Auto production in Turkey declined 16 percent in February

ISTANBUL

Turkey’s automotive production declined by 15.5 percent on an annual basis to 119,473 units in February, the Automotive Manufacturers Association (OSD) reported on March 20.

In the first two months of the year, the automotive industry’s output fell by 13.7 percent compared to the same period of last year to 229,327 units. In January-February, 151,474 passenger cars were produced, a 16 percent decline on an annual basis.

The association also reported that a total of 25,612 vehicles were sold in February on the domestic market which translated into a 47.5 percent decline from a year ago. Passenger car sales also dropped 46.5 percent on an annual basis to 19,205 units in the month.

The industry’s exports shrank 12.6 percent to 106,084 vehicles in February with two-month exports falling 7.5 percent to 199,497 units. Passenger car exports fell by 14 percent on annual basis to 128,147 units in the first two months of the year, data from the OSD also showed.

Local carmakers’ light commercial vehicle exports exhibited a 7 percent increase in January-February compared to the same period of 2018.