Acura to Launch Sales in Russia With Three Dealerships

VIENNA – Honda’s near-luxury brand, Acura, will launch Russian sales with three dealerships, two in Moscow and one in St. Petersburg, Hideo Masuda, president of the import company Honda Import Rus, tells the Russian car magazine Klakson.

Russia, which is the largest European market for competitors Lexus and Infiniti, along with neighboring Ukraine will be the first European Acura markets when sales start in 2014.

Honda had planned to introduce Acura in Russia in 2008, but postponed the plan because of the economic crisis.

Masuda says Acura will launch its Russian sales with the MDX and RDX cross/utility vehicles, catering to a segment that is becoming popular in Russia. The two CUV models already are on the local streets, sold through the gray market.

Acura also will offer the all-new NSX supercar.

Masuda tells the magazine the brand also plans to offer a sedan. “We will decide a little bit later which (one) exactly.”

He declines to provide volume targets for Acura in Russia. However, in an interview published last year, Masuda is quoted as saying Honda expects to sell 10,000-12,000 Acura vehicles in Russia in 2015.

Toyota’s Lexus delivered 4,938 vehicles and Nissan’s Infiniti 3,246 in Russia this year through April.