No cars to Russia for now

How many Russian rubles is a new European automobile worth? That's the question carmakers are asking themselves this week. Several said they would interrupt deliveries to Russian showrooms between Wednesday and Friday, while they consider the impact of the dramatic drop in the value of the ruble that occurred on Monday and Tuesday.

"We aren't excluding the possibility of price increases," said a speaker for Audi, a subsidiary of Volkswagen.

Deliveries of Audi cars to Russia are expected to resume on Monday, the spokesperson said.

A spokersperson for General Motors said the company's European unit, Opel, had already suspended deliveries to Russian showrooms on Tuesday. The US-based carmaker said, however, that previously ordered cars would be delivered at the ruble price agreed at the time of sale.

Jaguar Land Rover also announced a temporary halt to deliveries to its Russian showrooms.

Not just car sales are affected by the uncertainty over the ruble's value. Apple computer company had already suspended its online sales in Russia earlier this week, in order to consider adjustments in the ruble-denominated price for its products.

nz/hg (Reuters, AFP)