AvtoVAZ Starts Industrial Production of the Lada Iskra in Togliatti: 40 Billion Rubles of Investment and Capacity of Up to 150,000 Cars a Year

TOGLIATTI, Russia, April 19, 2025 — Russian carmaker AvtoVAZ (PJSC "AvtoVAZ") has started industrial production of the new Lada Iskra model family at its Togliatti plant, with sales scheduled to begin on July 20, 2025. The launch was deliberately timed to the 55th anniversary of the first VAZ-2101 "Zhiguli" rolling off the conveyor and is backed by about 40 billion rubles of investment, a new robotic welding line, localization above 90% and production capacity of up to 150,000 cars a year.

Launch timed to the 55th anniversary of the "Kopeyka"

Industrial production of Lada Iskra cars started on Saturday, April 19, 2025, at the AvtoVAZ plant in Togliatti. The date was chosen to mark the 55th anniversary of the start of VAZ-2101 "Zhiguli" production: the first "Kopeyka" rolled off the conveyor on April 19, 1970.

"Lada Iskra is truly a modern car that meets all safety and comfort requirements. I am confident it will be in demand despite the difficulties in the macroeconomy," Anton Alikhanov, head of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, said at the launch ceremony of the new model.

A re-engineered platform and fully localized electronics

Lada Iskra was developed on a localized version of the global CMF-B platform, which underwent re-engineering and, as AvtoVAZ previously reported, became technologically independent. During the design process the electronic infrastructure of the model was fully localized, and about 400 new components appeared in the car.

To carry out the necessary tests and refine production technologies, about 300 cars were assembled before the start of industrial production. AvtoVAZ notes that the safety of the vehicle was confirmed by 84 crash tests.

Model range and standard equipment

• Body styles: sedan, station wagon and cross wagon (universal cross).
• 1.6-liter engines combined with a five- or six-speed manual gearbox, or with a continuously variable transmission.
• Base trim: electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock braking system (ABS), two airbags and a number of other options.
• Market positioning: the model is designed to occupy the niche between the Lada Granta and Lada Vesta families.

40 billion rubles of investment and a robotic welding line

AvtoVAZ's investment in the Lada Iskra launch amounted to 40 billion rubles. A new welding line with 17 automated complexes and 112 robots was created for welding the bodies of the model. Assembly and painting are carried out in the Lada Granta assembly and painting shops, modernized for the new project. The localization of Lada Iskra, according to AvtoVAZ's estimate, exceeds 90%.

The production capacity of the concern makes it possible to reach a maximum output of up to 150,000 cars of the model per year. Actual production volumes, as the company notes, will be determined by the conditions of the car market.

Market background

The Russian car market is currently declining under the pressure of, among other things, macroeconomic factors. Sales of passenger and light commercial vehicles in the first quarter of 2025, according to the estimate of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, fell by 24.7%, to 269,270 units, mainly at the expense of Chinese brands. Lada sales over the same period declined slightly less than the market as a whole — by 16.8%, to 76,217 units.

Key facts of the announcement

• Company: AvtoVAZ (PJSC "AvtoVAZ"), Togliatti — manufacturer of Lada brand passenger cars.
• Event: start of industrial production of the Lada Iskra model family at the Togliatti plant on April 19, 2025.
• Symbolic date: the 55th anniversary of the first VAZ-2101 "Zhiguli" (April 19, 1970).
• Sales start: scheduled from July 20, 2025.
• Platform: localized, re-engineered version of the global CMF-B platform; about 400 new components; fully localized electronic infrastructure.
• Validation: about 300 pre-production cars built for tests; safety confirmed by 84 crash tests.
• Investment: 40 billion rubles; new welding line with 17 automated complexes and 112 robots.
• Localization: above 90% according to the company's estimate.
• Capacity: up to 150,000 cars a year; actual volumes to follow market conditions.

Company and contacts

AvtoVAZ (PJSC "AvtoVAZ") is Russia's largest passenger car manufacturer, producing vehicles under the Lada brand at its plant in Togliatti.

Contacts: the launch was reported on April 19, 2025 by an Interfax correspondent from the ceremony in Togliatti; Anton Alikhanov, head of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, spoke at the event. No direct company phone or e-mail contacts were provided in the source, and none are invented here.

Website: https://www.lada.ru/