Opel and Chevrolet decided to leave the Russian market – Rosbalt.RU

MOSCOW, March 18. US automakers Opel and Chevrolet (included in the group General Motors, GM) announced his retirement from the Russian market. This decision was made because of the extremely low sales in late 2014 and early 2015.

Opel out of Russia entirely. Until the end of June will be mothballed plant in St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad “Avtotor” assembly will be completed in February. Chevrolet will leave Russia’s only premium model Corvette, Tahoe, and Camaro. Assembling other cars of this brand at GAZ completed by the end of the year, according to Autonews.

The joint venture with “AvtoVAZ” GM-Avtovaz continue to work, but the project of building a plant to produce Chevrolet-Niva second generation is closed.

As for the Cadillac, which is also part of the concern General Motors, is selling cars under this brand in Russia will not be stopped.

GM will focus on selling only premium brands Chevrolet and Cadillac. The dealer network will be restructured by the end of the year. Service and spare parts for the departed brands survive, the company promises.

The lineup Opel was presented in our market 6 Model: Astra bodies in three- and five-door hatchback, sedan and wagon; Insignia version liftback, sedan, wagon and Country Tourer; Antara crossover and Mokka; minivans Meriva and Zafira. In addition, modifications were available sports Astra OPC and Insignia OPC.

Chevrolet sold in Russia kompaktkar Spark, Aveo hatchback and a sedan, Cruze (sedan, hatchback, station wagon), Cobalt, Malibu, crossovers Captiva, TrailBlazer and minivan Orlando.

Most of the models of General Motors was produced by Russian plants. Enterprise “Avtotor” in Kaliningrad has released Opel Zafira, Meriva, Insignia and the Chevrolet Aveo. At the “General Motoros Auto” in St. Petersburg collected Chevrolet Cruze and Captiva; Opel Antara, Astra and Mokka. In Togliatti factory of proceedings Chevrolet Niva.

At the beginning of 2015 sales of both brands just collapsed, statistics show AEB. In January Chevrolet lost 68% and Opel – once 75% in February Opel losses exceeded 80%, and Chevrolet – has exceeded 70%. As a result, none of the Opel failed to hold the list of 25 best-selling cars in Russia, and Chevrolet is now represented in this list only model Niva.

In the middle of March 2015 a joint venture between GM-Avtovaz has suspended construction of a plant in the Samara region, which had produced a new generation of car Chevrolet Niva.