Chinese vehicle kits will start being assembled in Russia under the brand 'Volga' 0 8

It is now clear which car will be produced under the legendary name 'Volga'. According to the application for obtaining a type approval certificate from Nizhny Novgorod manufacturers, it will be the well-known 'Geely Monjaro' (also known as Geely Xingyue L, Renault Grand Koleos, and Volvo XC-40).

"You can scream as much as you want that this is not a real 'Volga', but the reality leaves no other options: it is only possible to quickly and problem-free master the production of foreign cars — with subsequent localization," writes Maxim Kadakov, the editor-in-chief of the magazine 'Za Rulem', on his Telegram channel.

And it is hard to disagree with him, remembering the wild shortage of domestic cars in our market. But in this case, it is encouraging that Russian business has chosen not a third-rate Chinese manufacturer, who is little known even in his homeland, but the globally recognized corporation 'Geely', which also owns the Swedish 'Volvo'.

— Geely cars, especially the Monjaro, have the highest reputation among Russian buyers of Chinese cars, — says Igor Lemeshev, an automotive engineer and expert at 'NI'. — More than 100,000 Monjaro crossovers have been sold in the three years since global brands fled Russia. Some have driven over 200,000 kilometers without significant issues. They have learned to repair them in our service centers, and spare parts supplies have been established (though not all of them). And this is a big plus for the future 'Volga'.

Another advantage is that the factory in Nizhny can immediately gear up for tens of thousands of cars per year, as the Kaluga 'Tenet' has done in partnership with 'Chery'. With high volumes, the manufacturer ensures the necessary threshold of profitability when transitioning to localization of components, organizing stamping production, welding, and painting of bodies. This means that the recycling fee can be deducted from the price of the finished car, making the vehicles more affordable.

"The Nizhny Novgorod team will go far down the path of localization. I am confident that we will see not only Russian steel, glass, and plastic, but also more serious components," predicts Maxim Kadakov.