At the Avtotor facility in Kaliningrad, preparations are advancing for the manufacture of multiple Forthing models from the Chinese automaker. The lineup includes the T5 and T5 Evo crossovers, along with the M4 Yacht minivan. This information came to light through a press release shared with editors of socialbites.ca, which notes that production is slated to begin in March and that initial sales are planned for the first quarter of the year.
During the ramp-up phase, shop-floor teams are receiving targeted training, the main conveyor line is being outfitted with upgraded components, and essential software systems are undergoing testing. Specialized fixtures are being built to rigorously test active safety systems, while automatic sections of the conveyor are undergoing fine-tuning and calibration. Avtotor points out that these steps are essential to ensuring a smooth, controlled transition from preparation to full-scale production, with quality and consistency as top priorities.
Preparations have stretched over several months, with the launch group bringing together technical experts from Avtotor’s Innovation and Technology Center and representatives of the Dongfeng Motor Corporation, the owner of the Forthing brand. Ixen Motor Rus has taken on the role of the official distributor for Forthing in Russia, aligning local market access with the production initiative and ensuring that distribution channels are ready to support a rapid rollout as production ramps up.
Within the framework of this manufacturing alliance, the project emphasizes the use of domestic components and a steady increase in localization. This approach aims to strengthen Russia’s supply network, reduce dependency on imports, and improve overall production resilience. The emphasis on localization is a strategic element of the collaboration, reflecting broader efforts to integrate global automotive brands into regional manufacturing ecosystems while meeting evolving regulatory and consumer expectations.
Earlier, Russia witnessed the introduction of vehicles under the Solaris brand, marking a transitional moment in the domestic automotive landscape. The current Forthing initiative builds on that momentum, signaling a continued push toward localized production, diversified model availability, and expanded choices for Russian and regional buyers in the near term.