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Thursday, 12.01.2012
Russias car market will accelerate only slowly
Moscow. The car market is expected to significantly slow down in the following year. After an increase of 39 percent in 2011 compared to the previous year, the industry now only expects a growth of around 8 percent.
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In 2012 approximately 2.8 million cars will be sold in Russia, said car industry expert David Thomas of the Association of European Businesses (AEB) in Moscow today.
This is a conservative forecast, said Thomas. For 2011 an increase of only 17 percent had been predicted, less than half the actual amount.
Ultimately, in 2011 some 2.6 million Russians bought a new car or light vehicle. Overall, the mood is good, although the looming financial crisis reduces the expectations.
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To overtake Germany, the major car market
Russia’s car market continues to be dominated by the factors of a small and aging fleet. The financing options offered by the banks have improved significantly in recent months.
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Russia’s car industry still has the aim to overtake Germany as the most important European car market. The 4 million mark could be reached by 2015/2016, said Thomas. Germany registered in 2011 a total of 3,17 million new cars.
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A different forecast: It could go the other way
Avtostat, an agency who also observes the automobile market, is less optimistic: Its director Sergei Udalov expects more stagnation in 2012, the market could develop by plus or minus 5 percent.
The strong growth in the past was mainly due to the Government’s scrappage scheme and subsidised loans. Both programs have now run out.
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Lada is the market leader – but the advantage is shrinking steadily
In 2011 Lada was by far the best selling brand in Russia. 22 percent of Russian car buyers decided to purchase the local cheap brand of the manufacturer AvtoVAZ. Although Lada, with 580,000 cars, sold 11 percent more cars than the previous year, the market share of Lada is reducing steadily.
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But Lada sells still three times the amount of cars in Russia than the second favourite brand Chevrolet. Among the 10 most popular brands, Volkswagen recorded the biggest increase last year – an increase of 100 percent. For the first time, the Kalina was the top-selling model and ousted the outdated the Lada 2104/07 from its first place.
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In 2011, the series Priora and Samara found more buyers in Russia compared to the inexpensive but also primitive classical model.
Made in Russia is a prerequisite for success
The most popular model from a foreign brand was with 97,000 the Hyundai Solaris, introduced last year to the Russian market and manufactured in St Petersburg.
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Among the 12 best-selling car models in Russia is only one imported brand, the antiquated Daewoo Nexia from Uzbekistan.
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