International Newsmaker Q&A Alexey Yanovskiy

July 29, 2014
Headquartered in Moscow, Larte Design is entering the American marketplace with its line of SUV customization systems for the Infiniti, Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz nameplates.

Headquartered in Moscow, Larte Design is entering the American marketplace with its line of SUV customization systems for the Infiniti, Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz nameplates.

The tuning kit packages are engineered to assist auto aficionados who wish to express their “individuality and personal style” by enhancing a vehicle’s appearance and performance, according to Alexey Yanovskiy, the company’s founder and president.

“Each kit meets the highest technical standards and includes components from renowned manufacturers,” he reports. “Kits also come with attractively and aggressively designed alloy wheels that are equipped with high-end tires from technical partner Michelin.”

Yanovskiy goes on to explain that “we have modern production (facilities) and high-equipped workshops, despite the fact that some stages of the work we do by hand.” Some 50 skilled employees take part in crafting 10 core designs.

Introduced in June, the latest addition to the line is a “Black Crystal” package for the Mercedes-Benz GL. It features “an aggressive body kit, attractive alloy wheels and a sonorous exhaust system,” says Yanovskiy, along with crystalline front bumper accents, “aggressive geometry,” custom LED daytime running lights, crystal-shaped edges, exposed carbon-fiber inserts and several air inlets.

A chip for the engine beefs up performance, accompanied by a four-pipe stainless steel exhaust system. “The exhaust’s complex shape – steel on the inside and carbon on the outside – echoes the high-quality craftsmanship that goes into each component of Larte’s body kits,” says Yanovskiy, who recently answered a series of questions from Aftermarket Business World:

Q: How are you rolling out your kits to the U.S. market?

A: The kits will be distributed (through established businesses). Later we will open our own showrooms. We are going to devote a good amount of energy on advertising and getting direct interest from customers.

We are very excited to be expanding our reach into such a strong marketplace for the auto aftermarket and tuning segment. We have been successful in Europe and hope to attract the right audience here in the States.

Q: What other nations do you sell to?

A: Russia, the Middle East and Europe.

Q: What business factors did you consider when entering the U.S. market?

A: We decided to bring our kits to the U.S. because they have a large focus on the Infiniti brand and the U.S. market is known for this brand. The models for which we have our body kits are much more popular in the U.S. compared to other markets.

We are aiming to complete our range of products with kits for other premium SUVs that are popular in Russia and the USA and try to build sales in the U.S. Our audience doesn’t just want the base premium SUV; our audience needs to expand on individuality and stand out from others on the road.

Q: You are initially highlighting the Infiniti? What made you decide to focus on this particular kit in making your introduction into the American market?

A: Infiniti is the trademark we started with and we have much experience with it. Infiniti is a much more common brand for the U.S. market than in Europe, and our kits are quite successful in Russia. All of this gives us the hope that this product will be in demand by customers in the U.S.

Q: What are some of the design features?

A: It really depends on the model we are talking about. But for an example we can use the GL Black Crystal. This kit features crystalline accents resembling that of a crystal, an aggressive front end and even an F1 inspired brake light in the rear. These are just some of the highlights, though.

The main advantage of the tuning set Black Crystal is that its parts suit any configuration of Mercedes GL, unlike all other submitted packages that are designed only for the top-end models.

Q: How long does it usually take to install one of your kits on a customer’s vehicle?

A: About 14 days.

Q: Do you provide sales materials for the shop owners to display in their waiting rooms?

A: We will supply dealerships with POS materials.

Q: Can your kits typically be installed by a do-it-yourselfer, or is it mostly done by professional installers?

A: These kits should really be left to professionals and experts.

Q: You are based in Russia; what are some of the issues involved in getting your kits through customs or complying with other import regulations?

A: We keep our body kits in our warehouse in the U.S.

For more information, visit www.larte-design.com.

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