RusAutoNewsCom.- Skoda Auto is celebrating an historical event in Russia: the production of the 750,000th automobile since the start of operations in 2009, as announced by the company press office. A Skoda Kodiaq, manufactured at the Nizhny Novgorod plant, has become the jubilee model. The family SUV model of the brand is especially popular amongst Russian customers, which recorded a sales figure of 20,600 units last year alone.
Russia is a key market for Skoda Auto and the position of the brand has significantly become stronger in the country over the last years. The market share of the brand has risen by 6.8% in 2020. With an annual sales figure of over 94,000 vehicles, Russia has become the third largest market for the Czech manufacturer. However, this is not the only reason why the country is so important for the brand. The company has taken the responsibility for development in Russia, the CIS countries and North Africa within the structure of the Volkswagen Group, making use of the experiences gained conducting business in developing countries, especially in India.
Skoda Auto has years of operational experience in Russia. Local production of the second generation of Octavia is being made at the Kaluga plant of Volkswagen Group since 2009. The partner plant of GAZ Group has been manufacturing vehicles on order since 2012. Skoda Karoq automobiles are currently being assembled at the facilities of the enterprise in full-cycle CKD method, which involves the assembly of individual components, including welding and body painting.
Kaluga plant manufactures only one Skoda model for the moment: the liftback Rapid, the new generation of which was launched in May 2020. The model has all the advantages and distinctive characteristics of Skoda, ideally corresponding with the requirements of Russian clients. The SUV models Karoq and Kodiaq are assembled at the Nizhny Novgorod plant, alongside the flagship model of the Czech brand: the fourth generation Octavia.
