Ford Focus Wins Russian Market Battle with the Logan in 2010

Last year, Russia’s car market grew by 30 percent to 1.91 million units, despite an initial slump at the beginning of the year, The Moscow Times revealed. The recovery was driven by an increase in general consumer confidence and a stable currency.

Nine of top ten best selling models were models produced in Russia, with AutoVAZ’s Lada leading the pack, followed by 2105/2107, Priora, Kalina and Samara. The Ford Focus was the most popular foreign-branded model, with 67,041 sold, beating the old sales leader, the Renault Logan, by approximately 5,000 units.

The two models fought a close battle for supremacy until December 2010, when Focus sales jumped 81 percent, while the Logan only managed a 31 percent increase. Logan models are assembled in the Avtoframos factory near Moscow, using components manufactured by the Automobile Dacia plant in Romania.

The Association of European Businesses' Automobile Manufacturers Committee, which represents 25 auto companies making 40 car brands for the Russian market, calculated that 1.47 million cars and light commercial vehicles were sold in 2009. At the start of last year, figures showed a further 7 percent decline in the first quarter, but the market turned positive and steadily increased in the last three.

December growth amounted to an impressive 60 percent compared to the same period of last year. These recent result put the Russian market on its way to pre-crisis sales figures, which are expected to be reached by 2012.

“Continued growth will depend on a stable currency, low interest rates and continued consumer confidence,” said committee chairman David Thomas.