Auto Makers Post Healthy September, YTD Sales Gains in Russia

The Russian automotive market continues to show positive dynamics, with September sales of new cars and light-commercial vehicle rising 26% year-over-year to 235,552 units.

Sales after the first three quarters of the year total 921,282 units, up 45% from like-2010.

Niva leads GM sales surge in Russia.

The Association of European Businesses Automobile Manufacturers Committee says nine of Europe’s 10 best-selling passenger cars are produced in Russia.

"The 26% increase for the month of September is in line with our recent expectations of a slowing but still strong growth for the remainder of 2011,” committee chairman David Thomas says in a statement.

“The full-year forecast of 2.45 million cars and light-commercial vehicles looks very achievable, and the market prospects for the final quarter remain very positive, with much-improved credit availability and robust consumer confidence.”

Thomas says the committee will update its full-year forecast next month.

Lada, Russia’s leading brand, saw fractional growth with 50,918 sales in September, up 20% year-to-date to 443,917.

Deliveries of Chevrolet’s Niva grew 52% in September to 5,140 units, for a 9-month total of 36,430, a 52% improvement.

Deliveries of all Chevrolet vehicles jumped 44% in September to 15,288, and were up 57% to 126,899 for the year.

GM Group sales spiked 41% for the month to 21,206 units, and surged 67% at 177,397 in the first nine months.

Ford held eighth place, with deliveries up 19% to 11,129 units in September. It sold 82,286 vehicles year to date for a 35% improvement.

The Ford Focus ranked seventh in sales by model, rising 10% last month to 7,325 units and up 25% to 56,705 units through the first nine months.