Ford enjoyed a sales boom in a falling Russian market in June despite closing two car plants as the automaker ends sales of passenger vehicles in the country.
Ford's passenger vehicle volume jumped 43 percent to 6,146 units compared with 4,305 in June 2017. In the first six months Ford's sales in Russia fell 18 percent to 21,027.
The June sales boost was likely caused by customers buying Ford cars ahead of the automaker's exit from the country's passenger car market, a Ford spokesman said.
Ford ceased passenger vehicle production in Russia at the end of June when the automaker closed plants at Naberezhnye Chelny, which built Focus and Mondeo cars, and St. Petersburg, which produced the Fiesta small car and Ecosport crossover.
The closures were part of a broader restructuring of Ford’s European business to restore profits.
Most other automakers had a bad month in June as total new-car sales fell 3.3 percent to 151,180, according to data from the AEB industry body.
Market leader Lada's sales fell 2 percent, while No. 2, Kia, declined 3 percent. Third-placed Hyundai dropped 1 percent, while No. 4 Renault was down 12 percent. Volkswagen brand, in fifth place, was the only top 5 winner, with sales up 6 percent.
- Download June, 6-month sales by brand here.
German premium brands had a good month with BMW sales up 15 percent, Audi's volume up 7 percent and Mercedes-Benz up 5 percent.
Among the losers, Nissan fell 26 percent, Mitsubishi dropped 24 percent and Skoda slipped 1 percent.
In the first half, Russia sales fell 2.4 percent to 828,750.
In a statement, AEB Chairman Joerg Schreiber said: "It is clear that market growth in the full year of 2019 is not a realistic scenario anymore. Even with a certain trend improvement in the second half, it would appear that the best outcome the market can hope for is to equalize last year’s sales result."
