Russia's auto market shows no signs of improving in the next two years, having been hit by an economic slowdown and the weak rouble, according to media reports.
Sanctions over Ukraine have hurt the Russian economy, hitting car sales to a growing middle class, while imported car parts have become more expensive.
Russia had been expected to overtake Germany as Europe's biggest auto market earlier this decade, but its progress has been delayed. Car sales have fallen rapidly this year , down 26 percent year on year in August.
There were 1.58 million new passenger cars sold in Russia in the January-August period this year, according to the Automobile Manufacturers Committee of the Association of the European Businesses. In the same period, 2.02 million passenger cars were registered in Germany, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.
In August, Ford's sales in Russia were down 57 percent year on year, one of the steepest declines among all the car brands.
