A reminder for those who do not know, AvtoVAZ, parent company of the Lada brand, was a privileged partner of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, which invested in the development of new products, or marketed under the Lada brand models of its own brands, Renault and Dacia for example. But as we know, the war in Ukraine pushed the vast majority of Western industrialists to withdraw their marbles, which Renault did. Hard blow for Lada, who found in China the way to bounce back.



Same car, different badge

So here is the Lada X-Cross 5, which is actually exactly a Chinese FAW Bestune, but with Lada logos. The FAW Bestune has been on sale in Russia since 2018 under its own brand, and the public will now be able to choose to buy the "domestic" version. Because Lada will not only import this SUV, it will be produced locally, in St. Petersburg, in a factory owned by Nissan until a few months ago. This first "post-Renault" Lada is only the beginning, since other models will follow. Chinese manufacturers are already in other brands, such as Moskvitch for example, and could soon take 35% of the 800,000 annual sales of new cars in Russia.


  • Car
  • Russia
  • War in Ukraine
  • Low cost
  • Industry