AvtoVAZ announced ambitions to push output beyond 200,000 units for its Lada Granta by the end of 2023, a goal disclosed by company president Maxim Sokolov in discussions cited by TASS. The figure would mark a new peak for the model, underscoring the plant’s confidence in sustained demand for a car that has long stood as a cornerstone of the Russian lineup. The plan reflects AvtoVAZ’s ongoing strategy to balance production capacity with market appetite, particularly in a year when consumer confidence and retail activity continued to show resilience in many segments of the domestic auto market.
Looking ahead to 2024, Sokolov remarked that the company will roll out the Lada Iskra, positioned as the people’s car and intended to gradually assume a larger share of the brand’s portfolio. The Iskra is described as the successor to the Granta, which currently sits at the heart of AvtoVAZ’s production mix. In statements aligned with the brand’s long-term renewal, the president emphasized that the Iskra would be introduced through phased launches, with the broader aim of eventually replacing the Granta in the company’s lineup as the flagship model in the mid-range segment. This transition aligns with the automaker’s plan to sustain output levels while pursuing modernization across its product family and meeting evolving buyer preferences.
Historically, the Granta has been a volume driver for AvtoVAZ, and a record-setting sales year would stand as a milestone in the model’s history. The 200,000-vehicle target would surpass the highest annual sales achieved by the Granta since its market debut. In context, the Committee of Automobile Manufacturers under the Association of European Businesses (AEB) in Russia previously recorded a peak annual sales figure of 166.9 thousand units for the Granta in 2013, a point often cited when discussing the model’s long-term demand trajectory. That comparison underscores the scale of the ambition for 2023 and helps observers gauge the sustainability of the brand’s appeal amid shifting consumer dynamics, regulatory considerations, and macroeconomic factors impacting the Russian automotive landscape.
Meanwhile, the broader market has shown signs of buoyancy in the secondary segment, with used-car activity expanding rapidly as buyers seek value and affordability in a challenging economic climate. Industry observers note that a faster turnover in pre-owned markets can reflect heightened interest in practical, budget-friendly vehicles such as the Granta, which have historically been favored by first-time buyers and families seeking reliable transport without premium pricing. The intersection of renewed production plans, a planned model transition, and a robust used-car market contributes to a complex but hopeful outlook for AvtoVAZ as it navigates through a period of product renewal and market volatility. This evolving dynamic will likely shape dealer inventories, financing terms, and consumer perception of the Lada brand as it moves toward the Iskra era, according to analysts familiar with the Russian auto sector and supported by data from the AEB and market trackers in 2023 and beyond. These developments illustrate how AvtoVAZ is trying to harmonize volume goals with a strategic shift toward a newer generation of vehicles while maintaining the affordability that has historically defined the brand.