The revived "Moskvich" brand decided to distance itself from budget models that lost to AvtoVAZ and focus on a more profitable segment. According to preliminary estimates, the "M70" will cost 2.5-3 million rubles, and the "M90" - up to 4 million, which reflects the plant's new strategy: high prices compensate for the high cost and limited production volumes.
History shows that "Moskvich" could never compete with "Lada" in volume. The AZLK plant with the Izhevsk branch could produce a maximum of 400 thousand cars per year, while AvtoVAZ already produced twice as much. Attempts to create an intermediate segment, as in the case of "Moskvich-2141", helped only partially: the model appeared too late to save the plant.
Today, production has been restored at the former "Renault Russia" enterprise, with a production capacity of about 180 thousand cars per year, which is significantly less than that of AvtoVAZ. Logistics in Moscow, the high cost of land and labor make the production of budget cars economically unprofitable: the cost of a unit of "Moskvich" products is higher than that of similar "Lada".
Even at the same price as the Lada Vesta, the "Moskvich" brings less profit. In 2024, the "Vesta" sold 123,456 units, and all "Moskvich" - only 23 thousand. Moving production to the regions could help, but the political nature of the plant does not allow this, so the choice is obvious: to make cars with high profitability.
The quality of past models based on JAC raised questions - the variators, suspension and handling were controversial. But with the "M" line, built on cars of the Chinese concern SAIC, the situation is changing. SAIC has global experience, including owning the British brands MG and Maxus, engineering centers and a developed network of factories.
The new "Moskvich" M70 and M90 offer high-quality materials, comfort, handling and reliability comparable to European brands. The top seven-seater "M90" has all-wheel drive and a 2-liter turbo engine with a 9-speed "automatic", which meets the expectations of Russian buyers.
The high price of the new "Moskvich" is an economic necessity. Only expensive cars allow the plant to cover costs, break even and compete against the background of limited production capacity. Budget models simply do not pay off under the current conditions.
In addition, the plant's free capacity attracts third-party projects, including the production of "Atom" electric vehicles and "Yandex" UMO 5A electric cars, which allows maximizing the use of the "MAZ Moskvich" infrastructure and strengthening the company's position.