Business rook: Togliatti told about its future plans
AvtoVAZ plans to launch a new brand under which commercial vehicles will be produced. In addition, the Russian automaker has planned fifteen premieres for 2025 - these will be both new models and modifications of existing ones. Details - in the material "Izvestia".
Commerce in the Chinese style
AvtoVAZ may launch a new car brand, following the example of the Chinese auto industry. This was announced at a press conference on the results of the year and plans for 2025, the President of the company Maxim Sokolov.
- We work with many partners both in the country and abroad. Our engineering center in St. Petersburg, which interacts with many engineering companies and design centers, is fully operational. One of the marketing directions of AvtoVAZ is to develop not only the product line, but also the brand line. We see the successful example of the Chinese market, where the diversity of brands reigns. We follow these trends and are working on the issue of launching another separate brand that will characterize, among other things, the line of our commercial vehicles," Sokolov said.
According to him, the commercial segment is currently underutilized and the demand for such cars is growing. Therefore, AvtoVAZ has made special efforts to launch production of the Largus model in Izhevsk. In addition, investments were made in the VIS subsidiary to develop its commercial vehicle lineup based on Granta and Niva and increase production.
- Just during the New Year holidays, the coloring production was fully launched, and this indicates that a full cycle model can be used there. That is, we will send there not car kits, but single bodies, and our colleagues will paint and assemble them in full, - said Maxim Sokolov.
The brand will be based on the existing line of commercial vehicles, which can be expanded through a separate enterprise and cooperation with AvtoVAZ partners. Moreover, Maxim Sokolov admitted that it may be models with payload capacity of more than 500 kg.
- When we present it, we will see what model range to fill it with. Now it is premature to talk about it, but the work is underway and is in the final stage - said Maxim Sokolov. The new brand is planned to be presented in 2025-2026.
Spark, crossover and other novelties
Volga Automobile Plant has planned one and a half dozen "major product events" for 2025. This includes both the launch of new models and modifications to existing models. The main premiere is the new Iskra family, which will enter the assembly line in Togliatti in the first half of the year. In June 2025, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), the world premiere of the Lada crossover on the Vesta platform will take place.
For 2025, AvtoVAZ has promised new versions and configurations for the entire Lada model range. Vesta will get Sport modification, and the recently launched Niva Sport will get the "Silk Road" version in honor of the rally-marathon of the same name by summer. Already in January "Vesta" with 1.8 liter engine will start to receive a new 6-speed manual transmission, also climate control will return to the cars. By summer the Niva family will be equipped with a new 8-valve unit of 1,8 liters, first it will appear on Niva Travel.
Plans for the near future
AvtoVAZ does not plan to stop here, the launch of minivan is scheduled for 2027. Works on turbo engines are underway, probably, it will be partner projects. There are also plans for a mid-size crossover.
- We are working on various projects taking into account the available solutions for the new domestic platform. Now it is being developed with direct participation of NAMI FSUE, its multifunctionality and parameters are being assessed. As part of this work, we will consider the creation of a mid-size all-wheel drive crossover. Depending on how it will be solved, we will adjust or change our plans. We believe that the domestic car industry should have the whole palette of the model range. Probably, it is not a question of the nearest five-year plan, but rather a question of strategic planning, - Maxim Sokolov told us.
What AvtoVAZ lacks
Maxim Kadakov, editor-in-chief of Za Rulem, thinks that the Togliatti-based concern lacks a crossover in its model lineup.
- But it will already be close to the Aura in price and, according to my calculations, will cost 2.6-2.7 million rubles. It is unlikely that it will be sold in huge numbers. But, of course, AvtoVAZ needs a crossover," says Kadakov.
The main difficulty for AvtoVAZ is the lack of a modern platform for a car of segment C and above, says Igor Morzharetto, partner of Avstostat.
- The company has a good platform "Vesta", on which a crossover will be created already this year. There is also a modern platform "Iskra", which can also be used to create new models. But both of these platforms are designed for B and B+ segment models. So now the company is physically unable to make a car of a higher class, which is necessary for a full-fledged model line," the expert told Izvestia.
According to him, the development of the platform is a long and not the cheapest process. The way out of this situation may be cooperation with partners from friendly countries or acquisition of existing solutions.
- It should be a universal, modular platform, allowing to create different types of cars and designed for the use of not only traditional internal combustion engines, allowing the possibility of creating on its basis an electric car and hybrid model - says Igor Morzharetto.
Half a million
AvtoVAZ reported on the fulfillment of all goals for 2024 and a record forty percent growth in car production - up to 525,525 units. Thus, the company exceeded the plan of half a million cars. However, the beautiful figure includes not only Lada commercial and passenger cars sold in Russia (about 459 thousand cars), but also exported cars and machine kits.
- Currently, AvtoVAZ's market share is about 30%. From month to month it "walks" a little. Last year sales volumes were growing, and it is always easier to develop in a growing market. If they continue this year, AvtoVAZ will feel very good, and it will be able to sell the same 500 thousand cars or even a little more without difficulty. Even if the market declines by 10%, it will not affect the company much either. But if the overall market decline will be stronger, at the level of 15-20%, then AvtoVAZ will have to reconsider its plans, - Maxim Kadakov noted.
In any case, the price of Ladas will increase, and not once, during the year, he believes. At least within the limits of inflation.
One of the main reasons for the rise in the price of Lada cars was the anti-Russian sanctions, Maxim Sokolov said.
- We are certainly experiencing sanctions pressure, and for a year and a half, since September 2023, when sanctions were imposed on AvtoVAZ, it has only intensified. Secondary sanctions have been added, which have made logistics chains and sending payments more complicated. This has significantly affected the price of our products," said the head of AvtoVAZ.
