Vehicle industry production in Turkey 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 (Türk Willys Overland Ltd.) for jeep manufacturing. By 1955 trucks and by 1963 buses were being assembled in Turkey. Then passenger car assembly companies, namely TOFAŞ (FIAT), OYAK (RENAULT) and OTOSAN (FORD) started operations in the succeeding 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. Recently Japanese and South Korean car manufacturers have established joint-ventures in Turkey. In 1999 Turkish truck manufacturers began to export its own design to England, Spain and Portugal, and Turkey is becoming a worldwide production centre for major international manufacturers like Renault, Ford and Fiat.

Today 16 companies are manufacturing various types of vehicles such as passenger cars, buses, trucks, pickups, mini and midibuses and trailers. Seven companies are producing passenger cars (OPEL, FORD OTOSAN, RENAULT, TOFAŞ (FIAT), TOYOTASA (TOYOTA), HYUNDAI, HONDA). Eight companies are producing trucks (ANADOLU ISUZU, BMC, CHRYSLER, M.A.N., MERCEDES-BENZ, FORD OTOSAN, OTOYOL, TEMSA). Ten companies are producing buses and mini buses (ISUZU, BMC, KARSAN, MERCEDES-BENZ, HYUNDAI, OTOKAR, FORD OTOSAN, OTOYOL, TEMSA, M.A.N.)

The Turkish automotive industry has a total capacity of 911 577 vehicles, of which 690 000 is for automobiles. The total vehicle production in 1999 was 322 603 units. At present the level of local content rates reaches 90-95%. The main automotive industry exports were $1,025 million in 1999.

The autoparts industry of Turkey has developed rapidly as a consequence of developments in the automotive industry. The Turkish autoparts industry with its large capacity, wide variety of production and high standards, supports automotive industry production and the vehicles in Turkey (approximately 6.2 million vehicles) and also has ample potential for exports.

Turkish automotive manufacturers are in direct contact with 1120 local autoparts manufacturers for procurement and 70% of these companies are SME’s. It is known that the total number of autoparts manufacturers in Turkey far exceeds 1120. There is a core group of some 250-300 very efficient auto spare parts manufacturers. Most of them have quality certificates like ISO Series, AQAP, VDA 6.1 etc. These companies are not only likely to dominate the primary supply markets but will capture an increasing share of the replacement market. At the same time for the quite a number of technologically advanced companies prospects are good for establishing themselves as exporters of autoparts. Their continued success in exports markets, however, will depend on close technical links with part makers in industrialised countries and the willingness of their foreign partners to integrate their Turkish counterparts into their production-distribution networks as regular suppliers of high quality, low-cost components.

Turkey's autoparts industry exports are increasing steadily year by year. In 1999 value of autoparts industry exports was US $946 million. The main export markets are Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium-Luxembourg, USA, Pakistan, Poland, India, Egypt, Austria and Greece.