Sobol-BUSINESS Named Vehicle of Year in Russia
OREANDA-NEWS. April 06, 2012. In 2012 Sobol-BUSINESS GAZ-2752 light commercial vehicle won Vehicle of the Year in Russia annual national award in the Light Vans nomination. GAZ vehicle is the first Russian vehicle to have received this prestigious award since its introduction in 2000. GAZelle-BUSINESS GAZ-2705 was included on the short list (three best candidates) in the Vans nomination. The winners were chosen based on voting through the internet and special electronic terminals. In total 1.4 million people took part in the voting this year, reported the press-centre of GAZ.
“It is the first time in many years of the award’s existence that Russian vehicles have won one of the nominations and have been included on the short list in another. I see it both as the result of huge work done by Gorky Automobile Plant in the last years, and as a gradual change in the customers’ attitude towards Russian products. I hope that in the future we will see more and more Russian vehicles among the winners,” said Vladimir Bezukladnikov, chairman of the organizing committee of the Vehicle of the Year in Russia – 2012 award.
GAZelle and Sobol light commercial vehicles went through three stages of upgrade from 2010 to 2012. The first stage included change of a number of parts and renewal of the main systems for the BUSINESS modification launch. The second stage was to broaden the powertrain range, to install diesel and bi-fuel gas-petrol engines. The third stage was to enhance corrosion protection of the body, to zinc coat the parts, to increase the thickness of the prime coat, to use special plastisols, anticorrosion and anti-gravel substances to treat internal and external surfaces of the vehicle. Besides, in 2011 the customers were offered a set of options for better comfort of the driver and passengers (air conditioning, new stereo, fog lights, power windows and electrically-operated mirrors) and enhanced driveability (ABS).
Receiving the award for Sobol-BUSINESS Bo Andersson, GAZ Group President/CEO, said that the success of the business is based on good understanding of the customers’ needs: “In the last years we have created a system of constant monitoring of the customers’ changing requirements and constant upgrade of the model range according to these requirements. Changes in the design have enabled Sobol vehicles to enter new market segments. It used to be a vehicle mainly for big cities, but now it is becoming more popular with small businesses and utility services in small towns and in the countryside. That’s the reason why, for example, last year sales of all-wheel-drive Sobol increased by 70%. Therefore, it is especially important for us that we have received this award not from experts or journalists, but based on votes of a big number of customers, those who drive our vehicles”.
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