Otokar

Otokar Otomotiv ve Savunma Sanayi A.Ş., also known simply as Otokar, is a Turkish buses and military vehicles manufacturer headquartered in Sakarya, Turkey and a subsidiary of Koç Holding. Otokar also has a Jaguar Land Rover manufacturing license.

Otokar Otomotiv ve Savunma Sanayi A.Ş.

Type	Anonim Şirket
Traded as	BİST: OTKAR
Industry	Automotive
Founded	1963
Headquarters	Sakarya , Turkey
Key people	Kudret Onen (Chairman) Serdar Görgüç (CEO)
Products	Buses Trucks Trailers Military vehicles
Revenue	1.004 billion (2012) [1]
Number of employees	2300
Parent	Koç Holding
Website	otokar.com.tr

History

Otokar began business in 1963 as Turkey's first intercity bus manufacturing company under the license of Magirus-Deutz. Otokar was noted for manufacturing the most modern buses and modern intercity vehicles for that period. In the early 1980s, Otokar started production of Deutz powered vehicles with local components. During this period, Turkey's largest conglomerate Koç Holding purchased the majority of Otokar shares. Within its mass transportation strategies, in the early 1980s, Otokar added the inner-city bus to its product line.

In the early 1980s, Otokar began inner-city bus production and in the mid-1980s, Otokar manufactured the first Turkish armored vehicle as an armored car. In 1987, the Turkish Armed Forces had Otokar manufacture military Land Rover Defenders in Turkey in agreement with Land Rover.

In the early 1990s, Otokar developed the Otokar Armored Personnel Carrier, Otokar Akrep, and Otokar Cobra; Turkey's first 4x4 light-armored tactical wheeled vehicles by combining its armor technology with its experience in military vehicles. In 1997, Otokar moved to its new plant in Sakarya, Arifiye.

In 2002, Otokar acquired a trailer and semi-trailer production company from Koç Group Company of Istanbul Fruehauf A.Ş. Later in 2002, with its experience in public transportation, Otokar developed the small bus called the Navigo which is marketed in Turkey with the Sultan brand. In 2003, Otokar initiated cooperation with Singapore Technologies Kinetics (STK) for the new 8x8 tactical armored vehicle Otokar Yavuz.

In 2005 Otokar widened its line of armored vehicles.

In 2007, The Subsecretary for Defence Industries of Turkey launched negotiations with Otokar on the eventual contractual agreement to develop and produce Turkey's first indigenous tank.

In 2011, Otokar achieved 890,000,000 TL turnover, 72% higher than 2010. Mostly due to civil products, the sales were extended to European countries leading to the establishment of the Otokar Europe office. The company introduced Arma 8x8 ACV, Arma 6x6 EOD, Mizrak RCT and exhibited Altay MBT's early prototype in 2011.[2]

Vehicles

Minibuses

Otokar produces the famous Deutz F4L912 powered, 80S minibusses, which are based on TAM 80T50 light truck, have had the largest percentage by far among all dolmuş's in Istanbul and Ankara since its introduction in 70s. These 14-seat minibusses are particularly known for their cubic shape, durability, long life expectancy, and low operation costs. M-2000, M-3000, and M-2010 were the latest models from this series, which actually started a long time ago under a different coding system. Initially, the vehicles were named after their engines as Magirus, but as the company built confidence among its customers, they started using their own brand. The last member of the series, M-2010 has an Iveco engine and this marks the first time in this series where they abandoned Deutz engines.

Buses

Otokar Navigo at the 2008 FIAA in Madrid

Otokar Vectio at the Busworld 2007 exhibition in Kortrijk, Belgium

Otokar manufactures several buses for civilian mass transit use. Its line of Navigo buses range from the Navigo 125L with 25 seats and 6.3 m in length to the Navigo 160SE with 31 seats at 7.1 m in length. All small bus models use a 4.4L Cummins 145 PS Euro 6 diesel engine. The Navigo is marketed as the "Sultan" in Turkey. The larger more luxurious models have a 45-litre refrigerator, hostess seat, announcement system, optional additional heater and optional double-layer glass, DVD, VCD, MP3 player and LCD TV systems.

Since April 2007, Otokar has also started to manufacture a new 9 meter, a rear-engined bus called Doruk in Turkey and Vectio in other markets.

Otokar is the bus supplier for Inter Trust of Bulgaria.

In February 2020, Otokar has signed an agreement with Iveco Bus for production of Iveco buses in Turkey.

Trailers and Superstructures

Otokar manufactures a wide variety of trailers and superstructures for carrying textiles, refrigerated foods, heavy mechanical goods, hazardous materials, and motor vehicles.

Utility

Otokar, under Land Rover license, has produced several Land Rover variants and models until 2016. These include the Land Rover Defender 90, Defender 110, and Defender 130 for use as utility, ambulance, and rescue vehicles.

Military

Otokar produces wheeled military vehicles for the Turkish Armed Forces as well as other countries.

• Altay MBT - the Turkish national main battle tank
• Otokar Arma - 6x6 / 8x8 wheeled-armored vehicle.[3]
• Otokar Armored Internal Security Vehicle - for usage in urban and residential areas with variants equipped as command vehicles, personnel carriers, explosive ordnance disposal vehicles, reconnaissance/surveillance vehicles, and water cannon vehicles.[4]
• Otokar Armoured Patrol Vehicle - a versatile 4x4 armored vehicle adaptable to a wide range of military and security roles.[5]
• Otokar Akrep - a 4x4 special attack/defense vehicle.[6]
• Otokar Akrep II - an electric-drive 4x4 special attack/defense vehicle, fufrther development of Akrep.[7]
• Otokar Cobra, Cobra II - 4x4 infantry mobility vehicles[8][9][10]
• Otokar Discreetly Armored Station Wagon - looks like a standard vehicle but actually has an armored body structure that meets the military standards as well as superior road and cross country capabilities.[11]
• Otokar Engerek - a fast attack vehicle based on Land Rover 110.[12]
• Otokar Kale - a MRAP which provides enhanced mine and ballistic protection along with independent suspension system ensuring superior mobility in a wide range of demanding terrains under diverse climatic conditions.[13]
• Otokar Kaya - a MRAP specially designed to provide mine and ballistic protection for the troops on all-terrain conditions.[14]
• Tulpar (IFV) - tracked armoured infantry fighting vehicle designed to provide ballistic and mine protection to support new generation main battle tanks in battlefield and to provide fire support for infantry.[15]
• Otokar Ural - armoured personnel carrier with a versatile modular platform and an innovative feature set.[16]
• Otokar / Land Rover - 40 variants of the Defender 90, 110, and 130.[17]
• Otokar Yavuz - 8x8 armored personnel carrier, design is based on the AV-81 Terrex.[18][19]

Former

• Otokar 80S5.5 (1990-2000)
• Otokar M-2000 (2000-2010)
• Otokar M-3000 (2008-2011)
• Otokar M-2010 (2009-2014)
• Land Rover Defender (1984-2016)

References

1. "Türkiye'nin en büyük 500 şirketi" [500 biggest private companies of Turkey]. Capital (in Turkish). 21 (8): 88. 2013.
2. (in Turkish) Otokar'dan rekor büyüme! Archived 2012-06-22 at the Wayback Machine, Otokar, Retrieved 19 February 2012
3. "ARMA is Otokar's new generation modular multi-wheel configuration armoured vehicle with superior tactical and technical characteristics". Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
4. "Otokar Armored Internal Security Vehicle has a specially designed body for usage in urban and residential areas, the number of the doors provides quick and easy access to the vehicle, and the smooth side body design makes it almost impossible to climb on the vehicle". Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
5. "Otokar Armoured Patrol Vehicle is a versatile 4x4 armored vehicle adaptable to a wide range of military and security roles". Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
6. "krep is a special attack/defense vehicle developed on well proven mechanical parts and day/night vision and aiming systems". Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
7. Foss, Christopher F. (2 May 2019). "IDEF 2019: Otokar displays Akrep IIe electric armoured vehicle". Jane's 360. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
8. "Cobra Light Armoured Vehicle". Army Technology. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved September 15, 2007.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
10. "Cobra II". Otokar. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
11. "Discreetly Armored Station Wagon, which looks like a standard vehicle, actually has an armored body structure that meets the military standards as well as superior road and cross country capabilities". Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
12. "Otokar : Land Rover 110 Engerek – Özel Harekat Aracı". Ssm.gov.tr. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
13. "KALE is specially designed and developed as a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Personnel Carrier". Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
14. "KAYA, the latest product of Otokar's design and development studies, is specially designed to provide mine and ballistic protection for the troops on all-terrain conditions, while offering high mobility, ease of handling and outstanding crew comfort". Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
15. "TULPAR is designed as a multi-purpose vehicle platform with its outmatch ballistic and mine protection to support new generation main battle tanks in battlefield and to provide fire support for infantry". Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
16. "URAL, a new armoured personnel carrier with a versatile modular platform and an innovative feature set, that fulfils the requirements of even the most demanding missions". Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
17. "Otokar manufactures Land Rover Defender models under Land Rover-UK license in parallel with customer needs". Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
18. "Otokar : Yavuz Zırhlı Personel Taşıyıcı". Ssm.gov.tr. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
19. "Yavuz". Military-today.com. Retrieved 17 March 2016.

Sources

• Otokar website (in Turkish)
• History of Otokar
• Company Profile
• Article about Turkish Defense companies