While analysts and auto industry participants alike nervously eye prospects for vehicle markets already depressed by higher oil prices and economic slowdown, Russia’s automotive boom appears to be continuing unabated.
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Car sales in Russia could amount to between 3.6m and 3.8m vehicles in 2008, making Russia the largest car market in Europe in terms of sales, Stanley Root, the head of PricewaterhouseCoopers’ automotive practice, has said.
Car sales in Russia amounted to 1.645m vehicles in January-June, up 41% on the year, Root said.
Of the total, sales of domestic cars amounted to 380,000 units in the period while sales of foreign-branded cars assembled in Russia were 290,000 units.
Ford sold 97,626 vehicles in Russia, up 20% on the year, the company said in a statement.
Ford’s best-selling models in the period were the Focus, with 46,335 cars sold, up from 34,752 units in January-June 2007, and the Fusion, with 27,258 cars sold, up from 17,990 units, the company said.
The Focus is made in Russia at Ford’s St Petersburg plant.
Ford subsidiary Mazda has also reported strong sales in Russia; its year-on-year sales were up by 112% in June to 7,500 units, helping to take Mazda Europe to a record Q2.
