At the Kaluga plant, Automobile Technologies has begun serial production of the Citroën C5 Aircross, marking a significant milestone for the region’s automotive industry. The information was shared on a Telegram channel by Vladislav Shapsha, the governor of the Kaluga Region. The announcement underscores a new phase in the plant’s development, transitioning from preparation and testing to full-scale manufacturing that will feed both domestic and potential export markets.
Shapsha noted that the production timeline at the former PSMA facility was originally set for the end of 2023. After a careful sequence of equipment setup and debugging, a pilot batch underwent rigorous quality testing to ensure adherence to the company’s standards. The next crucial step described was the installation and activation of the conveyor line itself, which enables continuous production and helps realize the plant’s capacity goals.
Details on current output levels, planned production volumes, and the eventual price range for the Citroën C5 Aircross assembled in Russia have not been disclosed. Likewise, the timeline for when the finished vehicles will appear in showrooms remains unspecified, leaving the market waiting for concrete figures on volume and pricing as the operation scales.
PSMA Rus LLC, the local arm of the broader PSMA network, has operated without full-scale production since April 2022. Historically, the factory produced a range of vehicles in a complete manufacturing cycle, including minicabs, compact vans, and commercial models. These vehicles were built for domestic use and for export to European markets, reflecting PSMA Rus’s role in linking European platform design with regional manufacturing capabilities.
In related industry news, earlier statements indicated that Mercedes-Benz has explored an updated G-Class variant featuring a more transparent body design. This comment highlights the broader trend of precision engineering and advanced materials optimization that is shaping the lineup of major European brands within Russia’s evolving automotive landscape.