Automotive Exports March 2021

Auto sales
grow 24.2% in
February
Turkey’s automotive sales grew by 24.2%
in February compared to the same month
of last year, according to an industry group
report released.
Passenger cars and light commercial vehicle
sales in Turkey totaled 58,504 last month,
the Automotive Distributors’ Association
(ODD) said in the report.
With a second consecutive monthly
growth, February’s sales were the highest
for that month in the last 10 years.
Sales of passenger cars accounted for 76%
or 44,749 of the total, up 18.6% year-onyear
in February. Meanwhile, a total of
13,755 light commercial vehicles were sold,
marking a 46.6% increase during the same
period.
Sector representatives forecast that sales
may accelerate further with the lifting
of weekend curfews. They also expect
dynamism in the second-hand car market.
ODD Chairperson Ali Bilaloğlu said trustbuilding
statements from the Central
Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) and
the economic program, as well as their
impact on the foreign exchange that lifted
the Turkish lira’s value, had contributed
to the increase in sales. Boosted public
confidence in the country’s economy
and commitment that the developments
would be permanent, along with sales
campaigns from several car brands, new
model launches and the increased need
for individual mobility, were also among
the reasons that boosted sales, according
to the ODD head. Murat Şahsuvaroğlu, the
chairperson of the Authorized Automotive
Dealers Association (OYDER), said the
increase in sales in Turkey, at a time
when a decline has been seen in Europe,
demonstrates economic dynamics and
continued interest in the sector.
“The attractive zero-interest-rate
campaigns from different brands were
effective in this increase in sales. Brands
mobilized sales by compromising profits,”
he noted, adding that the lifting of the
weekend travel restrictions will particularly
boost used-car sales. Muhammed
Ali Karakaş, the chairperson of an
online second-hand car sales platform,
Otomerkezi.net, said they anticipate the
second-hand vehicle market will gain
30-40% momentum with the approaching
of the summer months, the easing of
restrictions and the stabilization of prices.
“We would like to emphasize to the
consumer that the prices are already
“bottom” and there are a lot of panic sales
or affordable sales,” he added.
He also noted that as long as there is
surplus supply, citizens should not be afraid
or hesitant of “not being able to find a car.”
“Currently, there are approximately 600,000
vehicles for sale on the second-hand market
and 100,000 vehicles listed for urgent sale.”
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