Subaru Puts Russian Assembly Plans on Hold

VIENNA – There are no immediate plans for assembly of Subaru cars in Russia, says Kazushi Yoshida, the new executive director of Russian importer Subaru Motor.

“We have suspended consideration of the matter, as our main target is the creation of a new long-term development strategy of the Subaru brand in Russia for five years,” Yoshida is quoted as saying by the Russian newspaper RBK Daily.

Yoshida, who served as managing director of the company until 2011, returned this month to take the new position. He says his tasks include creating a new approach to positioning Subaru in the Russian market.

The importer plans to expand the Japanese auto maker’s dealer network. “You need to go deep into the country, in less-populated cities in Russia,” he is quoted as saying.

In 2011, Yoshida told Russian media it was possible Subaru-badged cars might be assembled in Russia in a few years’ time. This, however, would require annual sales of at least 30,000 units in the country.

In September 2012, Andrei Ivoylov, marketing and sales director of the Russian Subaru dealer Avtoholding RRT, told Gazeta.ru that Subaru assembly might start in 2014.

According to reports the auto maker does not confirm, parent company Fuji Heavy Industries was considering launching assembly of Subaru Forester and Outback models from semi-knocked-down kits at Russian contract assembler Avtotor Holding in Kaliningrad starting in 2014. Construction of a small complete-knocked-down assembly factory with annual capacity of more than 35,000 units would begin that year.

Subaru sold 9,929 cars in Russia this year through July, up 22.2% from like-2012.