Volkswagen said discussions include the possibility of importing partially assembled cars from plants outside Europe for the Turkish market

Volkswagen is exploring options to manufacture passenger cars in Türkiye in cooperation with its local distributor, Doğuş Otomotiv, as the German automaker seeks to cut costs and address excess production capacity.

Doğuş Otomotiv disclosed in an Oct. 30 filing to Türkiye’s Public Disclosure Platform (KAP) that it had signed a letter of intent with Volkswagen Group companies to evaluate potential production opportunities in the country. (By the way I have a story here about Turkey’s first domestic electric vehicle)

No final investment decision has been made, and details including the location, production capacity and timeline remain unclear.

Volkswagen confirms none of the plans

A Volkswagen spokeswoman told German trade publication Automobil Produktion that the discussions included the possibility of importing partially assembled vehicles from plants outside Europe for the Turkish market.

German publication Automobilwoche reported that models developed in China could also be assembled in Türkiye for export to markets such as Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. Let me add that Volkswagen has not confirmed those plans.

The talks come as Volkswagen pursues a broader restructuring strategy to reduce costs and excess manufacturing capacity. Its Future Plan 2030, approved in September, calls for halving its model range by 2035 and reducing the number of available vehicle variants.

Doğuş Otomotiv has also been seeking to expand its cooperation with Volkswagen beyond the Turkish market. In 2025, the companies signed letters of intent covering Volkswagen passenger car sales and after-sales services in Iraq, Azerbaijan and Syria, as a side note.

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