Let’s name Turkey’s car the ‘Tayyip’!

Turkey’s new domestic automobile has found itself a name. Mail sent to the Ministry of Industry reads, “Let’s make the car’s brand name Tayyip and we’ll sell out in the Middle East and Africa!



The public has fully embraced the mobilization for a domestic automobile which was initiated by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. After the Prime Minister's series of announcements regarding the production of a domestic vehicle, the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology began to receive hundreds of e-mails.

The opinions expressed by the public in regards to the manufacturing of a domestic vehicle were forwarded to Prime Minister Erdogan as well as to ministry officials. Amongst the numerous proposals to help and offer their support, citizens also made a number of suggestions for the name of Turkey's new brand.

Watch it sell out in the Middle East

In the e-mails received; citizens mainly proposed that the domestic vehicle be named after the Prime Minister. One specific e-mail read, "Name the car brand Tayyip and watch it sell out in North Africa and the Middle East. Let's market the new domestic car in the Middle East and North Africa and acquire a current account surplus. We are prepared in the market. If we manufacture in Diyarbakır, we would also solve the terrorism problem."

Yet another citizen states that he is willing to offer up all that he has to contribute to the production of a domestic vehicle and writes, "While even Iran has their own vehicle brand, the fact the we don't is completely nonsensical. I have 50,000 TL in capital and I am ready to use it to support this endeavor, let's just do it. I am also willing to work without receiving any sort of salary."

Turkish expats are also willing to offer support…

Turkish nationals working in European automotive firms have also sent in e-mails. One such e-mail reads, "I have spoken with my friends and asked if we would be able to build an engine. They said if we have the opportunity, then why not. If we are talking about a domestic vehicle, then why don't we build its heart (the engine and transmission). If desired, we will come."

Let's set up a payment plan similar to Turkey's Housing Development Administration…

Another citizen who expresses that he can't wait for the domestic vehicle to be released, writes, "I truly want to ride in a car that was built in my own country. As a worker, I would be extremely pleased if you would set up vehicle sales which allowed for affordable payment plans similar to the method implemented by Turkey's Housing Development Administration (TOKİ)."

Let's create our own resources…
Yet another citizen proposes a method of obtaining resources by way of setting up an advertisement campaign that details all of the characteristics of the vehicle and suggests that those interested in buying the car pay 5,000 TL up front, which would then create resources for the production of the domestic vehicle.

This is a translation of an article originally written by Mehmet Nayır.