MOSCOW, December 17. /TASS/. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov believes that the Russian car market is big enough and, despite the fact that many companies occupied niches there, there will be a niche for Opel as well.
"The market is large anyway, and it will remain that way," Peskov said, commenting on Opel’s decision to resume car sales in Russia.
According to the Kremlin official, the market of any country is quite changeable.
"When demand for cars falls, sales fall. There are years when it all grows. But in general, those companies that are present here maintain relatively high sales volumes," he noted.
Peskov specified that there are companies in the Russian car market that have been present for a long time and have already become deeply rooted here by building their infrastructure. "Of course, they have certain competitive advantages," the spokesman for the head of state commented. However, in his opinion, other manufacturers that have decided to change their strategy will be able to find a place for themselves.
On December 16, Opel, which left the Russian market in 2015, announced that it was resuming its car sales in Russia.
"The first models of the Russelsheim-based German carmaker have arrived in the showrooms of selected dealers in major Russian cities. As of today, customers in Russia can order the successful Opel Grandland X SUV from Eisenach and the Zafira Life," the company said.
"We will gradually increase our commitment in the country in the coming years. This includes offering a wider range of products. In the coming years, there will be at least one major Opel launch every year. Like in every market, our top priority is to grow profitably with a high level of customer satisfaction," said Opel CEO Michael Lohscheller.