OREANDA-NEWS. Moscow show rooms see a surge of buying activity due to fears of price increases after the sharp weakening of the ruble.

"Cars are buying up like hotcakes and it applies to all categories of vehicles - from budget to premium. We do not remember that there was such a buzz in the Russian market in the last ten years”, - said the director general of the group of companies "Rolf", Tatiana Lukovetskaya, the agency" Prime " cited. According to her, buyers tend to invest in depreciating of the ruble in cars as about the future price growth is now "one can only guess."

In November, the number of contracts increased by 40-60% compared to November of the last year, and for some brands in warehouses comes in deficit, said the COO of group of companies "Independence", Renat Tyukteev. In December, the prices of cars will be increased by 5-10% and in the first quarter of 2015 - "by about the same amount", he said.

"Mostly hype affects the premium and mid-price segment”, - says Mr.Tyukteev. - The main reasons are two: the producers of such brands have more attractive terms, while buyers – have more financial opportunities than consumers of mass car segment”.

For Porsche 2014 will be a record for sales in Russia during the existence of the company in the market, said Director of Public Relations of Porsche Russland, Oksana Hartonyuk. Brand sales in November jumped by 55% to 471 cars, half of them came in the Porsche Cayenne.

For Lexus 2014 it will be also a record: the company plans to finish it with a 20-percent increase in sales in Russia in 2013, informed the press service of the automaker. 

"In times of crisis buyers are beginning to consider the car as a means of investment. Rule – you go beyond the showroom - the price of car fell by 20% - it does not work now”, - said the head of Corporate Communications" Mercedes-Benz Rus", Andrei Rodionov. "The growth of our prices doesn’t catch up the inflation," - he said.

Growth of prices for cars next year is inevitable, because no one will sell "at a loss"; even those cars, which is being assembled in Russia, equipped with imported parts, said Ms.Lukovetskaya. According to her, in "Rolf" prices have already risen or "soon" will grow by 5-7%.