Ex-head of AvtoVAZ assesses chances of return of car brands that left the Russian Federation

Car brands from Europe, the United States, South Korea and Japan have not lost interest in the Russian car market and will eventually return. This was stated by the former head of AvtoVAZ Bo Andersson, reports "Kommersant" on February 11. However, he did not estimate the terms of their return and predict the circumstances of such an outcome.

"I am absolutely sure that most of these brands have not lost interest in the Russian automobile market and will eventually return. I cannot predict the exact date of their return, but it is obvious that the Russian market is too big to ignore, especially for a long period of time," Andersson said in an interview.

According to him, if some brands are absent for too long, they may lose their positions and cede them to competitors.

In addition, in the same interview, the former head of AvtoVAZ shared that the Lada Iskra, AvtoVAZ's new model, seems like a "modern car" to him. He called it "a good development of the company's model range" and "a great complement to the Lada Vesta." Series production of the Iskra will begin in Togliatti in early 2025.

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On December 27, 2024, it became known that Bo Andersson, who since 2021 held the post of CEO of the national Uzbek automaker UzAuto Motors, is leaving the company in connection with the fulfillment of all tasks and completion of the contract. Andersson named the launch of mass production of two popular models - Chevrolet Tracker crossover and Chevrolet Onix sedan - as one of the most important achievements of the company in 3.5 years.