Turkish cars will be launched soon.. Do you know the previous national car projects?

Since the founding of the modern Turkish Republic in 1923. The dream of producing a Turkish car with local facilities attracted citizens as well as politicians, while the idea of ​​producing cars spread in Turkey. The adventure of producing a Turkish car continues the car, domestic wagons began since 1961.

Despite the success of the first Turkish attempts to produce 4 of their domestic cars, which they called “Devrim”. However, they could only produce it in 129 days with Turkish capital and intelligence. But they were not able to produce it in large quantities, and there is a movie called (The Revolution) made in 2008 that tells the story of this car.

Turkish initiatives came in vain until 2017, when President Erdogan announced. In reference to the five companies participating in the National Electric Vehicle (TOGG). The historic step that Turkey has been waiting for for 60 years will be taken by the Big Five. The project is preparing to land on Turkey’s roads in the second half of next year.

60 years of dreaming

The story of the Turkish auto industry dates back to 1961 after the 1960 coup, when then-President Cemal Gursel issued a statement. Instructions to the Ministry of Transport to produce a national car with local capabilities to be ready by Republic Day in October. 29, 1961.

Engineers managed to build Turkey’s first domestic car, “Devrim”, in just 129 days, but during the Republic Day celebrations. 4 units were produced and the project was stopped due to running out of fuel after 100 meters.

And this success was immortalized by Gürsel’s famous words, “We made a car with a western head, but our eastern head forgot to put the gas.”

The “Anatolian” car was produced in 1966 in the “Otosan” factory founded by Turkish businessman Vehbi Koç in 1959. It was the first local Turkish car on the road, although the company produced 93,188 cars for the Turkish market. The project was discontinued in 1984.

At that time, Wehbe Koch founded the Tofash factory, which was opened in 1971 in cooperation with the Italian owner of Fiat. Giovanni Agnelli and began to produce Murat, Dogan and Kartal cars, this time with the participation and support of foreigners.

It should be noted that Ford built the first automobile assembly line in Turkey in 1929. But it was closed in 1930 due to the Great Depression that hit America. This is a small three-wheeled car that the Turks called the “Nobel 2000” in 1958.

National cars on the roads in 2022

Since 2017, Turkey has made all its efforts and expertise to lay the correct and realistic foundations for the launch of its electric car. Which promised full national expertise and capabilities after the meeting of the General Assembly of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce. In the capital, Ankara, Erdogan asked Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, president of the association, to lead the production of the first locally-made Turkish car. 100% labeled “Made in Turkey”.

Following this meeting, preparations for financing the Turkish Automotive Project (TOGG), whose value is estimated at $3.7 billion, began. With the alliance formed by the five largest companies in Turkey, Mehmet Gursan Karakash was elected. as a manager. The project manager, who worked as an assistant manager at the German company (Bosch), started his life as a mechanical engineer after graduating from the Middle East University.

Turkey is preparing to launch its first electric car, which Karakaş describes as “not just a car, but a mobile computer.” In the second half of 2022 to compete in the local and global markets. The group, which is expected to produce 175,000 cars annually, is expected to focus on the domestic market first. While it will open to the international market two years later, in 2024.

Strategic hub for the auto industry

Turkey for many years has been able to attract major global automakers and has become a strategic center in this type of industry. Despite the failure of previous attempts to produce a national car with purely local financing and capabilities. Since the 1950s, successive Turkish governments have pursued policies of promoting trade, cash, and taxation that have accelerated. During the period of the ruling Justice and Development Party to advance this sector and attract more international companies working in this vital industry.

Today, Turkey is an important strategic center for automobile production due to its distinguished geographic location that connects the East with the West. It has modern and advanced experienced engineers and workers, facilitating legislation in commercial and monetary laws. In addition to having a developed industrial structure, modern and complex infrastructure, sea and air transport lines, it is the prerogative of these companies.

In the past five years, Turkey’s car exports have reached nearly 900,000 cars to 180 countries around the world. While the exports of companies operating in the automotive sector jumped to nearly $3.9 billion.

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