The MB Rus automobile company, part of the Avtodom group and the former Moscow representative for Mercedes-Benz in Russia, has become the distributor for the Seres Group. It now holds the rights to officially import and sell Seres Aito M5 and the M7 hybrid in the Russian Federation, according to TASS, quoting Avtodom’s press service.
In a statement, the press service explained, “JSC MB Rus, a member of the Avtodom group, finalized a direct distribution agreement with the Seres Group and secured exclusive rights for importing and distributing the Seres Aito M5 and M7 in the Russian market.”
Officials indicated that the M9 model is planned to enter the Russian market in the second half of 2024. All vehicles will come with warranty coverage, and customers will be able to service them at centers located across the country.
Separately, Kaluga region governor Vladislav Shapsha noted that the former Volkswagen plant in Kaluga is expected to resume operations in the first half of 2024. Volkswagen AG had announced the suspension of automobile production in Kaluga and contract assembly in Nizhny Novgorod on March 3, 2022, citing supply chain disruptions caused by Western sanctions related to events in Ukraine.
In May 2023, Volkswagen Group disclosed the sale of its assets in Russia, including the Kaluga plant. Earlier, AvtoVAZ reported a near complete localization of the Lada Granta and Lada Niva models.