Russia Sales Up 11% in 2012, But Cooldown Predicted

New-vehicle sales in Russia soared 11% to a record 2,935,111 units in 2012, but a slowdown in December signaled the market will not improve much, if at all, this year.

The Association of European Businesses’ Automobile Manufacturers Committee says it expects an uptick of no more than 5%, to 2.95 million units, in 2013.

December sales growth skidded to 1% with 253,158 units sold.

Committee Chairman Joerg Schreiber says last year’s result narrowly exceeded the previous record of 2.918 million units set in 2008.

“The outlook for the market in 2013 holds little promise for a quick return to growth at the double-digit rates enjoyed in recent years,” he says in a statement.

“An AMC member poll of industry expectations for this year resulted in a scope of plus or minus 5% around a median of 2.95 million sales of (passenger cars and light-commercial vehicles) in Russia in 2013.

“This suggests the market will consolidate at or close to its current level – an assumption supported by the actual performance in the last couple of months.”

Lada’s market dominance is such that despite a 7% fall in 2012 deliveries to 537,625 units, AvtoVAZ easily won the annual sales race.

Chevrolet followed, with sales climbing 18% to 205,042 units, but ended the year with December deliveries down 4% to 15,815. Renault jumped 23% to 189,852. The AvtoVAZ-Renault-Nissan alliance saw 2012 sales inch up 1% to 890,433, dragged down by Lada’s 7% drop.

Apart from Renault, Nissan deliveries were up 11% to 153,747 and its Infiniti luxury division saw sales surge 31% to 9,209.

Volkswagen Group deliveries soared 38% for the year to 315,937 units, outpacing the General Motors Group, up 19% to 288,308.

Ford sales matched the industry performance, rising 11% to 130,809 units after December deliveries increased 7% to 14,162.

Apart from Chevrolet, the GM Group reported Opel sales rose 20% to 81,242 units with Cadillac dropping 9% to 2,024. Kia followed, up 23% to 187,330, ahead of its Hyundai affiliate, improving 7% to 174,286.

Toyota and Lexus combined for a 27% jump to 168,700 units.

The Chrysler grouping of Fiat, Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge saw annual sales soar 357%, albeit from a small base, to 10,645 units. Jeep, the group’s most-established brand in Russia, spiked 125% to 4,704. Chrysler’s overall result surged 309% in December to 1,390.

The Lada Priora was Russia’s top-selling model in 2012, despite a 9% sales slide to 125,951 units. It was followed by the Lada Granta.

Lada’s Kalina brand was third, with deliveries tumbling 16% to 119,890 units.

Ford’s Focus took fifth place, up 12% to 92,219 units, while the Chevrolet Cruze was ninth, jumping 68% to 63,181, passing the Chevrolet Niva, up 9% to 59,331.