Several observers in the industry highlight FAW care among promising partners from China, with Vedomosti citing two independent sources on the matter.
Recently, Nissan made a notable move by transferring ownership of its factory, its research center in St. Petersburg, and its sales and marketing hub in Moscow for a symbolic euro to the Russian NAMI test center, which operates under the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The symbolic sum signals a strategic intention to return to the Russian market, given the substantial investments already made in local facilities and capabilities.
One scenario under discussion envisions a Russian company taking over the Nissan factory while Chinese FAW would undertake vehicle assembly. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has not issued formal comments on the potential restart of Nissan’s manufacturing operations in Russia.
Industry experts suggest that in this arrangement, KAMAZ could serve as a critical intermediary—facilitating the necessary documentation and permitting, and coordinating any new component production required for resumed assembly.
Presently, the foremost objective is to preserve the assembly site and safeguard the workforce. Yet the outcome remains uncertain. Russia currently hosts a growing number of idle industrial sites, and Chinese investors are proceeding with caution, mindful of the risk of secondary sanctions that could target their operations beyond the confines of Russia.
Nissan’s design capacity at its plant is positioned above 100,000 vehicles annually, though it remains unclear whether such production volumes are aligned with current market demand in Russia.
In terms of the FAW brand’s presence in Russia, three crossovers are available: Besturn X40 starting at 1,392,000 rubles, Besturn X80 from 1,508,000 rubles, and Bestune T77 from 1,919,000 rubles. These price points reflect the ongoing effort to balance affordability with model breadth to appeal to Russian buyers during a period of market fluctuation and evolving consumer preferences.