, the customer gets a good tool for work, resistant to poor conditions of use and overloading, durable, and at the same time economical and efficient. The power source is the proven, reliable and efficient Cummins ISF2.8s5129P 2.8-liter engine.
It can be ordered in 120- or 150-horsepower versions, depending on your needs.
A single-disc dry clutch with hydraulic control and a mechanical 5-speed transmission are responsible for the transmission.
A hypoid rear axle completes the drivetrain.
With even the 4×2 variant having one, i.e. a rear drive rather than a front drive, the mobility of the vehicle with a load on slippery or slushy surfaces is greatly enhanced.
For a fee, on the other hand, a rear bridge lock can be purchased.
The locking of this bridge results in a significant improvement in off-road or slippery road driving.
In addition, it is possible to order a variant with both axle drive – 4×4, with fixed or disconnectable front axle drive.
The Gazelle also gets twin wheels at the rear, which further increases mobility in difficult terrain and increases payload capacity.
It’s worth noting that the competition doesn’t even offer such an option.
Another key utilitarian advantage lies in the fact that a firm three-link suspension is used as standard, compared to single- or double-link systems, at a premium, on the most important of the rivals.
As a result, the car becomes more stable when fully loaded and can be quietly overloaded by up to 1,000 kg.
In addition, there is an option to install a fourth leaf, strengthening the suspension and increasing the payload capacity by another 500 kg.
This option costs €1,000, but nevertheless allows a total increase in actual payload capacity by as much as 1,500 kg (1,000+500 kg).
Thus, the Gazelle from a 3.5-ton variant realistically becomes a 5-ton variant – with a technically permissible total weight of 5000 kg, meaning a payload of as much as 3000 kg!
And this despite the fact that it is registered as 3.5-ton.
With this in mind, necessary reinforcements were introduced on the construction side.
As a result, even prolonged overloading or the carriage of misplaced cargo should not adversely affect the condition of the car, significantly reducing the time of its failure-free operation.
Namely, the Gazelle has been prepared for significant overloading, and within the marked limits they do not threaten it.
Another key utilitarian advantage is derived from the fact that both front and rear stabilizer bars are standard, stabilizing the vehicle’s lateral tilt in corners or in high winds.
It also appears in competitors, but usually at an extra charge.
In addition, the Gazelle comes standard with 16-inch wheels, increasing the comfort of the ride and reducing the risk of damage to it on hollow roads.
Interior equipment is similarly competitive.
Standard here are a radio with antenna, cruise control and a smoking kit, with rivals mostly on the options list.
However, a more comfortable heated driver’s seat is optional.
The cost of operation and ownership is not only affected by the sheer expense of day-to-day use.
Savings from the manufacturer’s offering of extended warranties on many components also remain important.
In this area, the Gazette also fares extremely attractively against its closest counterparts. The standard warranty for representatives of the NEXT family is 3 years with a limit of 150,000 km, when with competitors the standard is 2 years and an average of 80000-100000 km.
In addition, the warranty for sheet metal perforation in the NEXT line equals as much as 8 years, since the entire cabin is hot-dip galvanized – subjected to corrosion protection by cataphoresis.
Currently, the Gazelle Business 4×4 is available in four base variants, as:
- Standard chassis with a short 3-passenger cab and an extended, crewed, 6-passenger cab,
- Gazelle Business Van – standard chassis with short cab 3-seater;
- Gazelle Business Combi with extended cab, 7-seater,
In case of any problems, in turn, you can take advantage of assistance from an authorized service and repair network.
Currently it counts 25 points in Poland, providing full support in all situations requiring it.
Thus, taking into account all design, operating and cost advantages, it should be concluded that the representatives of the Gazelle Business series are light, usable means of transport characterized by high performance and relatively low operating costs.
It is also worth pointing out that Kamaz Poland’s current sales strategy with regard to light commercial vehicles involves not only offering buyers the chassis themselves, but also complete versions with bodywork.
One such specialized body available on the Gazelle 4×4 is a basket lift with a working height of 22 meters. It is equipped with an aluminum basket that can accommodate up to 2-3 people with full equipment, as the maximum permissible load value is set at 220 kg.
The side outreach of this elevator with such a maximum load of 220 kg equals 6 m on narrow supports and 8 m on wide supports, and the side outreach with a load of 100 kg equals 7 m on narrow supports and 10 m on wide supports.
When working on wide supports, it becomes possible to rotate 270º, and on narrow supports – a minimum of 180º, a maximum of 270º.
Proportional control is possible from two positions, manual from the basket and from below.
Hydraulic supports are vertical, extending horizontally manually.
The emergency control system is a hand pump.
A power hour meter, power line and 230V outlet in the basket and CE are also standard.