Honda Motor Corp. intends to produce passenger cars in Turkey starting in 1996, a company spokesman said.
Honda and its Turkish joint venture partner, Anadolu Endustri Holding A.S., received permission from the Turkish government to begin the project, he said.The two giants will increase capitalization of a passenger car sales joint venture formed in 1992 to 6 billiion yen ($55.55 million), making it both a manufacturing and sales operation, Honda spokesman Yo Harada said.
The plant construction is scheduled to begin in April with production scheduled to start in 1996. The plant will manufacture about 20,000 units annually in the 1.3 to 1.5 liter engine class, Harada said.
"The Turkish automotive market has expanded steadily since government action to liberalize its auto industry policies in 1990," Hara said.
The location of the plant is likely to be Istanbul.