According to a central order, “production” was resumed in just a few months at the St. Petersburg Automobile Plant, which previously belonged to Nissan, but was sold to the Russian state-owned Automotive Research Institute NAMI in November 2022 for one ruble. Then, in February 2023, NAMI donated the plant to the Lada car factory, which it also owns. The model making its debut here is the X-Cross 5, which other models are expected to follow.
How did this economic miracle happen? The formula is simple: cars bought from China are practically rebranded, fluids filled in, keys programmed, and the chassis number engraved here.
The branding is still affixed to the radiator grille, but based on the first real photos taken at the dealership, the branding inside has not been replaced, and the original FAW Bestune T77 branding is still there.
This will obviously be fixed in due course, but the announcement of autonomous vehicle production seems a bit exaggerated. Later, Bestune will send “less assembled” cars, at least as promised.
Next year, they plan to restart the body and paint factory, and from then on, only parts or parts units will be shipped from China. Prices for Lada X-Cross 5 are not yet known, but distribution in Russia will begin in the third quarter.
The T77 is not a new model, with a length of 4525 mm, a width of 1845 mm, a height of 1600 mm and a wheelbase of 2700 mm, so it is an even larger compact SUV with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
