15 Jun 2009 18:54

Russian automobile production plummets 64% in 5 mths

MOSCOW. June 15 (Interfax) - Russian automobile production plummeted 63.6% year-on-year to 271,997 units in January-May, ASM-Holding said.

Car production fell 61.5% to 230,234 units, including drops of 68% for indigenous cars and 51.2% for foreign makes.

The GAZ automotive plants produced 201 vehicles compared with 3,583 a year ago, and UAZ produced 3,672 compared with 12,142 - in both cases record lows.

Avtovaz (RTS: AVAZ produced 106,235 (321,335) and Izhavto - 4,257 (9,521).

Russia produced 31,543 trucks and vans (118,814 a year previously) and 10,327 buses (30,179).