[Sat. 5th April, 2008]
Iran Khodro Company, Iran largest automobile manufacturer continues to expand its regional and global reach.
The automaker is opening a plant in Syria in April and reading a new plant in Turkey for 2009.
IKCO, as the largest automaker in the Middle East, is also ramping up exports as it builds a global presence outside Iran witch is one of the largest auto markets in the Middle East.
The company builds more then half a million vehicles a year and company official are aiming to boost annual production to more than a million vehicles and hike exports to more than 600,000 by 2016.
The Syrian plant has a modest annual capacity of 5,000 units.
the Turkey plant will supply markets in Russia and central Europe. IKCO has also started assembly of vehicles in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Venezuela and Argentina. The company plant to add assembly in Egypt, Vietnam and China in the next two years. The company main model is called Samand, a compact sedan based on the Peugeot 405 platform which costs $9,000 in Iran.