by In Russia, state control over the prices of new cars may be introduced. The relevant bill has already been registered in the State Duma. This is reported by Focus.
The bill obliges car dealers to sell new cars at the recommended retail price. In addition, it prohibits the installation of additional equipment on cars before their sale.
The authors of the bill cite the rapid rise in car prices in Russia as the reason for such strict non-market measures (price regulation was in effect during the USSR). The halt of car factories and the withdrawal of leading global car manufacturers from Russia after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine have led to a shortage of new cars on the market and their price increase.
Moreover, many dealers began installing additional equipment on cars before their sale and used this as a reason to increase prices. In 2022, the prices of new cars in Russia rose on average by 19%, although some models became much more expensive.
For example, the price of the Kia Sportage in Russia jumped to $76,700 – the crossover became three times more expensive than in Ukraine. And the cost of the Lada Vesta 2022 or Renault Duster sometimes reached $40,000. The “Moskvich” crossovers, produced at a Russian factory, turned out to be more expensive than their twin JAC JS4, imported into Ukraine from China.
