Red October for Light-Vehicle Deliveries in Russia

The slowdown in Russian new-vehicle sales accelerated again in October with the once-burgeoning market falling 38.5% to 129,958.

Association of European Businesses Automobile Manufacturers Committee data shows the 81,407-unit plunge from like-2014 left year-to-date sales down 33.6% at 1,322,681.

Committee Chairman Joerg Schreiber sees little to be optimistic about.

“Following a brief softening in August-September, the pace of market decline is picking up speed again in October,” he says in a statement. “A key reason for this trend reversal is the now-stabilized ruble exchange rate, the sudden slump of which in August had led to pull-ahead sales which are now missing.

“Also, the suspension of the government scrappage and trade-in program, originally introduced in September last year, is impacting retail demand in an unfavorable manner.”

Lada continued to lead the market in October despite dropping 46% year-on-year to 20,592 units. Kia narrowed the gap a little as its sales fell only 17% to 14,222 units. Hyundai followed, down 8% at 14,145 units.

Through 10 months of the year, Lada maintained its customary solid lead, down 30% at 224,054 units, ahead of Kia, slipping 13% to 134,160, with Hyundai just behind, off 10% at 133,530.

Ford, meantime, saw October sales slide 25% to 3,962 units for a year-to-date total down 39% at 30,508. Chevrolet fell 62% to 3,485 units, leaving it down 56% year-to-date at 43,327.

The AvtoVAZ-Renault-Nissan Group slumped 43.2% in October to 39,071 units for a 10-month total down 30.0% at 429,300.

General Motors sales shrank 70.3% in October to 4,156 units, with Opel falling 88.4% to 544 units. The small Cadillac market rose 15.5% to 127 units.

Through 10 months, GM sales have slumped 60.9% to 59,585 units, with Opel off 70.4% at 15,454 and Cadillac down 24.1% at 804.

Hyundai’s Solaris took over as Russia’s top-selling model, falling a relatively modest 10.0% to 9,507 units and displacing the longtime market leader Lada Granta, which backslid 44.6% to 9,308.

The Granta still leads the market year-to-date, down 22.7% to 99,653 units. Solaris was closing in, up 39 units year-on-year to 95,047.

Chevrolet’s Niva ranked No.8 in October deliveries, down 18.8% at 3,039. After 10 months, Niva was in 11^th place, off 22.3% at 25,357 units.