OREANDA-NEWS  The start of sales of Iranian Saipa budget cars in Russia, expected in early June, is postponed. This was reported by Autonews with reference to one of the distributors of the brand.

The Belarusian company Lucky Careancy (which was also going to sell cars in Belarus) and the dealer holding Best Motors planned to sell Saipa in Russia. Both importers stated that in three years each is going to sell 45,000 cars. In 2023, the companies planned to sell 10 thousand cars each.

An Autonews source in the market believes that the holdings underestimated the difficulties associated with the independent sale of cars. According to him, dealers underestimated the work carried out by the official importer. "It seems to them [dealers] that it is enough just to bring cars, but behind this is the solution of many logistics problems, and marketing efforts to promote the brand," he said. Another source, who is aware of the situation with the Iranian automotive industry, suggested that Russia simply might not have enough cars. "The Iranians export improved versions of their models, they need to change production for their release, and they will not do this without financial guarantees and promises to buy out the entire, rather large batch," he said.

The founder of the Avtodegustator company, Ararat Mardoyan, expressed confidence that there could be no problems with logistics. "There are no problems with supplies both by the Caspian Sea and by land through Armenia and Georgia, especially since this is not a sanctioned product," he said.

Saipa was supposed to occupy an empty niche in the market for cars worth from one million to two million rubles. In the early spring of 2023, when future deliveries were announced, Lada Granta was offered below the million rubles mark, while Chinese new foreign cars were sold at a price of two million rubles. But by the summer, several cars appeared on the Russian market that filled an empty niche — BAIC U5 Plus (1.7 million rubles) and Changan Alsvin (1.65 million rubles). In addition, on June 9, sales of the new Lada Vesta begin. It will cost from 1.24 million rubles to 1.7 million rubles.