Russia builds almost 70% more cars in H1 - analysts
MOSCOW. July 14 (Interfax) - Car production in Russia rose 68.1% to 814,900 vehicles in the first half of this year, according to a report by analysts at ASM Holding.
June output was up 39.2% at 149,900 cars.
Russian companies assembled 93,800 trucks (55.9% up) in H1 and 20,000 just in June (up 33.9%).
The analysts have increased their forecast for production in Russia this year to 1.713 million cars, 197,242 trucks (of which 58% will be medium and heavy trucks weighing over 3.5 tonnes), and 38,741 buses.
"The estimate is 16.5% higher than the best result of the last five years (1,469,898 in 2008). At the same time, the forecasts for annual truck and bus output is respectively 32.1% and 55.8% lower than the best results of 2007," they said in a statement.
As reported new car and light commercial vehicles sales in Russia were up 56% for January-June at 1,235,442 vehicles and up 40% at 246,429 of them just in June.
Automobile production in Russia last year increased 93.5% to 1.4 million vehicles from 725,000 in 2009.
Russia's main car producers are OJSC AvtoVAZ , the Sollers group, OJSC Avtoframos (the Renault plant in Moscow). The biggest truck-builders are OJSC KamAZ and the GAZ group.