President Erdogan unveils cars set to become first domestic automobiles

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday unveiled prototypes of a domestically produced electric car, putting him closer to fulfilling a long-held dream of building Turkey’s first ‘national’ automobile.

Erdogan showcased the SUV and sedan models of the car, known for now as TOGG after a consortium of Turkish companies that will produce them, at a ceremony in Gebze, in Turkey’s northwestern industrial heartland.

The president test drove a car across a suspension bridge over the Gulf of Izmit.  

Two models were unveilled on Thursday, but five are planned with an autonomy of 300 miles on a full charge. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) is seen in the driver’s seat of Turkey’s first indigenous automobile during the official opening ceremony of its unveiling in Gebze, Turkey today 

Erdogan can be seen in the driver's seat of the TOGG SUV model in Gebze earlier today

Erdogan can be seen in the driver’s seat of the TOGG SUV model in Gebze earlier today 

Erdogan can be seen outside the TOGG Sedan prototype in Gebze earlier today. The Turkish president has long wished for a domestic automobile as part of his vision to make the country an economic powerhouse

Erdogan can be seen outside the TOGG Sedan prototype in Gebze earlier today. The Turkish president has long wished for a domestic automobile as part of his vision to make the country an economic powerhouse 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan drives the Turkey's first indigenous automobile over the Gulf of Izmit earlier today

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan drives the Turkey’s first indigenous automobile over the Gulf of Izmit earlier today 

President Erdogan can be seen introducing the SUV model prototype of Turkey's first domestically-produced car today at a ceremony in Gebze, Turkey

President Erdogan can be seen introducing the SUV model prototype of Turkey’s first domestically-produced car today at a ceremony in Gebze, Turkey 

Some 175,000 vehicles are expected to roll off the production line per year at a factory to be built south of Istanbul in the city of Bursa.

The project is expected to contribute £38.2 billion to the Turkish economy in the 15 years following 2022. 

Erdogan offered to put his name down on a possible list for advance orders. 

‘We are witnessing a historic day, realizing a 60-year dream,’ Erdogan said. ‘I know that our people is impatiently waiting for the day they can own this car.’

The Turkish leader has long pushed industrialists to build a domestic automobile as part of his vision for making Turkey an economic powerhouse. 

Image shows the exterior details of the electric model of Turkey's first indigenous automobile as photographed today

Image shows the exterior details of the electric model of Turkey’s first indigenous automobile as photographed today 

The interior view of the electric model of Turkey's first indigenous automobile photographed today

The interior view of the electric model of Turkey’s first indigenous automobile photographed today 

Turkey's first indigenous automobile models, the SUV and Sedan, are on display during the official opening ceremony in Gebze today

Turkey’s first indigenous automobile models, the SUV and Sedan, are on display during the official opening ceremony in Gebze today 

Pictured is the interior view of Turkey's first indigenous automobile photographed earlier today

Pictured is the interior view of Turkey’s first indigenous automobile photographed earlier today 

Erdogan is pictured standing next to Turkey's first indigenous automobile after the official opening ceremony in Gebze today

Erdogan is pictured standing next to Turkey’s first indigenous automobile after the official opening ceremony in Gebze today 

The vehicle is being produced by a consortium of five Turkish companies called the Automobile Initiative Group of Turkey, or TOGG, in cooperation with the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges. 

Turkish media reports said the car was designed by Italy’s Pininfarina design company, which has created models for Ferrari and California-based electric car maker Karma.

Erdogan said the cars would be produced in a factory to be built on former military-owned land in the province of Bursa. The factory, scheduled to be completed in 2021, is expected to employ 4,300 people. 

Erdogan (left) test-drives Turkey's first indigenous automobile after the official opening ceremony in Gebze today

Erdogan (left) test-drives Turkey’s first indigenous automobile after the official opening ceremony in Gebze today 

Pictured is the dashboard of Turkey's first indigenous automobile photographed today in Gebze

Pictured is the dashboard of Turkey’s first indigenous automobile photographed today in Gebze

Erdogan, pictured faintly in the car's driver's seat today in Gebze, said the cars would be produced in a factory to be built on former military-owned land in the province of Bursa. The factory, scheduled to be completed in 2021, is expected to employ 4,300 people

Erdogan, pictured faintly in the car’s driver’s seat today in Gebze, said the cars would be produced in a factory to be built on former military-owned land in the province of Bursa. The factory, scheduled to be completed in 2021, is expected to employ 4,300 people

A man takes a selfie in front of the domestically-designed prototype of Turkey's first indigenous car during a reveal ceremony today in Gebze, Turkey

A man takes a selfie in front of the domestically-designed prototype of Turkey’s first indigenous car during a reveal ceremony today in Gebze, Turkey 

Erdogan inspects Turkey's first attempt at a domestically produced car from 1961, the Devrim (Revolution) in the foyer area before the reveal ceremony of the TOGG prototypes today in Gebze

Erdogan inspects Turkey’s first attempt at a domestically produced car from 1961, the Devrim (Revolution) in the foyer area before the reveal ceremony of the TOGG prototypes today in Gebze 

TOGG cheif executive Gurcan Karakas said Turkey hopes to produce five different models of the car within 15 years. 

The TOGG is Turkey’s second effort to produce a Turkish-made automobile. During the 1960s, a group of Turkish engineers built prototypes of a car called Devrim, or Revolution in English. The project was later abandoned.

Several foreign brands, including Ford and Toyota, are assembled in Turkey.

 

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