If you recently put down a deposit on a Russian-built SUV, don’t worry. You’ll be getting your money back.
Bremach, a Russian company known mostly for its heavy-duty construction vehicle business, launched a plan in late 2020 to sell Russian SUVs and pickups to American consumers. The company didn’t formally report sales, so we don’t know how successful the plan was in its early days. But a company tweet last November claimed to have received $3.8 million in pre-order deposits.
SUV, Pickup Truck Planned
Bremach planned to sell two products. Russian consumers know both vehicles well. They sell under the UAZ badge there.
A midsize SUV and compact pickup, they offered serious ground clearance and approach-and-departure angles rivaling some of the most capable off-roaders on the market. Their prices, starting around $26,000, were reasonable on paper. But a 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine making just 150 horsepower was the only option under the hood, which would have left them underpowered by American standards.
We may never get the chance to find out. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggering worldwide trade restrictions, Bremach has decided to shutter its operations.
A banner at the top of Bremach’s website this morning reads, with admirable understatement, “For understandable reasons, all Bremach operations are suspended, and vehicle deposit holders will be refunded.”
You Could Use Your Refunded Deposit on Another Vehicular Curiosity
Fans of curious foreign vehicles aren’t completely out of luck. Vietnam’s VinFast is still taking deposits for its full lineup of electric vehicles. Those come with an NFT unique to the vehicle and a free beach vacation in Vietnam.
