According to the Turkish Automotive Manufacturers Association (OSD), in the first three months of the current year motor vehicle sales in Turkey totaled 143,805 units, falling by 25.6 percent as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. In March alone, Turkey's motor vehicle sales fell 17.4 percent compared to the same month of 2011, totaling 68,831 units.
In the first quarter of this year, Turkey's passenger car sales amounted to 97,536 units, falling by 20.6 percent year on year.
In the given period, Turkey's motor vehicle exports came to 203,994 units, falling by five percent year on year, while its passenger car exports amounted to 112,509 units, falling by 10 percent compared to the same period last year. The revenue for these export sales reached $4.6 billion for total motor vehicle and component exports, remaining stable, while the revenue of passenger car exports totaled $1.6 billion, falling by nine percent, both compared to the first quarter of 2011.
In the first three months of 2012, Turkey's passenger car imports fell by 25.4 percent year on year, totaling 86,874 units.
On the other hand, in Turkey the capacity utilization rate in the period in question was 72 percent for the overall motor vehicle industry, while it was 94 percent for tractors and 72 percent for light vehicles including passenger cars, pick-ups and minibuses.