Exports Surge to Historic Highs in the First 11 Months – Turkey’s automotive industry has surpassed its previous export record, reaching the highest level in its history within the first 11 months of the year. The sector has already exceeded the full-year export performance of 2024, underscoring its continued strength as the backbone of Turkey’s foreign trade.
According to data compiled from the Uludağ Automotive Industry Exporters’ Association, automotive exports between January and November rose by 12.3 percent year-on-year to $37.76 billion. This figure has already overtaken last year’s record of $37.21 billion, achieved over the entire year.
Maintaining its position as Turkey’s top exporting sector, automotive is preparing to become the export leader for the 19th time in the past 20 years, excluding only 2022. During the January–November period, the industry exported to more than 200 countries as well as autonomous and free zones, accounting for 15.3 percent of Turkey’s total exports.
Sub-Sectors Also Break Records
The supply industry, the locomotive of the automotive sector, recorded exports of $14.44 billion in the first 11 months, up 5.1 percent compared to the same period last year. Having set a record of $14.88 billion in 2024, the sector is expected to surpass this figure with December shipments.
Passenger car exports also continued their upward trend, rising by 5.7 percent to $11.69 billion in the January–November period. With the sector’s all-time high standing at $12.38 billion in 2018, industry representatives note that exports exceeding $691 million in December would be enough to set a new record.
Exports of vehicles designed for the transportation of goods, including light commercial vehicles, vans, and trucks, climbed sharply by 30 percent to $6.49 billion. This segment had already broken its previous record of $5.58 billion by October and continues to strengthen its performance.
Bus, minibus, and midibus exports increased by nearly 30 percent to $2.99 billion in the first 11 months. The sector surpassed the full-year 2024 record of $2.57 billion within just 10 months, signaling a strong upward trajectory.
Other categories, including tractors, special-purpose vehicles, and railway vehicles, generated $2.15 billion in exports during the same period.
Germany Remains the Leading Market
Germany remained the largest export destination for Turkey’s automotive industry in the January–November period. Exports to Germany surged by 39 percent year-on-year, rising from $4.42 billion to $6.14 billion.
France ranked second with automotive exports increasing by 15 percent to $4.40 billion, while shipments to the United Kingdom edged up by 2 percent to $3.85 billion.
Spain followed as the fourth-largest market with $3.17 billion in exports, and Italy ranked fifth with $3.02 billion, completing the list of Turkey’s top automotive export destinations.
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