AvtoVAZ Launches Pilot Production of Nissan Almera

VIENNA – Russian auto maker AvtoVAZ launches pilot production of the Nissan Almera sedan at its plant in Togliatti, Russia.

The car, which is based on Renault’s B0 platform, will be unveiled in August at the Moscow auto show with volume production to start in November.

With the new model Nissan plans to improve its position in the mainstream market segment in Russia.

“We clearly wanted a car that we could bring to market quickly, that would help to define the brand,” Andy Palmer, Nissan executive vice president-product planning, business strategy, marketing communications with responsibility for the Infiniti division, tells WardsAuto. “We did not want to bring out an entry car which was not of Nissan quality.”

The new Almera is another result of the alliance among AvtoVAZ, Renault and Nissan.

“The design very much draws its inspiration from the Nissan Sylphy, which is a very well-known car outside of Russia,” Palmer says. “You can also see that the design leads you to the Nissan Teana, for example.”

The new Almera will be destined mainly for the Russian market. It also may be sold in other Commonwealth of Independent States countries.

“Today we don’t have any plans outside of this region,” Palmer says of Russia.

For AvtoVAZ, whose huge manufacturing complex last month celebrated production of its 27^th millionth car since 1970, the Almera will be the first car it produces under a foreign brand.

AvtoVAZ already produces the Lada Largus station wagon, the Russian version of the Dacia Logan MCV, based on the B0 platform. It will add Renault-badged cars next year.

While the new Almera will be the first Russian-made Nissan based on the Renault B0 platform, there already are Nissan vehicles connected to this platform in other parts of the world.

Nissan South Africa produces the Nissan NP200 small pickup truck, a vehicle based on the Dacia Logan pickup. The auto maker once sold a version of the Dacia/Renault Logan sedan badged as the Nissan Aprio in Mexico.