New car, LCV sales in Russia up 14% in July and 7M - AEB (Part 2)

MOSCOW. Aug 8 (Interfax) - Sales of new cars and light commercial vehicles in Russia amounted to 255,560 for the month of July, up 14% year-on-year, and to 1,669,455 in January-July, likewise up 14%, the Association of European Business said.

The volume of sales at more than 255,000 vehicles is a very strong result for the summer month; in fact, it is the best figure in the history of the Russian market for cars and light commercial vehicles, the AEB said. It is pleased to see the sector demonstrating such an excellent outcome, chair of the association's auto-producer committee and head of Mazda in Russia Igor Shraiber said, as cited in the statement.

Of the top ten models among new passenger vehicles of all types sold in January-July, all were Russian produced, among which were four OJSC Avtovaz (RTS: AVAZ) models, as well as Hyundai, Ford, Kia, Renault, VW and Chevrolet models.

In July, sales of vehicles produced by the Avtovaz group and Renault-Nissan grew 2% year-on-year to 77,018. Of that amount, 47,093 were produced by Avtovaz (down 7%), 16,623 were produced by Renault (up 24%), and 12,637 were produced by Nissan (up 12%).

The Volkswagen group expanded vehicle sales on the Russian market by 38% in July to 27,537 automobiles. Of those sales, 14,523 were passenger vehicles under the Volkswagen brand (33% growth), 2,757 were under the Audi brand (up 36%), and 8,702 were the Skoda brand (up 42%).

Vehicle shipments by the GM group to Russia climbed 25% to 27,935, including 20,221 under the Chevrolet brand (28% growth), and 7,514 of the Opel brand (up 20%).

Kia sent 14,693 automobiles to Russian clients in July (16% growth), Hyundai shipped 12,827 cars to Russia (up 11%), the Toyota group delivered 8,142 vehicles (up 91%), and Ford sent 10,405 automobiles (up 13%).

GAZ Group (RTS: GAZA) cut light commercial vehicle supplies by 9% to 7,623 units in July.

The group PSA Peugeot-Citroen sold 6,408 vehicles in Russia (6% growth), including 3,600 cars under the Peugeot brand (3% decrease). Mitsubishi sold 6,007 vehicles (up 23%); Mazda sold 3,225 (up 8%); Mercedes-Benz - 3,482 (up 27%); the BMW group - 2,989 (up 17%), 2,732 of which were under the BMW brand (up 17%); Suzuki - 2,715 (up 8%), Jaguar Land Rover - 1,708 (up 54%), Volvo - 1,649 (up 9%), Honda - 2,029 (up 23%), Lifan - 1,902 (down 2%), Chery - 1,722 (up 181%), Subaru - 1,069 (down 13%), Geely - 1,721 (up 266%), Great Wall - 1,151 (up 143%), the Chrysler group - 683 (up 210%) and Porsche - 354 (up 75%).

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