AvtoVAZ may reduce auto production in Tolyatti 3.5% in 2012
TOLYATTI. Nov 29 (Interfax) - Russia's largest automaker OJSC AvtoVAZ plans to produce 710,000 vehicles at its facilities in Tolyatti next year, which would be 3.5% less than the 735,000 the plant will ultimately build this year, the company's executive vice president for production and technical development, Vitaly Vilchik, told the press on Tuesday.
"Our plan for 2012 is 710,000 automobiles," Vilchik said. That would be a 3.5% decrease from 2011 output. Vilchik said this is happening because the plant's "classic" models are now being assembled at Izh-Auto in Izhevsk.
In November-December, he said, about 50%-60% of average monthly output of those models, 9,000 autos, will be produced in Izhevsk. The production of the "classics" in Izhevsk in 2012 is "under question," as there are plans for the middle of next year to start producing economy Granta models, which starting Tuesday are being serially built in Tolyatti, he said.
AvtoVAZ built 545,500 automobiles last year, which was 85% more than the year before.
Vilchik also said that starting in September the plant plans to start production of the Lada Granta with automatic transmission. This automobile will be built to order, he said.