Turkish auto industry sets new export record despite global woes

The Turkish automotive industry continued to be a strong driver of the country's exports in the first seven months of the year, posting a fresh record in overseas shipments, according to a report on Thursday. The sector achieved an export volume of $24.4 billion (TL 1.16 trillion), marking the highest January-July performance of all time, the report by Anadolu Agency (AA) suggested. While the negative effects of Middle East-driven geopolitical risks on the global economy and growth continue, Türkiye's automotive industry, one of the country's leading export sectors, has continued its streak of record-breaking performances despite challenges. During this period of disrupted supply chains, Türkiye's automotive sector stood out with its strong performance. The sector maintained its export growth momentum during the January-July period, posting a 2.6% increase in sales compared to the same period a year ago. The sector has continuously broken records in the January-July periods for the last four years, the data compiled by AA reveals. Its export volume stood at $23.8 billion in 2025, $20.8 billion in 2024, and $20 billion in 2023, respectively. The highest January-July export volume below these levels was $19.2 billion, achieved in 2018, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Türkiye's total exports in the January-July period increased by 3.4% compared to the same period last year, reaching $161.6 billion, according to data from the Türkiye Exporters Assembly (TIM). The preliminary trade data for July was shared earlier this week, showing that exports surged 2.9% year-over-year to $25.6 billion. This was the best-ever figure for July and the second-best monthly figure on record following December 2025. The share of the automotive industry in total exports was calculated at 15.1%. Most exports to Germany During the period, the highest automotive exports were made to Germany, totaling $3.95 billion. Germany was followed by France with around $3 billion, Italy with 2.24 billion, the United Kingdom with $2.17 billion and Spain with $1.95 billion. In terms of value, France ranked first in export growth. During this period, exports from the automotive sector to France increased by $330.8 million. France was followed by Italy with $305.1 million, Germany with $116.7 million, the Netherlands with $107.2 million and Czechia which recorded $54.5 million in export growth. On a provincial basis, during this period, the highest automotive exports were made from the northwestern province of Kocaeli, totaling $7.2 billion. During the same period, automotive exports from Bursa amounted to $5.8 billion, while Istanbul, Sakarya and Ankara followed.