Over 5,000 parts manufacturers are active, including global brands like Bosch, Continental, Denso, Visteon, Delphi, Johnson Controls, Bridgestone (via Brisa), Sumitomo Rubber, Pirelli, and Goodyear operating joint ventures in Türkiye. The sector invests heavily in CAD/CAM design, CNC machining, prototyping and collective R&D, geared toward EVs, autonomous technologies, sustainability, and energy efficiency.

Türkiye’s automotive sector ranks among the nation’s top export earners—with vehicles and components accounting for over 16 percent of total exports. In June 2025 alone, shipments hit a record US $3.4 billion, driven by strong European demand, especially Germany, which bought US $556 million worth (+74 percent YoY).

Türkiye’s automotive exports are heavily concentrated in Europe, accounting for nearly 80 percent of total shipments. In 2024, key markets included Germany (~18%), the UK (~10%), Italy (~8%), and France (~7%). While Europe remains dominant, Türkiye is diversifying: the US and Canada now absorb roughly 5%; Middle East & North Africa attract ~4%; and Sub‑Saharan Africa ~3%.

Türkiye is a leading vehicle exporter to the EU: in the latest period, EU imports from Türkiye comprised vans (€3.3 billion, +9.2 % YoY, holding a 52.6 % share), trucks (€383 million, –35.7 % YoY, 28.1 % share), and buses (€1.8 billion, –1.2 % YoY, commanding a 68.6 % share of EU bus imports).

Between 2016 and 2024, Türkiye’s automotive industry experienced significant fluctuations. Production peaked in 2017 at 1.696 million units before stabilising around 1.35–1.47 million in recent years. Exports followed a similar trend, dipping after 2018 but recovering to over 1 million units by 2024.

Türkiye offers a compelling mix of strengths in the automotive sector: a robust manufacturing infrastructure heavily clustered in the Marmara region (Bursa, Istanbul, Kocaeli, Sakarya) — backed by over 15 billion USD in OEM investments since 2000.