Autoblog

Click above for more shots of the Volga Siber

Featuring a slightly revised front and rear fascia on a previous-generation Chrysler Sebring chassis, GAZ has resuscitated the Volga brand name with the Siber sedan. In the words of Sergey Zanozin, Chairman of the GAZ Group, "The GAZ Group has started to produce a new line of cars under the Volga brand on platforms from the world's leading manufacturers. The new production complex has the flexible capacity needed to bring new models into production at minimal cost and investment in the future." Well, alrighty then. While the old Sebring platform might not exactly set the world on fire, it is definitely a step in the right direction for Russian roads, with a slightly lifted ride height and beefed-up suspension components to handle the stresses of Siberian winters. The Siber uses a either a 2.0-liter Chrysler engine with 141 horsepower or a 2.4-liter churning out 143 hp. Standard features include air conditioning, dual airbags, ABS and traction control. All in all, it's not that bad.


[Source: GAZ]

Russia has just passed Germany as Europe's largest market for new car sales -- for the first half of the year, at least. In fact, Russian consumers managed to snatch up 41% more cars for the first half of this year as compared to the previous year. Not only that, but the vehicles being sold in Russia are more profitable than before as well, with the record $33.8 billion in sales so far an increase of 64%. Top marques are General Motors and Hyundai, which replace last year's first and second place finishers, Ford and Toyota. Russian brands? Not so much.

Don't expect the sales figures to cool down any time soon, as the economy in Russia is still booming and it's the middle-class that is seeing the biggest benefit. Older cars will continue to be taken off the road as consumers purchase new replacements which will allow automakers to find an estimated 20-percent of the entire industry's growth in the Russian market over the next several years.

[Source: Inside Line]

Russia sure has a knack for offering up the most offbeat automotive news. For even more proof of this, look no further than Zolotye Klyuchi 2 (Golden Keys) housing complex. This complex caters to the well-off in Moscow, and has banned Russian-made cars from its community. Management at the Golden Keys has issued the decree because Russian cars pose "a significant danger to the environment, creating high noise levels." Not only that, but because of their unreliability, they are also responsible for "traffic jams on the territory of the complex." What if your friend, who drives a Lada, wants to visit? Better rent a different car! The only Russian-made vehicles allowed are for deliveries or for emergency services. A casual nod is granted to residents who happen to own Russian cars, but they aren't allowed to be seen. "Don't park such vehicles in the street, put them in the underground parking."

What is the punishment for breaking the anti-Russian-car rule? Ridicule in the form of of a picture of your mistakenly parked car on their website, under the title "transgressors". As if having to drive a Lada weren't bad enough!

[Source: AFP via Yahoo]