It has been 55 years since Anadol, Turkey's first mass-produced automobile brand, hit the roads. Rare models, preserved with the cleanliness of the first day, adorn the streets and avenues.
The late businessman Vehbi Koç, who went to the United States in 9, with the letter written by the late Adnan Menderes, the 1956th Prime Minister of Turkey, who wanted a domestic automobile to be produced, addressed to Ford Motor Company President Henry Ford II. He founded Otosan in .
With the partnership of Koç Holding and Ford, Anadol began mass production on December 19, 1966 at Otosan's factory in Istanbul and went on sale on February 28, 1967 for the first time. A total of 1984 thousand 62 units were produced.
Anadol, which has taken its place in the collective memory of the Turkish nation and is the expression of the excitement for the domestic automobile, has provided important experiences and gains for the Turkish automotive industry by being produced in two and four-door sedan, sports, suv and pick-up types and various models in line with the demands of its customers.
History of Anadol
Designed and manufactured in Turkey is thought to be the first automobile Anadol. However, Anadol's design was made by the British Reliant company (Reliant FW5) and production was made in Otosan with a license obtained from this company. Anadol's chassis, engines and transmissions are provided by Ford.
The first Turkish car in terms of design and engineering is Revolution. Before Revolution (in 1953), there have been studies that we can call "the test in nature" on the manufacture of automobiles, however, the Revolution can be viewed as the first Turkish structure and even the first Turkish type car.
Although it is claimed that Anadol is the first car to go into mass production in Turkey, the real owner of this title is a small car named Nobel 200. This car, which is produced under license in many countries of the world; It hit the road with the brands Nobel in Turkey, England and Chile, Fuldamobil in Germany and South Africa, Fram King Fulda in Sweden, Bambi in Argentina, Bambino in the Netherlands, Attica in Greece and Hans Vahaar in India. The production of this small car, which started to be assembled in Turkey in 1958, was terminated in 1961. It remained in production between 1950-1969 in the world.
Otokoç, which was founded by Vehbi Koç in 1928, became the representative of Ford Motor Company in 1946, and after 1954 began to meet with Ford representatives to produce a car in Turkey. In 1956, Vehbi Koç received a letter from the then prime minister Adnan Menderes and went to Henry Ford II with Bernar Nahum and Kenan İnal. These contacts worked and it was decided to cooperate. In 1959, the Koç group founded Otosan. The assembly of Ford trucks started at Otosan.
In 1963, while Bernar Nahum and Rahmi Koç were at the Izmir Fair, an Israeli-made fiberglass vehicle caught their attention. This method, which is very cheap compared to sheet metal mold production, encouraged Vehbi Koç to start domestic automobile production. Designed by the partnership of Koç Holding and Ford, Anadol was designed by the British Reliant company, and the chassis and engines supplied by Ford were used in the vehicle. Production of Anadol started on 19 December 1966, it was first exhibited on 1 January 1967 and its sale started on 28 February 1967.
The name Anadol comes from the word Anadolu and was selected from among Anadolu, Anadol and Koç, who made it to the finals as a result of the name competition opened and Otosan Automobile Industry A.Ş. started to be produced in the factory in Istanbul. The emblem of Anadol symbolizes one of the deer statues of the Hittites. The production of Anadol, which continued from 1966 to 1984, was stopped in 1984, instead the production of Ford Taunus, which was discontinued in the world under the license of Ford Motor Company, was started, but the production of Otosan 500 and 600D pickups continued until 1991. Today, it continues the production of Ford light commercial vehicles in its new facilities in Gölcük under the license of Otosan Ford Motor Company and exports Ford Motor Company licensed automobiles to many countries, especially the European Union.
Although the production of Anadol started on December 19, 1966, the approval of the "Certificate of Competence" and the "Regulation showing the technical conditions for the manufacture, modification and assembly of vehicles", which are required for sales and traffic registration, were obtained from the Chamber of Mechanical Engineers on February 28, 1967. and Anadol sales started after this date.
Anadol's first models were designed by British Reliant and Ogle Design. Ford engines are also used as engines in Anadol, the body of which is made of glass fiber and polyester in all models. The first engine used is the 1200 cc Kent engine of Ford's Cortina model.
Anadol, which was put on sale in December 1966, was sold in 1984 thousand units until its production was stopped in 87. The few remaining examples are considered classics today and are preserved and used by enthusiasts. In addition, it is still used in small cities of Anatolia, from which it is named, with its form cut in the middle and made of pickup trucks. In addition, the British made an effort to produce the same Anadol in New Zealand, and today Anadol is used on an island belonging to New Zealand.
This technology was being used around the world, as the hull was fiberglass, spreading negative rumors for its hood, causing rumors that it was eaten by oxen, goats and donkeys.
Be the first to comment