AvtoVAZ ready to scoot over on Russian market

"We are ready to scoot over on the market to start producing any kind of foreign cars," Chairman of the Board of Directors of the AvtoVAZ car manufacturer Vladimir Kadannikov declared at the sixth annual conference 'Car Production Strategy in Russia and the CIS' today. According to him, AvtoVAZ is ready to negotiate this issue with any company. Russia should eliminate its technological lag in car production with the help of world experience, Kadannikov thinks.

It is worth mentioning that at the present time AvtoVAZ in cooperation with General Motors produces Chevrolet-Niva all-terrain vehicles. The joint venture produces 75,000 vehicles annually. Later, General Motors will be producing some of its models (supposedly, Opel Astra cars) at the facilities of the joint venture. The price of any of these models won't exceed $10,000, which will make it possible for AvtoVAZ to increase its presence on the Russian market of middle-class cars. In addition, in 2004, AvtoVAZ is planning to introduce a new model, called Kalina, and restyle all rear-wheel driven cars. In 2002, the major Russian car manufacturer will produce 777,000 cars, of which 100,000 will be exported.

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