Chery vehicles are set to be assembled at the former Volkswagen site in Kaluga, a development confirmed by the Telegraph channel dedicated to Russian automotive news, known as Russian car. The plan points to integrating Chery into the Kaluga production ecosystem, leveraging existing industrial capacity to expand the brand’s footprint in Russia and neighboring markets.
Industry insiders indicate that a batch of 120 Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Max crossovers is being considered for production. The assembly will follow a CKD/SKD model, with operations anticipated to begin by the late autumn period. Current negotiations are focused on finalizing an agreement between the involved parties, reflecting a push to accelerate localization and supply chain resilience for the growing Chinese automaker in Russia.
Volkswagen Group Russia, operating under the AGR Automotive Group umbrella, continues its activities in the Russian market. A notable development is the transfer of Volkswagen’s local assets to a Russian entity, including the Kaluga factory. The transaction reportedly involves a €125 million price tag, with Art-Finance, a company connected to the Avilon dealer network, transferring its stake to Volkswagen Group Rus LLC as part of this reshaping of the local business portfolio. This move marks a strategic shift as the company reorganizes its manufacturing footprint within the Russian automotive landscape.
Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Max emerged as one of Russia’s top sellers in July, according to Avtostat’s market analysis, reflecting solid demand for the model. The crossover is positioned in the competitive mid-SUV segment, with pricing for the base variant starting around 2.87 million rubles, a figure that places it within reach for many Russian buyers while competing with domestic and foreign rivals in the same class.
Earlier disclosures hint at a broader refresh of the local lineup, with anticipation that new models from other brands, including a potential successor to existing regional offerings, could broaden the market landscape further. The overall outlook for the Russian automotive sector remains contingent on regulatory developments, currency dynamics, and the ongoing adjustments to manufacturing and distribution strategies by foreign manufacturers as they adapt to the evolving market conditions in the region.