Chinese cars? Sanctions leave Russians no choice
STORY: Russian car buyers have some new brand names to get their heads around.
Chinese makers have rushed in to fill the gap left by Western firms that have pulled out.
That leaves shoppers to learn about companies like Haval and Geely.
So far, the welcome is wary at best.
Car buyers Reuters spoke to were unsure about the quality of the new offerings.
At the price they’re charging, the plastics look cheap, says one man.
Auto journalist Sergey Aslanyan says that reflects a Russian perception that Chinese products are downmarket:
“If a person in Russia wants to put somebody down, they will say that ‘Hey, you have a Chinese phone or your car is Chinese.’ At the moment people are not that hungry to show demand for Chinese products. We need to end up like Cuba first - to turn into pedestrians over the years - and then maybe we will lower the expectations enough for Chinese cars.”
Sales figures tell a different story though.
Chinese brands now have almost 40% of Russia’s car market, up from less than 10% early last year.
The main driver may be the simple fact of availability.
In the eastern city of Vladivostok, Vladimir Shestak sells Western and Chinese brands:
“In light of all the recent events we mostly rely on Geely sales now. But we continue to sell Mercedes cars. Some of them are bought via parallel import, some are leftover stock from before.”
Russians increasingly have little choice, with most Western brands already gone.
Volkswagen's Skoda unit is currently in the final stages of negotiating a deal to sell its assets.
The departure of such firms was one factor in a near-60% slump in total car sales last year.
For many buyers, that means it may soon be a case of go Chinese, or catch the bus.
相關影片推薦
- 1:11滴妹從小就對哥哥黏緊緊 22年前照片曝光回憶湧現娛樂星聞38,098 次觀看・8 小時前
- 1:54520禮賓大使亮相! 女性首穿「褲裝」打破傳統|#鏡新聞鏡新聞19,288 次觀看・1 天前
- 習近平訪歐旋風持續發酵 歐洲脫美自主有望?【風向龍鳳配】風向龍鳳配106,470 次觀看・1 週前
- 1:21"北區最美大藥頭"開豪車運毒 警起獲2千克海洛因等違禁品民視影音19,755 次觀看・16 小時前
- 1:34台荷混血三兄弟大哥扛家計 娶美嬌娘太平雲梯辦婚禮民視影音246,862 次觀看・3 天前
- 1:55500年歷史「瑞士衛隊」世界最小軍隊 限「無可挑剔的品格」單身男 成員僅135人Yahoo奇摩(國際通)51,937 次觀看・1 天前
- 1:50起底青山宮主委黃清源 芳明館角頭老大黑白通吃民視影音34,257 次觀看・22 小時前
- 1:53騙過驗鈔機遭美銀鑑定偽鈔 警逮天道盟分會會長|#鏡新聞鏡新聞122,182 次觀看・21 小時前
- 0:47彰化伸港3姊弟車禍 姊姊急性水腦症昏迷命危|#鏡新聞鏡新聞212,712 次觀看・1 天前
- 1:49女學生遭攻擊家長怒告 男稱不滿被吊飾甩到華視影音143,231 次觀看・2 天前