Car market, Latvia, Transport

Director and co-owner of Domenikss, Benita Sadauska, has confirmed that the company plans to diversity its business activity and to start selling other brands' cars in September. However, Sadauska did not yet reveal the brand names. She did confirm, though, that a new automobile showroom has been constructed in Riga's Imanta suburb.

According to the Biznes&Baltija information, Domenikss will start selling "Opel" and "Chevrolet" cars, produced by General Motors.

Currently there are already two companies who sell General Motors cars in Riga: Adam Auto on Krasta Street and Hansa Auto on Brivibas Street.

During the first six months of this year, 663 new "Opel" cars and 121 new "Chevrolet" cars have been sold in Latvia, which is 35.1% less, compared with the number of cars sold in the respective period of time last year. "Opel" is the sixth most popular car make in Latvia, whereas "Chevrolet" is in 24th place regarding popularity.

Biznes&Baltija points out that new car sales in Latvia in the first six months of 2008 dropped by the total of 32%. Two official car dealers in Riga have already suffered from the consequences of the economic crisis – due to financial problems, Lauva Auto stopped its business activity in spring; and, as of August 1, Bensons auto is no longer the "Honda" dealer in Latvia.

This year, for the first time since 1931, General Motors have been outpaced by "Toyota" regarding the number of cars produced per year. General Motors produces passenger cars and trucks in 33 countries globally; the concern owns such brands as "Hummer", "Buick", "Cadillac", "Chevrolet", "GMC", "GM Daewoo", "Holden", "Opel", "Pontiac", "SAAB", "Saturn" and "Vauxhall".