The collaboration began in 1928, when
Vehbi Koç was assigned as a Ford dealer in
Ankara. The following year, the Turkish national assembly granted Ford the right to install a local assembly plant in a free zone located in
Tophane,
Istanbul's port area. Coinciding with
Great Depression of 1929, limited numbers of
Ford Model A and
Ford Model B vehicles were assembled in Tophane Plant of Ford Motor Company Exports Inc. until 1934, when vehicle assembly activities were suspended. In 1959, the foundation of the
Otosan (
Otomotiv
Sanayii, Turkish for 'Automotive Industry') factory was held in
Istanbul, and in 1960 the
Ford Consul was the first model to be produced at the plant, followed by the
Thames and the
Thames Trader van. In 1965, the D1210 truck was added to production, and in 1966, the
Anadol, the first mass-production passenger vehicle developed in Turkey. In 1967, the
Ford Transit also began production and in 1973, the Anadol STC-16, the first sports car developed in Turkey. In 1977, the company signed a license agreement with Ford and the company's name was changed to Ford Otosan. In 1979, a new factory was opened in
İnönü, Eskişehir, which began the production of the
Ford Cargo in 1983. In September 2012, Ford revealed its new version of the
Transit, and in January 2013, the new Cargo heavy truck was unveiled. The latter was co-developed by Ford Otosan in partnership with
Ford Brazil, and will be manufactured in both countries. In March 2022, Ford Otosan announced that company would acquire
Ford Romania. Ford Otosan took over the ownership of Ford Romania's Craiova factory from Ford Motor Company on July 1, 2022, for €625 million, plus an additional €140 million to be paid in 2028, depending on the factory's
production capacity. ==Facilities==