Car Scene in Russia? - Team-BHP

Joz · 25th July 2006, 19:13

After looking at the Car Scene in Nigeria thread, I have no doubts that I will be a happy man at the end of this excercise.

Need to quickly know a few things about the Russian car market. I have the figures and stats with me. What I am looking for is more dope on the soft issues and a few technical issues.

Info I am looking for is stuff like, who is the primary user of passenger cars there? Their Marital Status, Age group, Gender, Occupation etc. What kind of cars are popular among them? And any such info which you have observed is welcome.

On the technical front, are there any significant changes the vehicles sold there have - to adapt to the climate, terrain, usage habits etc.

And yeah, any experiences on supercar spotting, racing etc. will be a delight. I remember the Ferrari & Masserati entering the Russian market in style by driving 10,000 km all the way through Northern Europe. This was a few years back. With big tickets millionaires on the rise, I am sure there is a lot happening out there.

ps: Will be going there in a few weeks time, so do post some experiences of conducting business and getting around there.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers.
Jose

Mpower · 25th July 2006, 22:31

Dont be surprised if you see a lots of Premier 118NE lookalikes there made by Lada.

Stratos · 25th July 2006, 23:10

Believe me, Russia has a lot and I mean a lott of exotic cars running on their roads!

karthik247 · 25th July 2006, 23:42

Should be way better than the Nigeria experience...

ranjan united · 26th July 2006, 00:11

There's a Rolls Royce showroom right across from the Kremlin. So much for communism.

ajmat · 26th July 2006, 05:59

Please find link here. Have PM'd article to you

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...24/wcars24.xml

islero · 26th July 2006, 09:42

Russia has a pretty funny car scene, from the articles I have read.

There are the bottom-end Volgas and Moskviches runnign around and sharing road space with blinged BMW's and Mercs and Evo's and the like

Ram · 26th July 2006, 10:17

The Russians (erstwhile Soviets) had been denied the individualistic trappings of modern society, at the expense of socialist ones like high-speed trains and high-rise ghettoes. They used to queue up for bread, cake and clothes.
There were waiting lists for everything. The typical black marketeer would sell his place in the queue for money.
A bachelor boy and a bachelor girl had to wait for the government to "sanction" them an apartment, so that they could marry and settle in life.

Suddenly one day...
The Berlin Wall evaporated and the USSR was dismantled.
A new middle-class was born, with the desires and motives typical of developed and developing world, middle-classes!.

Unable to sustain their growth, the queues in Russia are back, this time around for the Ford Focus car. Black marketeering is back. People dont want the Lada (Premier 118NE-like car) anymore.

Remember 1993, when hordes of hamare-log dumped substituted their old Padminis and 118NEs and went for Maruti 1000s and Zens and the new 1.3 litre Esteem?

Back then, even Maruti had a shameless 800TK 'Tatkal' model, to enjoy the premiums that the blackmarket business of those days commanded.

Joz · 26th July 2006, 10:54

From what i read in the article posted by Ajit and the inputs from Ram, there is a considerable demand supply gap for the foreign cars. The consumers there are more inclined to spend their money on a car than a house, because getting a flat from the governement takes ages and buying one on your own is impossible due to the soaring real estate prices. (Moscow apparently is among the costliest cities in the world).

The figures I have shows that the market went down by a -3.8 % in 2005 (wonder why) but grew by 9.9 % in 2004. AvtoVAZ which makes the Lada still has a strong 67 % of the market. Their share although, is on a decline, because of the increasing demand for foreign makes - partly because of the social image thats attached to them and partly because of the vehicle in itself.

In the 80's and early 90's the Lada's used to be dominate the rally scene there. I remember seeing a video once, where the cars used to topple at almost every other corner.

Also, Mahindra was looking at launching the Scorpio in Russia about a year back. Any idea how they fared?

Thanks a ton for all the inputs people. Keep them coming.

Cheers,
Jose

25th July 2006, 19:13	#1 (permalink)
Joz BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 221	Car Scene in Russia? After looking at the Car Scene in Nigeria thread, I have no doubts that I will be a happy man at the end of this excercise. Need to quickly know a few things about the Russian car market. I have the figures and stats with me. What I am looking for is more dope on the soft issues and a few technical issues. Info I am looking for is stuff like, who is the primary user of passenger cars there? Their Marital Status, Age group, Gender, Occupation etc. What kind of cars are popular among them? And any such info which you have observed is welcome. On the technical front, are there any significant changes the vehicles sold there have - to adapt to the climate, terrain, usage habits etc. And yeah, any experiences on supercar spotting, racing etc. will be a delight. I remember the Ferrari & Masserati entering the Russian market in style by driving 10,000 km all the way through Northern Europe. This was a few years back. With big tickets millionaires on the rise, I am sure there is a lot happening out there. ps: Will be going there in a few weeks time, so do post some experiences of conducting business and getting around there. Thanks in advance. Cheers. Jose

25th July 2006, 22:31	#2 (permalink)
Mpower Team-BHP Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago/B'lore Posts: 3,628 View My Garage	Dont be surprised if you see a lots of Premier 118NE lookalikes there made by Lada. __________________ The difference between the men and the boys....................is the speed of their toys.

25th July 2006, 23:10	#3 (permalink)
Stratos Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: San Jose, CA - Mumbai Posts: 1,839 View My Garage	Believe me, Russia has a lot and I mean a lott of exotic cars running on their roads! __________________ To Izh thi Mex

25th July 2006, 23:42	#4 (permalink)
karthik247 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: TVM Posts: 2,295 View My Garage	Should be way better than the Nigeria experience... __________________ Slow and steady wins the race... But there is nothing like a 300kmph dash to the line!!

26th July 2006, 00:11	#5 (permalink)
ranjan united BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Windsor, Canada... But still a Bombay-Boy at heart !!! Posts: 412	There's a Rolls Royce showroom right across from the Kremlin. So much for communism. __________________ The Race for Perfection has no Finish Line - McLaren

26th July 2006, 05:59	#6 (permalink)
ajmat Team-BHP Moderator Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,224 View My Garage	Please find link here. Have PM'd article to you http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...24/wcars24.xml __________________ I love the whoosh, but i miss the bellowing

26th July 2006, 09:42	#7 (permalink)
islero Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,646 View My Garage	Russia has a pretty funny car scene, from the articles I have read. There are the bottom-end Volgas and Moskviches runnign around and sharing road space with blinged BMW's and Mercs and Evo's and the like __________________ A piece of graffiti- ' Owing to lack of interest, tomorrow has been cancelled'

26th July 2006, 10:17	#8 (permalink)
Ram Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Mumbai, Pune, München Posts: 1,534 View My Garage	The Russians (erstwhile Soviets) had been denied the individualistic trappings of modern society, at the expense of socialist ones like high-speed trains and high-rise ghettoes. They used to queue up for bread, cake and clothes. There were waiting lists for everything. The typical black marketeer would sell his place in the queue for money. A bachelor boy and a bachelor girl had to wait for the government to "sanction" them an apartment, so that they could marry and settle in life. Suddenly one day... The Berlin Wall evaporated and the USSR was dismantled. A new middle-class was born, with the desires and motives typical of developed and developing world, middle-classes!. Unable to sustain their growth, the queues in Russia are back, this time around for the Ford Focus car. Black marketeering is back. People dont want the Lada (Premier 118NE-like car) anymore. Remember 1993, when hordes of hamare-log dumped substituted their old Padminis and 118NEs and went for Maruti 1000s and Zens and the new 1.3 litre Esteem? Back then, even Maruti had a shameless 800TK 'Tatkal' model, to enjoy the premiums that the blackmarket business of those days commanded.

26th July 2006, 10:54	#9 (permalink)
Joz BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 221	From what i read in the article posted by Ajit and the inputs from Ram, there is a considerable demand supply gap for the foreign cars. The consumers there are more inclined to spend their money on a car than a house, because getting a flat from the governement takes ages and buying one on your own is impossible due to the soaring real estate prices. (Moscow apparently is among the costliest cities in the world). The figures I have shows that the market went down by a -3.8 % in 2005 (wonder why) but grew by 9.9 % in 2004. AvtoVAZ which makes the Lada still has a strong 67 % of the market. Their share although, is on a decline, because of the increasing demand for foreign makes - partly because of the social image thats attached to them and partly because of the vehicle in itself. In the 80's and early 90's the Lada's used to be dominate the rally scene there. I remember seeing a video once, where the cars used to topple at almost every other corner. Also, Mahindra was looking at launching the Scorpio in Russia about a year back. Any idea how they fared? Thanks a ton for all the inputs people. Keep them coming. Cheers, Jose

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