Otokar

Otokar Otomotiv ve Savunma Sanayi A.Ş.

Industry	Automotive
Founded	1963
Headquarters	Sakarya, Turkey
Products	Minibuses, Buses, Off-road vehicles, Trailers
Revenue	US$340,000,000 (2010)[1]
Parent	Koç Holding
Website	otokar.com.tr

Otokar, a sub-division of Koç Holding, is a Turkish manufacturer of buses and military vehicles headquartered in Sakarya, Turkey.

History

Otokar began business in 1963 as Turkey's first intercity bus manufacturing company under the license of Magirus Deutz of Istanbul. Otokar was noted for manufacturing the most modern buses and modern intercity vehicles for that period. During the 1970s, Otokar launched air-cooled minibuses with Deutz AG engines. During this period, Turkey's largest conglomerate Koç Holding purchased the majority of Otokar shares. Within its mass transportation strategies, in early 1980s, Otokar added the inner-city bus to its product line.

In the early 1980s Otokar began inner-city bus production and in mid-1980s Otokar manufactured the first Turkish armored vehicle as an armored car. In 1987, the Turkish Armed Forces had Otokar manufacture military Land Rover Defenders in Turkey in agreement with Land Rover, UK.

In early 1990s, Otokar developed the Otokar Armored Personnel Carrier, Otokar Akrep, and Otokar Cobra; Turkey's first 4x4 light-armored tactical wheeled vehicles by combining its armor technology with its experience in military vehicles. In 1997, Otokar moved to its new plant in Sakarya, Arifiye.

In 2002 Otokar acquired a trailer and semi-trailer production company from Koç Group Company of Istanbul Fruehauf A.S. Later in 2002, with its experience in public transportation Otokar developed the small bus called the Navigo which is marketed in Turkey with Sultan brand. In 2003, Otokar initiated a cooperation with Singapore Technologies Kinetics (STK) for the new 8x8 tactical armored vehicle Otokar-Yavuz. In 2005 Otokar widened its line of armored vehicles. On March 30, 2007, Turkey's "Defence Industries Executive Committee", the joint, government-military, body on major defence industry projects and contracts, decided for the country's "Undersecretariat for Defence Industry" to launch negotiations with Otokar on the eventual contractual agreement to develop and produce Turkey's first indigenous tank. These negotiations began on April 6, 2007.

Vehicles

Minibuses

Otokar produces the famous M-series minibuses, which have had the largest percentage by far among all dolmus's in Istanbul and Ankara since its introduction in 70s. These 14-seat minibuses are particularly known for their cubic shape, durability, long life expectancy and low operation costs. M-2000, M-3000, and M-2010 are the most current vehicles from this series, which actually started long time ago under a different coding system. Initially the vehicles were named after their engines as Magirus, but as the company built confidence among its customers, they started using their own brand. The last member of the series, M-2010 has an Iveco engine and this marks the first time in this series where they abandoned Deutz engines.

Buses

Otokar Navigo at the 2008 FIAA in Madrid

Otokar Vectio at the Busworld 2007 exhibition in Kortrijk, Belgium

Otokar manufacutures several buses for civilian mass transit use. Its line of Navigo buses range from the Navigo 125L with 25 seats and 6.3 m in length to the Navigo 160SE with 31 seats at 7.1 m in length. The smaller buses using the Deutz engine and the larger model using the Cummins 160 HP Euro IV diesel engine. The larger more luxurious models have a 45 litre refrigerator, hostess seat, announcement system, optional additional heater and optional double layer glass, DVD, VCD, MP3 player and LCD TV systems.

Since April 2007, Otokar has also started to manufacture a new 9 meter, rear engined bus called Doruk in Turkey, and Vectio in other markets.

Otokar is the bus supplier for Inter Trust of Bulgaria.

Trailers

Otokar manufactures a wide variety of trailers and containers for carrying textiles, refrigerated foods, heavy mechanical goods, hazardous materials, and motor vehicles.

Utility

Otokar, under Land Rover license, produces several Land Rover variants and models. These include the Land Rover Defender 90, Defender 110, and Defender 130 for use as utility, ambulances, and rescue vehicles.

Military

Otokar produces wheeled military vehicles for the Turkish Armed Forces as well as other countries.

• MİTÜP Altay - the Turkish national main battle tank
• Otokar / Land Rover - 40 variants of the Defender 90, 110, and 130.
• Otokar Armored Personnel Carrier - for use also as an ambulance or armored workshop.
• Otokar Cobra - a 4x4^[2][3]
• Otokar Akrep - a 4x4 special attack/defense vehicle.
• Otokar Discreetly Armored Station Wagon - looks like a standard Land Rover but with an armored body structure that meets the military standards.
• Otokar Engerek Special operations vehicle.
• Otokar Kaya Mine Protected Vehicle.
• Otokar Kale Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle.
• Otokar-Yavuz - 8x8 tactical wheeled-armored vehicle. Its design is based on the AV-81 Terrex.
• Otokar Arma - 6x6 - 8x8 wheeled-armored vehicle.
• Otokar Armored Internal Security Vehicle - for a usage in urban and residential areas with variants equipped as command vehicles, personnel carriers, explosive ordnance disposal vehicles, reconnaissance / surveillance vehicles, and water cannon vehicles.

References

1. ^ Turkish vehicle firms bank on exports, TRDefence, Retrieved 30 May 2011
2. ^ Army Technology - Cobra - Wheeled Light Armoured Vehicle
3. ^ Cobra - Light Armoured Vehicles - Jane's Land Forces

Sources

• Otokar of Turkey
• History of Otokar
• Company Profile
• Article about Turkish Defense companies