In the finished vehicles yard of the Lada plant in St. Petersburg, hundreds of cars have been observed, including Chery Tiggo 7 crossovers. Autonews.ru reported the scene, noting rows of vehicles behind a fence with no front grilles or emblems, a sight that allows identification as Chery Tiggo 7 models. The absence of exterior branding suggests these units are being assembled or prepared for the next production phase, possibly tied to the new XCite branding.
Further inside the facility, there are signs of ongoing workflow and preparation that hint at the site’s broader production ambitions. A correspondent observed activity around the area where crossovers are normally completed, reinforcing the impression that the plant is moving through a transitional period as new branding and product lines are introduced. These developments appear to align with broader corporate moves toward modernized product families and regional branding strategies.
In addition to the St. Petersburg operations, the site has historically hosted production lines for models such as the Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail, which were assembled in Russia before the current realignment. While contemporary visibility of some former models has diminished, the legacy of Nissan assets has been a part of the facility’s past manufacturing footprint. There was no current evidence of a Lada X-Cross 5 crossovers being produced at the site during the most recent checks.
Corporate restructuring around Nissan assets in Russia was announced as part of a broader industrial realignment, with the expectation that certain assets would transition to AvtoVAZ. This move was reported earlier and is part of a wider strategy to consolidate ownership and streamline domestic production. In June 2023, discussions indicated that the platform and assembly capabilities originated by Nissan could support future Lada production, including potential new crossovers, though specifics on market release remained tentative.
With the rollout of initial units under the XCite brand, the production site underwent a rebranding process and the enterprise updated its name to Avtozavod St. Petersburg. The rebranding was publicly announced by the end of January 2024 and reflected a broader shift toward a renewed corporate identity and product lineup. The XCite line has been positioned to emphasize modern design language and updated engineering, aimed at expanding the company’s footprint in both domestic and regional markets.
There had also been early discussions about expanding Lada production beyond Russia, including a project aligned with manufacturing opportunities in Ethiopia. That initiative had moved into development as part of a longer-term plan to diversify production locations and strengthen regional manufacturing networks. The current status of such expansion efforts continues to be monitored as part of strategic discussions within the company and among industry observers [citation].