The large SUV Oting Paladin will soon be launched in Russia. The car is actually a Nissan Patrol, which is not allowed in the country at all.
A new SUV is on its way to the Russian market. The name is Oting Paladin. The car is very similar to the well-known Nissan Patrol. The launch comes despite Nissan's official exit from Russia.
Nissan formally withdrew from Russia in 2022. This happened in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. Many other Western companies did the same.
But now a car with strong Nissan roots has appeared. It is sold under the Oting brand. Oting is a relatively unknown brand outside of Russia.
Behind Oting are Chinese interests. Dongfeng Motor Corporation is owned by the Chinese state. A subsidiary is Dongfeng Motor Group (DFG).
DFG and Nissan jointly own Dongfeng Nissan. They have a 50/50 partnership. Dongfeng Nissan produces Nissan models for the Chinese market.
The cars are built at DFG's factories in China. Some of those cars are given Oting stickers. They are then sent to Russia via the Oting supplier.
Parallel imports and gray areas in the car market
The Oting Paladin is not an isolated case. There is a trend towards parallel imports in Russia. This is done without the official approval of the car manufacturers.
This is reported by the Russian news agency Interfax.
Unauthorized imports of brands such as Citroën and Ford have been seen. Dacia, Genesis, Hyundai and Kia have also been going on for a very long time.
The list also includes Isuzu, Mazda, Opel, Peugeot and Renault. All of this happens outside of official channels.
In fact, the Russians are now using an abandoned Citroën factory to build Citroën models without the brand's approval. Read more about it here .
Chinese car brands have gained a lot of popularity in Russia. This has happened after the withdrawal of Western brands. Chinese cars are now filling the void in the market.
The large Russian market is still attractive to many, however. Western manufacturers are officially keeping their distance. But unofficial probes into whether it is possible to return to the Russian market are taking place and have already been going on for a long time behind the scenes.
The Future of Western Car Brands in Russia
Russia has issued warnings to companies that left the country. Producers who withdrew may face resistance if they return. Tough negotiations and tight regulation may lie ahead.
There is even talk of possible lawsuits, according to Reuters. The road back to the Russian market could be complicated for Western car manufacturers. The situation remains uncertain.
Peace negotiations have created some cautious optimism in some places. This may affect companies' considerations about the Russian market. The future will show how the car market develops.
The Nissan Patrol is known globally as a robust and capable SUV. The model has a long history behind it. You can find more news about Nissan and tests of similar large SUVs here at Boosted.dk.
