Lada West Togliatti
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Predecessor | GM-AvtoVAZ |
| Founded | April 15, 2020 |
| Headquarters | Tolyatti , Russia |
| Owner | AvtoVAZ |
| Parent | AvtoVAZ |
Lada West Togliatti () is a Russian automobile producer under the ownership of AvtoVAZ. The company evolved from GM-AvtoVAZ, a collaborative enterprise formed by AvtoVAZ and General Motors.
History
The origin of Lada West Togliatti traces back to GM-AvtoVAZ, which was founded in 2001 with the purpose of manufacturing the VAZ-2123 (Niva II) off-road vehicle, marketed as the Chevrolet Niva. At inception, AvtoVAZ and General Motors each possessed 41.6% of the shares, while the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) held a 16.8% stake. In 2012, EBRD divested its shares, distributing them equally between the two partners.
In December 2019, General Motors transferred its ownership share to AvtoVAZ, resulting in GM-AvtoVAZ becoming a fully owned subsidiary. The company retained limited rights to use the Chevrolet brand temporarily. On 15 April 2020, AvtoVAZ reestablished the entity under the name "JSC Lada West Togliatti."
By July 2020, production of Chevrolet-branded Niva vehicles was discontinued at Lada West Togliatti, with manufacturing shifting exclusively to the Lada brand. Later, in December 2020, the company introduced the Niva Travel, an enhanced iteration of the original Niva model.
In July 2021, manufacturing of the Lada Niva Travel was relocated to AvtoVAZ’s primary facility in Tolyatti. Nicolas Maure, CEO of AvtoVAZ, announced that production activities at Lada West Togliatti would be "suspended," though the plant itself would remain operational and not be sold.
Leadership
Romuald Rytvinski served as the inaugural general director of Lada West Togliatti and had previously held this role during the GM partnership. In December 2020, Yuri Skulsky, formerly head of human resources at the company, succeeded him as general director.