Toyota Sent To Siberia?

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

While Mazda is still talking with Russian politicos about producing cars in Siberia, Toyota is doing it. Toyota “is moving into the Russian Far East ahead of other Japanese automakers as part of a high-priority effort to tap emerging markets,” at least as far as The Nikkei [sub] is concerned.

The Russian Far East and Siberia used to be a hotbed for well maintained barely used Japanese cars, sold before the feared Japanese shaken car inspection and traded in for new. Some 80 percent of the cars in these frosty regions, just across the water from Japan, used to be Japanese RHD models. Last year, Russia enacted punitive tariffs on imported cars, especially on imported used cars. “Moscow wants to force foreign auto makers to open their own plants in Russia,” said Automobilwoche [sub]. And apparently, Moscow’s wishes are being fulfilled. In a somewhat roundabout, but very Japanese way.

According to another story in The Nikkei [sub], Japanese keiretsu giant Mitsui will start a joint venture with the Russian automaker Sollers. Toyota would supply “parts” (most likely CKD kits) and equipment, and train the personnel. Then, the cars would be loaded on the Trans Siberian Railroad and sold all over Russia. Which car is unknown, the Nikkei is going out on a limb and guesses it could be a sedan or an SUV.

Mitsui and Toyota go a long ways back. At some time in the dark ages, Toyota was part of the Mitsui conglomerate.

It could also be that the Nikkei jumped the gun and that it’s only talk, just like Mazda. When asked about the plans, Toyota spokesman Dion Corbett told TTAC that “no decision has been made.”

After a near death experience, the Russian car market is humming again . Bloomberg reports that Russian new car sales rose 72 percent in January to 127,654 units.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Obbop Obbop on Feb 10, 2011

    Isn't there a BIG unused building at Chernobyl ready to renovate and be put to use. Likely in better shape than large parts of Detroit and surely with a kinder, gentler more civilize populace but that's just an Old Coot Opinion.

  • Cmoibenlepro Cmoibenlepro on Feb 10, 2011

    "Some 80 percent of the cars in these frosty regions, just across the water from Japan, used to be Japanese RHD models." I guess that a significant number of RHD cars could create big traffic and security issues.

  • CanadaCraig You can just imagine how quickly the tires are going to wear out on a 5,800 lbs AWD 2024 Dodge Charger.
  • Luke42 I tried FSD for a month in December 2022 on my Model Y and wasn’t impressed.The building-blocks were amazing but sum of the all of those amazing parts was about as useful as Honda Sensing in terms of reducing the driver’s workload.I have a list of fixes I need to see in Autopilot before I blow another $200 renting FSD. But I will try it for free for a month.I would love it if FSD v12 lived up to the hype and my mind were changed. But I have no reason to believe I might be wrong at this point, based on the reviews I’ve read so far. [shrug]. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it once I get to test it.
  • FormerFF We bought three new and one used car last year, so we won't be visiting any showrooms this year unless a meteor hits one of them. Sorry to hear that Mini has terminated the manual transmission, a Mini could be a fun car to drive with a stick.It appears that 2025 is going to see a significant decrease in the number of models that can be had with a stick. The used car we bought is a Mk 7 GTI with a six speed manual, and my younger daughter and I are enjoying it quite a lot. We'll be hanging on to it for many years.
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