Ford Otosan, one of automotive giants in Turkey, is preparing to produce Turkey's first domestic transmission in the heavy commercial vehicle segment. The company, which is set to invest 50 million euros, will increase locality ratio in transmission and truck production to 90 percent in parts and to 75 percent in turnover.

General Manager Haydar Yenigün said that both manual and automatic versions of the domestic transmission will be used as of 2020, adding that he estimates the automotive market will produce some 950,000 to 1 million cars in 2018.

"We have developed our domestic transmission after the rear axle and 13-liter E6 Ecotorq engine. This first ‘domestic' heavy commercial transmission, which started on plain white paper, is suitable to work up to 2,600 newton meters (Nm) and its patent right belongs to us. With this transmission, we will increase the locality ratio in transmission and truck production to 90 percent from 89 percent in parts and to 75 percent from 67 percent in turnover," Yenigün said.

Both the development and the production of transmission, which is fully compatible with the Ecotorq engine family developed by Ford Otosan for nearly two years, will be completed by 2019. Its manual and automotive versions will start to be used in trucks by 2020.

Explaining that they spent 50 million euros on transmissions in 2017 alone, Yenigün stated that they will have a significant cost advantage with this investment.

"When axles, engines and transmission product groups that we have developed come together as of 2020, we will meet all the demands and expectations of our customers," he said. "This will give us flexibility and cost advantages."

"When we have the software, control and calibration, we will be able to calibrate all these power and drivetrains in the desired way, giving us an advantage in terms of fuel economy and efficiency. This transmission will be used in our heavy commercial vehicles, as well as being a salable product on its own," he added.