I’m a marketing student, going into brand management, and I often create an entire brand or alter the brand image of a current company. This question is simply a question - nothing more. Nothing will come of it, I’m just curious.
What would you think of a Russian Luxury Automobile company? Think along the lines of Mercedes-Benz cars like the SLS AMG, or the G-Class, as well as Alfa Romeo cars and Range Rover SUVs or the Porsche Cayenne. An auto to navigate the rough Russian mountains in the winter, or a sports car driving through St. Petersburg. The image and name of the company and particular cars could be decidedly Russian, but have international appeal. Think about Russian spies - bad connotation - but not for a car. There’s a fantasy to it. For example, have you ever seen a Stolichnaya ad? Look at them, look at the ads for their Elit vodka. Extremely Russian, very sexy. The print and film ads could have that adventurous feel, including Russian models driving them through Moscow, etc.
I think this could evolve into a very exotic car brand with lots of appeal…I would definitely buy one.
Do you think a car like that could be successful? I see the appeal in German, Italian, even Swedish luxury automobiles. But an Asian luxury car? It doesn’t feel right to me. But if that could sell, couldn’t this?
I KNEW someone would say Lada.
Firstly, back when I lived in South America, my parents had a Niva…that thing went and went. It’s probably still running around somewhere.
Secondly. Think FIAT - reputation for being poor quality cars. But do Italian cars have a bad reputation? Not at all. PS Fiat owns Ferrari. Do you think people don’t want to buy Ferrari’s now? No.
Also, Lada wouldn’t make the car. A seperate company.
Just like there are bad Italian cars and amazing Italian cars, bad American cars and good American cars…
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February 16th, 2011 at 8:04 pm
Lada.
Enough said.
Those car’s weren’t worth the metal put into them.
I think people would have trouble overcoming the quality issues they had.
February 16th, 2011 at 8:51 pm
Allow me to fill in some historical information. Fiat has had ties with the iron curtain for many decades. Lada, Zastava, and even some Volga vehicles borrowed stampings and engines from Fiat.
The Zastava and Polski Fiats were based on the 1500 and 1800 models form the mid 60’s to the early 70’s. Also, the Yugo, which was well known in the US was another one of these FIat products.
The Russian (at the time Soviet) luxury brand was the ZIL Chaika. This car borrowed heavily from stampings and castings that Packard provided the USSR during the WWII lend - lease act.
Essentially, the early ZIL limousines were copied over and modified Packard 120’s. Later in the 50’s they were warmed over Packard Clippers. They even copied the same 6 and 12 cylinder motors.
However these cars do not have Packard quality or longevity.
Whether or not today Russia can build a car is entirely a different question. It requires a lot of capital to start an automotive manufacturer from scratch. It’s not impossible, but with proper management and planning, it is feasible. It just won’t be profitable for at least the first ten years of existence.
Also, keep in mind that companies like GM, Mercedes, BMW, etc. Have built a reputation over a century of work. For someone to build a luxury brand out of the gate it is a tall order. Look at the way Hyunday started. They came out with a crappy car that was essentially a re-badged Mitsubishi, used that experience to learn and do their own thing. 20 some years later, Hyundai now has a portfolio of different cars plus a luxury or upmarket car.
Of course, to their credit, they did it all at a tremendous loss. Their boat was floated along by the many other industries that Hyundai represents - that and the dumping that the Korean government is famous for on exports, and you have an instant market. Good or bad, your cars will sell, because they under sell the competition.
This is why if you go to a third world country, you see a majority of these cars. The Fiats and Renaults are no longer the most common, and haven’t been for almost three decades.