February Car Sales Slip 2% in Russia

Carmakers sold 206,500 passenger vehicles and light trucks in Russia last month compared with 210,700 units in February 2013, reports the Moscow-based Assn. of European Businesses.

The association says February's relatively small decline suggests Russia's sales slump may be ending. Sales fell 6% in January and 5% for all of last year. AEB predicts full-year volume in 2014 will equal last year's 2.78 million units.

Sales by market leader Lada continued to fall, dropping 16% to 30,900 units in February. The decline compares with a 9% increase to 16,700 vehicles for second-place Renault and a 31% jump to 17,200 units for third-place Nissan.

Other Japanese brands also posted hefty sales growth last month. Sales climbed 43% to 11,900 units for Toyota, 14% to 6,800 for Mitsubishi, 13% to 3,900 for Mazda and 54% to 2,500 for Honda.

Results were mixed for European nameplates. Sales slumped 9% to 11,400 units for Volkswagen, 8% to 6,600 for Opel and 19% to 2,400 for PSA. But demand rose 15% to 3,500 vehicles for Mercedes-Benz, 9% to 3,400 for BMW and 24% to 1,900 for Land Rover.