In order to determine the position of large Russian companies on the competitive landscape of the global automotive market, a comparative analysis of the largest Russian companies with foreign counterparts was conducted on a number of financial and economic indicators characterizing their innovative activity and efficiency. To compare the patent portfolios of Russian companies and similar global companies, the following indicators were used: the total number of patent applications filed by the company, the stability of patent activity, the number of technological areas in the strategic focus of the company (the breadth of the company’s R&D footprint), etc. It is concluded that Russian automakers ignore the new paradigm of global market leadership based on technological development: their R&D budgets are hundreds of times smaller than those of foreign companies-analogues, and portfolios of patents obtained in various national patent offices are thousands and tens of thousands of times smaller compared to market leaders.