Türkiye is fast emerging as a global hub for carmakers’ model launches, driven by its strategic location, growing consumer market, and flourishing tourism sector. According to Ali Haydar Bozkurt, CEO of Toyota Türkiye, the country’s rising popularity is also fuelled by its rapidly evolving media and automotive journalism.
Bozkurt made the remarks during the European launch of the Toyota Hilux GR Sport—the most powerful version of the iconic pickup—held last week in the scenic region of Cappadocia, Nevsehir. The event brought together 140 automotive and economic journalists from 20 countries, offering a global platform for Toyota’s latest high-performance model.
“Türkiye’s media and automotive journalism sectors are adapting to change faster than those in Europe,” Bozkurt told Türkiye Today. “Our launch events receive broad international coverage, and the country’s natural terrain provides excellent settings for showcasing vehicles and creating engaging visual content.”
Bozkurt said it was a point of pride for Toyota to unveil such a significant global model in Türkiye, and highlighted the strong impression made on visiting journalists by the country’s landscapes, cuisine, and hospitality.
Major global automakers, including Volkswagen, Opel, Ford, Citroen, and Toyota, have increasingly selected Türkiye for key international events in recent years. With its position bridging Europe and Asia, Türkiye offers a gateway to emerging markets and an ideal platform for global brand exposure.
The country’s rising car ownership rates and robust manufacturing capabilities further enhance its appeal. Major brands like Toyota, Renault, Fiat, Ford, and Hyundai operate production plants in Türkiye that supply the European market, while several Chinese automakers have recently chosen Türkiye as a base for their European operations.
Ford’s global launch of the fully electric E-Transit van also took place in Istanbul, highlighting Türkiye’s engineering role in its design and production. During the global chip shortage in 2022, Citroen chose Istanbul to unveil its C4 X and e-C4 X models, citing the country’s effective pandemic response and logistical strengths.
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