Vehicle industry production in Türkiye dates back to the mid-1950s and the industry gained momentum in the early 1960s. After manufacturing some prototype vehicles during the 1950s, the first vehicle assembly company was established in 1954 (Turk Willys Overland Ltd.) for jeep manufacturing. By 1955, trucks, and by 1963, buses were being assembled in Türkiye. Then passenger car assembly companies, namely TOFAŞ (FIAT), OYAK (RENAULT) and OTOSAN (FORD) began operations in the next three years. In 1966, the industry also began to assemble its own cars (OTOSAN). The Turkish-made passenger car of those times, “ANADOL”, is nostalgia now. The two major producers of cars, TOFAŞ and OYAK-RENAULT, under Italian and French licenses respectively, established their production lines in 1971.
Japanese and South Korean car manufacturers have established joint ventures in Türkiye. As to passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, Turkish manufacturers are becoming world production centers of global companies, with whom they have license agreements. At present, Türkiye is the biggest light commercial vehicle and bus manufacturer in the European Union.
Turkish spare parts industry produces parts and pieces for the vehicles manufactured in our country and in the global market, as well as for the OEM and After Market. Türkiye has a strong component sector and in recent years, it has developed a highly competitive components industry providing products compatible with brands such as GM, Mercedes, BMW, Opel, Toyota, Fiat and Ford. The Turkish spare parts industry, with its large capacity, and a wide variety of production and high standards, supports automotive production and the vehicle park in Türkiye (21 million vehicles), and has ample potential for exports.
The Turkish automotive and spare parts industry is concentrated in the Marmara Region, mainly in Bursa. Two major car factories and two “Organized Industrial Zones” are located in Bursa. Other important cities are Istanbul, İzmir, Kocaeli, Ankara, Konya, Adana and Manisa. Another development in the Turkish Auto Parts Industry is the establishment of the TAYSAD Components Manufacturers Industrial Zone (TOSB). Due to the high export potential of the sector and Türkiye’s regional advantages, the spare parts sector has been attracting foreign investors. At present, the number of foreign investors in the spare parts sector is about 200. Most of the world leaders in the sector have jointventures with Turkish companies. Turkish automotive manufacturers are in direct contact with local spare parts manufacturers for procurement and 70% of these companies are SMEs. The total number of spare parts manufacturers in Türkiye is about 4000. %30 of those companies have international quality certificates (ISO 9000, QS 9000, ISO 14000 etc.).
The Turkish spare parts industry produces almost all parts and components. At present, the local parts and components production consists of: Complete engines and engine parts Chassis parts and spare parts Radiators Forged and cast parts Heating, ventilating & air conditioning systems (HVAC systems) Electrical equipment and illumination systems Power trains, Batteries Brake and clutch parts and components Design and engineering services Hydraulic and pneumatic systems Suspension systems Security systems and safety parts Rubber and plastic parts Castings and forgings Batteries, Auto glass , Seats Türkiye’s spare parts industry exports are increasing significantly with the focus on replacement components.
The main spare parts products exported are engine parts, tyres and tubes, accessories for bodies, road wheels and parts, rubber parts for motor vehicles, transmission shafts and cranks. In fact, Türkiye exports many cars, buses and trucks in parts. In terms of the breakdown of spare parts exports by province, Bursa, Istanbul, Kocaeli and Izmir have the major share. The number of companies in the spare parts industry is about 4000. Approximately 500 auto parts exporters operate in the country, and around 70% of their output is exported to the European Union. Turkish spare parts products are destined for a wide range of countries in the world. The main export markets are Germany, France, Italy, Romania, the United Kingdom, USA, Spain, Iran, Belgium, Poland and the Russian Federation. Turkish spare parts exporters follow European and international standards and norms. Many supplier companies have important, high-level customers like Porsche, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Audi, Daimler Benz and Mercedes and major producers such as VW, FORD and GM.