Prime Minister Vladimir Putin decided to see first-hand where all the state funding for AvtoVAZ has been going.
The parking lot outside the AvtoVAZ complex gleamed with foreign cars. It was only in the lobby of the factory's management that we saw domestic models and were asked not to touch them. The Lada Kalina, which the prime minister has already driven, was parked on a pedestal beside the Lada Priora. A plate reading "Car of the Age" was installed on the bumper of a classic "Kopeika." A new Lada Granta, covered in a sleeve, stood by the legendary "Kopeika." One of the reason's for Vladimir Putin's visit to the Samara Region was to give it a test drive.
The Landa Granta is often referred to as the men's version of the Lada Kalina. Although the two cars feature the same parts, the Granta has different body and cabin. The prime minister examined the car and sat in the back seat to examine the interior. When he finally got into the driver's seat, however... a problem occurred. The car wouldn't start. The prime minister turned the ignition more than once, but every attempt ended in failure. Vladimir Putin later recalled the moment with a smile on his face. The Lada Granta features a new electronic pedal. "I pushed on it when I didn't need to. I did it from habit," the prime minister explained.
As soon as the prime minister understood how the ignition works, he set off to the testing track, reaching speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour.
At the time, the factory's employees were already waiting for the prime minister at the assembly line.
"It's a good car," the prime minister said, praising the workers.
AvtoVAZ managers informed the prime minister that the factory is literally packed with work, the wages were paid in time, and the staff was not reduced.
"When I last visited the factory, it was in the midst of the economic downturn, and your colleagues were asking only one question: whether AvtoVAZ would keep operating. And here you are. The government helped AvtoVAZ. The amount of funding through various channels reached 75 billion roubles."
Vladimir Putin then described the measures taken to support the automobile industry, including direct loans, prohibitively high duties on foreign cars, interest rate subsidies for loans on car purchases, and the car scrapping programmes within which Zhiguli sales increased dramatically.
The prime minister was told that the Lada Grantas will enter the market beginning at the end of this year. Incidentally, the new model will supersede "Pyatyorkas," "Semyorkas," and the VAZ-2118. A standard Lada Granta will cost 220,000 roubles, while top Lada Grantas featuring Renault's engine and Nissan's automatic transmission will cost 300,000 roubles.
"Mr Putin, would you buy one of these cars to drive in a motor rally?" we asked the prime minister after he spoke with the workers.
"The car should be used to get to the dacha. Have you seen its trunk? No? Let me show you," the prime minister said and opened the trunk. "You can easily put two bags of potatoes in here!"
The prime minister then took part in the congress of the Russian Engineering Union.
Vladimir Putin reminded those present that the country must overcome its dependence on oil. Not only factories, but the labour market, and education systems need to be modernised.
"Those countries that have been actively outsourcing their industrial facilities are faced with the real threat of undermining their leading positions in world markets. Simultaneously, countries that not so long ago lacked experience and traditions in engineering have mastered the production of the most complex equipment, including defence systems. We need to maintain dominant positions in the domestic mechanical engineering market, which is estimated at tens of trillions of roubles. And, of course, we should strive for significant and hopefully leading positions in the global hi-tech goods and services market as well."
Nigina Beroyeva