“People’s car” is a real “idea fix” of the domestic car market. Once upon a time, an ever-memorable Zhiguli claimed the role of such a vehicle. But then (in Soviet times) this kind of mass-produced car cost like a small Moscow apartment, and you could buy it only with “connections” in the distribution network or at a speculative price from resellers. Later, when foreign brands came to Russia, various models tried on the role of the “people’s car”. From the French Renault Logan and the American Ford Focus to the first desperately stinking phenol and quickly rusting “Chinese”, which began to enter our market just as the “French” and “Americans” clearly began to rise in price.

For objective reasons, as well as because of the attitude to AVTOVAZ products known to the Russian people, all these LADA Kalina, Priora and Granta did not become “popular”. Relatively cheap yes. But no people. And now LADA Granta (the most affordable model of the Togliatti brand) costs about the same as a larger sedan produced at VW’s Chinese plant. That is why, if it were not for the protective customs duties, the domestic auto industry would have come to a complete and final end long ago – as chronically “unable to compete”.

For example, in China, the most promising and massive car buyer now has a household income of 200,000-300,000 yuan per year. This is equivalent to 2.28-3.42 million rubles (190,000-285,000 rubles per month for a family). In Russia, the monthly average income per capita per family member last year turned out to be 22,000 rubles, for a family of the “Chinese” type (of two adults and one only child) this is a total of 66,000 rubles

It is clear that in this way – in the forehead – it is not entirely correct to compare Russian and Chinese conditions. But for a qualitative assessment of the situation, a comparison of 66,000 and at least 200,000 rubles is quite acceptable. Three or even four times as much difference!

And what is the conclusion of all the above, you ask? And this is: a truly affordable “people’s car” in modern conditions (even the same Chinese VW for 600,000 rubles with our money) can appear only in a country where the majority of residents (in general, everyone, and not just officials and IT specialists in bankers and oilmen) incomes are many times higher than in Russia today. In the meantime, this is and is not expected in the near future, one can only dream of an inexpensive, beautiful and reliable “people’s car”. And the same “people” will have to ride on rusting and falling apart used “Chinese”.

“People’s car” is a real “idea fix” of the domestic car market. Once upon a time, an ever-memorable Zhiguli claimed the role of such a vehicle. But then (in Soviet times) this kind of mass-produced car cost like a small Moscow apartment, and you could buy it only with “connections” in the distribution network or at a speculative price from resellers. Later, when foreign brands came to Russia, various models tried on the role of the “people’s car”. From the French Renault Logan and the American Ford Focus to the first desperately stinking phenol and quickly rusting “Chinese”, which began to enter our market just as the “French” and “Americans” clearly began to rise in price.

For objective reasons, as well as because of the attitude to AVTOVAZ products known to the Russian people, all these LADA Kalina, Priora and Granta did not become “popular”. Relatively cheap yes. But no people. And now LADA Granta (the most affordable model of the Togliatti brand) costs about the same as a larger sedan produced at VW’s Chinese plant. That is why, if it were not for the protective customs duties, the domestic auto industry would long ago have come to a complete and final end – as chronically “unable to compete”.

For example, in China, the most promising and massive car buyer now has a household income of 200,000-300,000 yuan per year. This is equivalent to 2.28-3.42 million rubles (190,000-285,000 rubles per month for a family). In Russia, the monthly average income per capita per family member last year turned out to be 22,000 rubles, for a family of the “Chinese” type (of two adults and one only child) this is a total of 66,000 rubles

It is clear that in this way – in the forehead – it is not entirely correct to compare Russian and Chinese conditions. But for a qualitative assessment of the situation, a comparison of 66,000 and at least 200,000 rubles is quite acceptable. Three or even four times as much difference!

And what is the conclusion of all the above, you ask? And this is: a truly affordable “people’s car” in modern conditions (even the same Chinese VW for 600,000 rubles with our money) can appear only in a country where the majority of residents (in general, everyone, and not just officials and IT specialists in bankers and oilmen) incomes are many times higher than in Russia today. In the meantime, this is and is not expected in the near future, one can only dream of a cheap, beautiful and reliable “people’s car”. And the same “people” will have to ride on rusting and falling apart used “Chinese”.