Automotive

The automotive industry in Turkey dates back to the mid - 1950's and accelerated in the early 1960's. By 1955 trucks

and by 1963 buses were being assembled in Turkey. Passenger car assembly companies, namely TOFAS (FIAT), OYAK (RENAULT) and OTOSAN (FORD) started operation in the subsequent 3 years. From the mid-sixties onwards, production of these vehicles, supplemented by that of mini and midibuses began to increase steadily. Today, several assembly companies are manufacturing various types of vehicles: passenger cars, buses, trucks, tractors, pick-ups, mini and midibuses and trailers. At the end of 1994 the vehicle park in Turkey was composed of 4.5 million vehicles and annual vehicle production reached 265,837 vehicles as a result of 46% overall production capacity utilization. As for foreign trade figures, the export and import records for 1993 were 10,996 and 135,472 vehicles respectively. In many fields of the industry, especially in the last decade, Turkey has attained considerable growth in the autoparts industry as well. Beginning with the installation of vehicle assembly factories in Turkey, the autoparts industry has grown very fast and is concentrated primarily in the Istanbul, Izmit, Bursa and Izmir corridor where the main vehicle industry operates. Today, many of the high-precision and sophisticated technological parts used in engines can easily be produced at competitive prices for international markets. The major production items being focused on are body and chassis parts usually in the form of machined and formed metal products. In 1994 the total amount of motor vehicle exports was $209 million US. In addition to the exports of motor vehicles, exports of components were $458 million US.