Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has inspected AvtoVAZ’s new budget model Lada Granta.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has inspected AvtoVAZ’s new budget model Lada Granta.
Putin was given a mini-presentation of the vehicle. To start off, he walked around to the back of the Lada Granta and asked to open the boot. But, unfortunately, it got stuck. Several seconds later, though, AvtoVAZ Director Igor Komarov and Rostekhonologii head Sergey Chemezov managed to pry it open by force.
Then the prime minister took a seat in the back and inspected the interior. After that he took the keys and hopped into the driver’s seat. But he didn’t manage to start the engine at one go, as the car is fitted with a modern electronic e-gas system.
Putin quickly grasped the novelty and took a test drive along the experimental 1.4-kilometer track. He then drove the car to a meeting with AvtoVAZ employees.
Putin met with AvtoVAZ top managers and employees and thanked them for a job well done. In turn, they thanked the prime minister for supporting the plant.
The plant’s top managers believe the model will be sold to customers as soon as the end of the year. Serial production will launch next October. The new model will likely be the least expensive car in Europe.
A standard Lada Granta will cost 220,000 rubles. The premium model with a Renault engine and Nissan automatic transmission will cost 300,000 rubles.
