08.05.2024, Moscow.
Aurus will produce premium cars in partnership with a Chinese automaker at the former Toyota plant in St. Petersburg, RIA Novosti quoted the opinion of auto experts on May 8.
This week, Denis Manturov, currently acting deputy prime minister and head of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, told RIA Novosti that the former Toyota plant had been transferred to the automaker Aurus.
Back in February, he shared information that the production of Aurus business class cars on this platform will open at the end of the year together with a foreign partner. It was not said which partner was meant, but it is expected that four models will be produced in total.
“Partnership is possible only with a Chinese company, and with whom exactly – it is difficult to say. Now the Chinese companies are in some tension, and it is difficult to guess which of the Chinese will take a risk,” said auto expert Igor Morzharetto.
“It will definitely be one of the Chinese manufacturers. The most likely, as I see it, it may be the brand Hongqi, although it is possible connection with other creators,” believes auto expert Maksim Kadakov. He also emphasized that, most likely, Chinese models of the premium segment will come off the assembly line.
The previous owner of the ex-plant Toyota was subordinate to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation FGUP “NAMI”. It bought this plant from the Japanese automaker in the spring of 2023. The past transaction does not provide for a buy-back.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
