Delays in Saipa car deliveries from Iran to Russia: Distributors warned

Distributors warned about the delay in deliveries of the promised Saipa cars from Iran. Sales of budget cars were supposed to start in Russia in early June

Read full version

One of the brand’s distributors announced the postponement of the start of sales of Iranian Saipa cars in Russia. It was expected that the launch of the new brand would take place in early June 2023, but this never happened. During this time, new models appeared on the market, including the updated Lada Vesta. We understand what happened and whether dealers still have a chance to start selling.

Two distributors have not entered the market yet

Saipa did not plan an independent launch in Russia – two competing importers decided to sell the model independently from each other. The Belarusian enterprise “Lucky Carensi” became the first. Back in February, the company announced the conclusion of an agreement with the Iranian side and plans to enter not only the Belarusian, but also the Russian market. At the end of March, it became known that Lucky Carensi had a Russian competitor, the Best Motors dealer holding, which also announced a partnership agreement with the Iranian Saipa.

Both importers then told Autonews.ru that each of them was obliged to bring and sell in Russia (in the case of Lucky Carensi, and in Belarus) 45,000 Iranian cars in three years. Each of the companies planned to sell 10 thousand cars in 2023. Sales were supposed to start in the summer, but this never happened. So far, Best Motors has limited itself to launching a very simple website that talks about Iranian cars, but does not say anything about dealers, prices, or conditions for purchasing them.

It was there that a message appeared in early June: “The first batch of cars is a little delayed. As soon as the date is clear, we will immediately inform you.

Autonews.ru asked both companies to talk about the current situation with plans to bring the Saipa brand to the Russian market. A representative of Best Motors declined to comment, citing the fact that he is currently in Tehran, and Lucky Carensi did not respond to a request.

Problems could arise due to lack of cars

An Autonews.ru source on the market suggested that the dealer holdings simply underestimated all the difficulties associated with independent distribution of the brand.

“Dealers are so used to having an official importer behind them that they just don’t notice the work he does. It seems to them that it is enough just to bring the cars, but behind this is the solution of many problems with logistics, and marketing efforts to promote the brand, ”said the source.

Another source, who is well acquainted with the automotive industry in Iran, suggested that the problem may be in production volumes: there might simply not be enough cars for Russia.

“The Iranians export improved versions of their models, for their release it is necessary to change production, and they will not do this without financial guarantees and promises to buy out the entire, fairly large batch,” says the source of Autonews.ru.

At the same time, there could be no problems with logistics, Ararat Mardoyan, the founder of the Autodegustator company, is sure.

“There are no problems with deliveries both through the Caspian Sea and overland through Armenia and Georgia, especially since this is not a sanctioned product. It may not be possible to immediately bring all the ordered cars, but gradually they will reach, ”says Mardoyan.

The ruble exchange rate changed the planned prices

The start of deliveries of Iranian cars to Russia was announced at the end of winter – the beginning of spring 2023. At that time, there was an empty niche on the market for cars worth from 1 million to 2 million rubles. Below the mark of 1 million rubles. Lada Granta was offered, and new Chinese foreign cars started from just 2 million rubles.

Thus, Iranian cars could occupy an empty niche between these two segments. However, by the summer, several cars appeared on the market at once, which had already entered this price category. These are Chinese sedans BAIC U5 Plus and Changan Alsvin, for which they ask for 1.7 million and 1.65 million rubles. respectively.

In addition, sales of the updated Lada Vesta will start on June 9. Prices for it start at 1.24 million rubles. and end at around 1.7 million rubles. Thus, if Iranian cars come to the Russian market, they will now face price competition here.

The weakening of the ruble also plays against the import of cars from Iran. Earlier, Lucky Carensi promised that the cost of Saipa cars would be from $13 thousand to $22 thousand. But if in mid-March this meant from 1 million to 1.7 million rubles, now, taking into account the depreciation of the ruble, it is already 1 .1–1.8 million rubles

Mardoyan also draws attention to this. In his opinion, Iranian cars could feel good in the market of closed countries, where they have no competitors, and in the face of shortages at the end of 2022, Russian dealers had a desire to bring them to Russia. But now the situation has changed, the expert reminds.

What cars did Saipa promise

The Saipa brand began its history with the production of Citroen cars, but now there is no cooperation with the French company, and in Iran they make cars of their own design, however, with the borrowing of foreign platforms.

They promised to bring three (and in fact, two) models to Russia. These are the Saina sedan and Quik hatchback, built on the old platform from Kia Pride and belonging to the same family, and the more expensive and spacious Shahin sedan.

Saina and Quik were planned to be sold at a price of approximately 1 million rubles. or from $13,000. It is obvious that cars of the Lada Granta family could become the only competitors on the market for these models. The latter are larger, more powerful and are not inferior in terms of equipment, except that an automatic transmission is provided for an extra charge for Iranian cars, while Lada does not have it yet.

At the same time, the recommended prices for Lada Granta start from 692.3 thousand rubles, which is one third cheaper than their Iranian counterparts. In the showrooms of dealers, “live” cars, however, turn out to be more expensive, but to find a car in stock for about 800-850 thousand rubles. quite possible.

Shahin is close in size to the Lada Vesta sedan, but its version with an automatic transmission is not listed on the Russian Saipa website. In general, even in the richest configuration, Shatin will have only the most necessary things: air conditioning, multimedia, power steering, ABS and two airbags. All this is also in Vesta, but the latter in the top version costs the same as they were going to ask for the basic Shahin.