The market declined 8.5% in April, or by 11,269 units, and totalled 121,272 units.

Year to date, 440,583 cars were sold – down 14.1% on figure of 513,135 for the same period in 2015.

Joerg Schreiber, chairman of the AEB Automobile Manufacturers Committee, commented: “Total market performance continues to make steady, although painfully slow progress towards finding its bottom in terms of year-on-year trend. Meanwhile, absolute sales volume has fallen to the lowest level in 10 years, equally in the months of March and April as well as in cumulative result during the first four months of the year.

“Under these circumstances, the decision of the Russian government to extend market stimulation measures is a highly welcome and appropriate measure intended to help the market to get through what is probably the toughest period in its recent history.”