Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 5
By Rufiz Hafizoglu – Trend:
Turkey will choose a company, which will participate in the domestic car production until the end of September, the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology of Turkey told Trend Sept. 5.
A joint venture for domestic car production may also be established in Turkey, the ministry noted.
The ministry added that the domestic car production is one of the important priorities for Turkey.
“It is expected that once the mass production of domestic cars is established, a special center for testing the cars will be built in Bursa province,” the ministry said.
Earlier, the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology told Trend that Turkey is interested in exporting its domestically-made cars to neighboring countries.
Turkey was negotiating with a number of companies that could participate in the creation of domestic cars. Negotiations were underway with such companies as Fiba, Karsan, Kale, Sanko, Koc, BMC and Vestel. Mass production of domestic Turkish cars is expected to start by late 2019.
Turkey obtained a license from Swedish automaker Saab to manufacture a car based on the model 9-3. Turkish domestic cars, which are planned to be based on Saab 9-3, will come with a variety of engines and in several body types.
Turkey ranks sixth in Europe in car production. Models of Ford, FIAT, Renault, Toyota, Honda, Opel, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and MAN are currently assembled in Turkey. Moreover, Turkey manufactures local brands of buses, such as BMC, Temsa and Otokar.
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