Turkish auto sales down 20 percent

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

A total of 269,565 vehicles were sold in the first five months of this year.

The automobile and light commercial vehicle market in Turkey shrank 20.7 percent between January and May 2012 compared to the same period last year.

A total of 269,565 automobiles and light commercial vehicles were sold in the first five months of 2012.
In the same term last year a total of 340,299 automobiles and light commercial vehicles were sold in Turkey.

According to a report prepared by the Association of Automotive Distributors (ODD), a total of 70,863 automobiles and light commercial vehicles were sold in May 2012 in Turkey.

In May 2011, a total of 80,646 automobiles and light commercial vehicles were sold in Turkey. Thus, sales in the auto market of Turkey in May 2012 were down 12.1 percent when compared to the same month last year.

Renault led all automobile sales in Turkey, while Ford led all light commercial vehicles sales in the first five months of 2012.

Evaluating the drop in sales, the ODD’s General Coordinator Hayri Erce said that among the many reasons for the shrinkage in the auto market was the increase in special consumption taxes (SCT).
“Considering all these indicators, we assume that overall car sales in Turkey will stand at between 775,000 and 825,000 items by the end of 2012,” he said in a press release.