Huh, read about this late !
Lada Niva, yes. It has its roots in FIAT, indeed. They used to buy designs and technology from FIAT back in the '70s and 80s, and produced "rugged" versions of Fiat models (mid-size sedans, basically). In the former USSR, 80% of taxi cabs were Ladas. Among the "improvements" were massive anti-rust treatments, boosted cabin heating (for obvious reasons
) and some transmssion and suspension adjustments (italian roads used to be bad, but russian ones were even worst).
The Niva was equipped with a 1.6L I4 DOHC engine, that claimed to be virtually undestructable, and is it indeed. You just have to keep an eye on oil and coolant, and it will serve you for several hundred thousands miles...