Lada car sales in the EU soar by 63%

In the first quarter of 2017, Lada sold 1,142 cars in the European Union, according to research by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA). This figure is 63.1 percent more than the same period in 2016.

The sale of Lada cars in EU countries is calculated in results for the Renault Group, whose total sales increased 11.4 percent for the first quarter. Overall EU car sales increased 8.4 percent during this period.

Russian Rides: Lada Vesta, a family car with grace

ACEA reported that sales of the Russian-made car in January were more than 280 units, in February almost 350 units, and in March the figure was 504 units. Even taking into account this growth, Lada still only has less than 1 percent of the European market, said ACEA.

"The large growth in Lada sales in the EU is primarily due to the low starting base of the past period, because the sales volumes themselves are very small," said Azat Timerkhanov, an analyst at the Russian agency, Autostat, and who added that the start this year of sales of the Lada Vesta in some European countries (Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria) added to the increase.

Granta, Kalina and 4X4 models are also sold in the EU under the Lada brand. Amid the significant decline in the Russian car market over the past two years, the country’s automakers have decided to increase exports. In an interview with Rossiyskaya gazeta on December 22, AvtoVAZ President Nicolas Moore said (in Russian) his company will increase exports by 50 percent in 2017, and plans to sell 60,000 cars to other countries.

Lada cars are produced by Togliatti-based AvtoVAZ, which is 67 percent owned by the Japanese-French company, Renault-Nissan. The Russian state corporation, Rostek, owns the remaining 33 percent. AvtoVAZ not only produces Lada cars, but also Nissan, Renault and Datsun cars.

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