OREANDA-NEWS. According to the agency "Auto-Dealer-SPb", in 2014, sales of new cars and light commercial vehicles in St. Petersburg fell by 6% to 191,496 vehicles. In December it was set the absolute record of sales of new cars at the end of one month - dealers sold 20,902 vehicles, which is more by 9% than the last month of 2013. This is the best growth in sales for one month the last year. In comparison with November, when it was the high demand in St. Petersburg for the purchase of vehicles, it was sold more by 3,000 new cars.

"Shopping in December will lead to a serious drop in sales at the beginning of the year", - says the CEO of "Auto-Dealer-SPb", Michael Chaplygin. - "The ruble continues to be unstable, forcing automakers to raise prices on cars of 2015 model year. If in January people still can be on time to buy the latest car of the last year at the old prices, in February and March dealers will have to fight seriously for the client. All of this will take place against the background of the lack of government support programs that can be received likely in the second quarter.

There was only one change in the three leaders of St. Petersburg car market - the second and third places were changed between Kia (15496 units; + 5%) and Volkswagen (13,832 units, -16%). Leader is still the same - the French Renault (18,393 units, + 4%). Thanks to the state program of parc renovation, Lada is still in the fourth place (11351 units, + 3%), and the most impressive progress was made at the end of the year by Ford - brand ended the year in fifth place (11,188 units, -21%), although a month ago it was eighth.

"In 2015, sales of new cars in the city could fall to a record minimum for the last five years - by optimistic forecast the decrease of the market will be 20%, and in the worst case - about 40%", - says Michael Chaplygin.

The share of St. Petersburg in the total new car sales in Russia in 2014 was 7.7%.