The Turkish automotive sector aims to break a new record with $31 billion in exports this year after closing 2017 with an all-time export record of $28.5 billion.

Uludağ Automotive Industry Exporters Association (OİB) Chairman Baran Çelik said the sector, which left behind three quarters of the year, maintains its upward momentum.

The sector realized an export volume of $23.4 billion in the first nine months of the year with an increase of 13 percent compared to the previous year, while the ratio of the automotive sector to Turkey's exports stood at 19 percent in the January-September period, according to Çelik.

He said these numbers indicate that the sector realized its targets set at the beginning of the year.

Stressing that the fact that the automotive industry reached a monthly average of $2.6 billion in the nine-month period stands out as the best figure in recent years, Çelik recalled that the sector exceeded the $3 billion threshold on a monthly basis in March, breaking the all-time record.

"The month of September also went well. As a result, we closed the first nine months with an increase of 13 percent. We closed last year with an all-time export record of $28.5 billion," Çelik continued. "This year, we reached $23.4 in the nine-month period. If the monthly average of $2.6 billion continues this year, we will exceed last year's record. By closing this year with a figure of around $31 billion, we will mark the highest export figure of all time."

The OİB chairman stated that a target of $29 billion had been set at the beginning of the year.

"However, we revised this target and put an additional $2 billion. We will close 2018 with an export figure of $31 billion," Çelik added.