The FINANCIAL — Mercedes Benz, the most demanded brand in Georgia, was imported 7,612 times less in 2009 than in 2008 in Georgia. In 2008 the total number of imported Mercedes Benz vehicles was 14,057 and in 2009 – 6,445.
Mercedes Benz C 180 was the most demanded vehicle under the Mercedes Benz brand and in 2008 1,925 models were imported, in 2009 – 6,445.
In 2008 6,112 BMW cars were imported and in 2009 – 1,934, a number which is 4,188 times less compared to last year. The most popular BMW model in 2008 and in 2009 was the BMW 5281 and the number of imported BMW 5281 cars in 2008 was 823, as for 2009 the number decreased to 276.
According to Paata Chedia, sales manager of Autoline LLC, the number of imported cars significantly decreased in the year 2009. Due to the economic problems, there are fewer demands for importing cars.
Autoline LLC is offering its consumers a wide selection of new and used luxury vehicles imported to Georgia form The Unites States, Western Europe and the UAE.
“The prices of cars have increased in America and in Georgia car prices are cheaper too, so it makes no sense importing cars from America. We import expensive cars and for every 7 that we sold in the past we now sell only 2,” Chedia says.
“The most popular car that we import at the moment is the Mercedes ML which was popular last year too,” Chedia added.
Volkswagen, one of the most demanded car brands in Georgia, imported 9,252 cars in 2008 and in 2009 – 2674, while Opel imported 15,439 cars in 2008 and in 2009 – 4,749.
The total number of imported Peugeot in 2008 was 307 and in 2009 – 97. In 2008 the Peugeot 406 was the most popular model by the brand and 43 of them were imported in total. In 2009 the Peugeot 207 1.4 was the most popular car by the brand, and 14 were imported.
According to the Director of the company Auto-Trade, Gia Meskhadze, the reason for the decreasing demand of imported cars is due to the financial problems.
“People started cutting their budgets due to the crisis, banks refused to launch credits and that’s why the number of imported cars reduced. In our company demand for cars has reduced by 40%, but we hope that the situation will soon change for the better,” Meskhidze says.
In 2008 Toyota imported 5,018 cars in Georgia and in 2009 – 1,513, while the number of imported Audi reached 1,889 in 2008 and in 2009 just 597. The Audi A6 was the most popular car by the brand in 2008, so too in 2009. In 2008 the number of imported A6 totalled 90 and in 2009 – 279.
“The number of imported cars has decreased by about 60% at our company and the reason for it is that people are remaining hesitant because of the crisis and also the Georgian Russian conflict has much affected the number of imported cars,” says George Barabadze, Shareholder of Autoshop.
According to Barabadze, Mercedes is the most demanded brand at the moment in their company.
In 2008 the number of Ford totalled 8,971. The number of imported Ford in 2009 was 4,762. Ford Escort was the most demanded model by the brand in 2008 and in 2009 too. 508 Ford Escorts were imported to Georgia in 2008 and in 2009 – 111.
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