Along with SUV, a sedan model for Turkey's domestic car to be disclosed on Friday

Published December 23,2019

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ALONG WITH SUV, A SEDAN MODEL FOR TURKEYS DOMESTIC CAR TO BE DISCLOSED ON FRIDAY

At the ceremony to unveil Turkey's first domestic car in the industrial district of Gebze on Dec. 27, 2019, President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an will test drive the fully electric SUV model on Osmangazi Bridge. (DHA Photo)

The Turkish public is excitedly awaiting the unveiling of Turkey's first domestically produced automobile on Friday.

It has been announced that a fully electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) C-segment model is set to be unveiled to the public at a ceremony attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, along with ministers and leading figures of the Turkish business world. A sedan model in the C-segment range will also be manufactured as part of the domestic car manufacturing project. Production of the sedan model is expected to launch after the SUV goes into production.

The ceremony to unveil Turkey's first domestically produced car will be held at the premises of Turkey's Automobile Joint Venture Group (TOGG) in the city of Gebze. The group is composed of the five largest Turkish companies and holdings, who struck a partnership aimed at working on Turkish car development in November 2017.

Erdoğan is expected to test drive the first fully electric SUV model, which has been designed by Italian car design firm and coachbuilder Pininfarina. The test drive will see the president cross the Osmangazi Bridge near Gebze Information Technologies (IT) Valley, where the TOGG is based.

The first car to be certified as "Made In Turkey" is expected to hit the road in 2022 and includes an autonomous driving feature for a safer, more comfortable drive. By 2030, the TOGG aims to release five models to the market. In the meantime, three existing models produced by the group are set to see a revamp. The consortium will not only produce for the domestic market, but plans to export the models globally.

The consortium is also working toward securing a 5-star safety rating from the Euro New Car Assessment Program thanks to its active and passive security and safety equipment. TOGG hopes to seal this before the first model hits roads in 2022. Turkey will enjoy full intellectual property rights over the vehicle, as the first of its kind solely produced in the country.

In November 2017, Turkey embarked on a groundbreaking initiative to manufacture its own domestic automobile. The project has brought together the country's largest manufacturers and companies in a consortium that includes Anadolu Group, BMC, Kök Group, Turkcell and Zorlu Holding, all contributing a wealth of experience in various sectors. The TOGG was founded in June 2018.

*Ufuk Sandık