Belarusian Scheme Fails in Russia: Another Chinese Brand Prepares to Withdraw

In October, the Knewstar brand showed positive dynamics once again: 573 models of the 001 were registered, which is 23% more than last year when the project was just starting. From January to October, 4975 people became owners of this model, and the total number of registrations since its debut in September 2024 reached 6691 cars. Essentially, the entire success of the brand is based on one car, which is essentially a renamed version of the Geely Tugella. However, behind the positive numbers lies a worrisome signal: there are no 2025 production cars in the statistics. All the cars sold are leftovers from the 2024 production. This creates the impression that the development of the project has stalled, and the promised Knewstar 002 has not entered the market. Expert Sergei Tselikov notes that the lack of movement to expand the lineup may indicate a strategy rethink or an actual freeze of the brand. The situation is further fueled by constant talks about launching Geely models under the revived Russian name ‘Volga.’ With the emergence of new Chinese brands and intensified competition, the prospects for Knewstar appear increasingly uncertain. While demand for the single model remains, the project’s future depends solely on whether new cars and plans from the manufacturer will emerge.