Photo: Catalin Garmacea
Europeans buy tiny cars with 3-cylinder engines and Americans like huge SUVs with V8s and automatic gearboxes – that's what the stereotypes suggest. However, things are a little bit different in Russia. Sales numbers released recently state that 48% of the cars sold there during 2014 had automatic transmissions.
When you also consider that more and more Americans are buying compacts these days, it's pretty clear that those stereotypes just aren't right anymore.
Of course, the autos include the dreaded robotized manual systems and the Continuously Variable Transmissions that people love to hate. However, the fact that Russians don't want to row their own gears should tell you something.
Partly because of tensions with the West, but also due to weakness in the local economy, car sales in Russia have been falling dramatically over the past couple of years. The remaining buyers are probably rich enough to afford something more than a Lada or Dacia. They can afford to pay extra for the auto option.
In fact, some premium brands like Mercedes no longer offer the manual option on most of their models.
Sales of manual-equipped cars have been steadily declining, as the accounted for 55% of the market in 2013, down from 68% in 2010. In the case of AvtoVAZ's Lada brand, a robotized box accounts for 10% of customers with numbers only expected to increase.
In other news related to the Russian market, Volkswagen will close its factory in Kaluga for a whole month due to oversupply. However, Ford recently announced that the all-new 2015 Mustang pony car will arrive in August, quenching the local thirst for American goodies.
Of course, the autos include the dreaded robotized manual systems and the Continuously Variable Transmissions that people love to hate. However, the fact that Russians don't want to row their own gears should tell you something.
Partly because of tensions with the West, but also due to weakness in the local economy, car sales in Russia have been falling dramatically over the past couple of years. The remaining buyers are probably rich enough to afford something more than a Lada or Dacia. They can afford to pay extra for the auto option.
In fact, some premium brands like Mercedes no longer offer the manual option on most of their models.
Sales of manual-equipped cars have been steadily declining, as the accounted for 55% of the market in 2013, down from 68% in 2010. In the case of AvtoVAZ's Lada brand, a robotized box accounts for 10% of customers with numbers only expected to increase.
In other news related to the Russian market, Volkswagen will close its factory in Kaluga for a whole month due to oversupply. However, Ford recently announced that the all-new 2015 Mustang pony car will arrive in August, quenching the local thirst for American goodies.
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