KALININGRAD, February 28. /TASS/. The Russian automobile holding Avtotor is going to launch the production of Forthing brand cars in March, the company's press service reported.

"At the Avtotor plant in Kaliningrad (in Russia’s westernmost Kaliningrad region - TASS), preparations are underway for the industrial production of Forthing brand cars. Simultaneously, three brand models are being prepared for launch: the Forthing T5, Forthing T5 EVO crossovers and the Forthing M4 Yacht MPV. The start of industrial production of Forthing brand cars is scheduled for March 2024," the statement says.

Specialists from the Avtotor Innovation and Technology Center and representatives of the brand-holder company has been working together several months to prepare the launch of production of these cars.

At the initial stage, the production will be carried out in industrial assembly mode based on a welded and painted body with partial localization of first-level components. As part of cooperation with a new Chinese partner, the Forthing car production plan provides for the use of local components with a gradual increase in their local production.

The official distributor of Forthing in Russia is the Ixen Motor Rus company. Sales of Forthing cars are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2024.

Avtotor is one of the leading Russian automakers. Founded in 1994, the company was the first in Russia to begin producing cars of foreign brands. The holding's enterprises produced more than 2.5 million cars.

The Forthing brand was founded in 2001 and is part of the large Chinese concern Dongfeng. Forthing cars are produced in China at the Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor plant, which has a history of almost 70 years. At the moment, 500,000 passenger and 100,000 commercial vehicles leave the assembly line of Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor annually. The brand's model line is represented on the Chinese market by 12 cars, four of which are electric ones.