2010 was a record year for the local auto industry, with total sales exceeding those registered in the previous years. The local newspaper Vatan writes that 2010 sales even reached the 750,000-unit milestone at the end of December, which is quite an achievement given that in 2009 only 557,126 vehicles have been delivered to Turkish buyers.
Turkey is at this time a country whose auto sector relies only on a few big names in the industry, including Renault and Ford, both operating joint ventures there. But the Eurasian country might soon adopt a different trend in auto sales, as the Chinese companies, the same that managed to reach the front page of newspapers through their bids for companies such as Volvo, Opel, Saab or HUMMER, are also heading to Turkey.
Chery announced in October 2009 that it wants to use Turkey as the entrance to the European market, so the company sketched plans for a factory that would roll out models addressed to both the local and surrounding markets. Chery even granted a $500 million investment for the facility that was supposed to produce 100,000 vehicles per year.
"The Chinese 'Chery" automotive firm has applied to Turkish authorities to make US$500 million of investments in Turkey, and open to world markets via our country," Turkey's Industry & Trade Minister Nihat Ergu confirmed Chery's interest more than than one year ago.
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