The Turkish automotive industry has been active since the early seventies. Initially, the majority of the market development was based on imports and some level of local system integration. Since the full integration to the European Customs Union in 1994, Turkey has become a major production platform for global automotive manufacturers.
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Currently there are 15 multinational vehicle manufacturers with their own production facilities in Turkey (excluding farm tractor producers). While some of these companies are engaged in a joint venture with Turkish companies, others are operating independently.
One of the main reasons for the global players to be present in the Turkish market is the lively growth potential that the country offers as far as the sheer number of vehicles is concerned. Compared with 2003, the local demand for new vehicles increased by 92.1% in 2004 with a record number of 753,731 vehicle sales. Nearly 58% of all vehicles sold were imported.
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The vehicle count in Turkey consists of 7.6 million motor vehicles: more than 4.7 million are passenger cars and around 2.9 million are commercial vehicles. Most of the motor vehicles (some 32%) are concentrated in the area around Istanbul, followed by 22% in the Anatolian Region. The following figures show that there is still a considerable growth potential in the Turkish automotive market.
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