Iran Khodro

Infobox_Company
company_name = Iran Khodro
company_
company_type = Public
company_slogan = The Spirit Automobile
foundation = 1910 by Ahmad Khayami and Mahmoud Khayami
location = Flagicon|Iran Tehran, Iran
key_people = Dr. Manouchehr Manteghi CEO
num_employees = 58,000 (2005)
industry = Automotive
products = Automobiles
Trucks
revenue = profit USD $7.2 billion (2005)| net_income = profit USD $560 million (2005)
homepage = [http://www.ikco.com/ www.ikco.com]

IKCO or Iran Khodro Company (or Iran Khodro Industrial Group) is the largest autoproducer of Iran. Founded in 1910 by two brothers, Ahmad and Mahmoud Khayami, the company's old name was Iran National.

History

Iran Khodro produces Iran's first national car, the Samand, which is based on the Peugeot 405 platform. The firm has a long-term relationship with PSA Peugeot Citroën, and assembles a number of Peugeot models under licence from the French firm. It also makes trucks and buses under license from Mercedes-Benz.

For more than 3 decades, Iran Khodro produced the Paykan (a version developed by Rootes Group's Hillman Hunter). Paykan's production was discontinued in 2005, almost thirty years after the end of Hillman Hunter production in Britain. A pick-up version is still in production. [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/09/18/8386173/index.htm?postversion=2006091209]

In a joint-venture with Daimler AG, Iran Khodro is soon to start production of sophisticated 900-class Mercedes-Benz engines; Daimler stresses that the company will export Iran-made engines to Germany. [ [http://www.iran-daily.com/1384/2270/html/economy.htm Article in "Iran Daily"] ] [ [http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?ArchiveNews=Yes&NewsCode=24496&NewsKind=BusinessEconomy Article from "Iran Mania"] ]

Current passenger car range

*Samand; the "Iranian national car". Codenamed X7 during development, and based on the 405 platform.
*Samand Sarir; a longer bodied Samand with enhanced equipment.
*Samand Soren
*Peugeot 206; a saloon version of the 206, the Peugeot 206 SD has also been recently co-developed with Peugeot.
*Peugeot 405; available in saloon trims GLi and GLX and estate trim GLX.
*Peugeot Pars; initially called the "Peugeot Persia". Changes include a redesigned front and modernised rear.
*Peugeot RD; chassis and drivetrain are similar to the older Paykan but the outer body shell and appearance resemble a 405.
* Peugeot ROA; modified version of Peugeot RD.
* Mercedes Benz E-class [http://www.ikco.com/corporate/newplan.aspx]

Future passenger cars

In July 2008 Iran Khodro's CEO Manouchehr Manteqi announced the Iranian auto giant's goal of designing and mass producing more national cars, in the upcoming years.

Models currently under development:

*second national car codenamed X12
*popular car for Islamic countries
*two sedans currently under joint development with French Auto-maker PeugeotThese models are said to be marketed by 2009-2010.

In October 2008 IKCO announced that it would start producing a car specially designed for women, though no date was given for its availability. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7657810.stm]

References

ee also

*List of Major Iranian Companies
*Iran Khodro Diesel

External links

* [http://www.ikco.com/default.aspx Iran Khodro Industrial Group]
* [http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=43990&NewsKind=Current%20Affairs Iran Khodro's Peugeot 206 to be exported to 30 countries]
* [http://www.irankhodro.ir IRAN KHODRO Company Website ]