“The automobile
was invented by the Germans. The French used it. The Americans began mass production. The first mass production in automobiles began in 1908 with Henry Ford’s famous T-model Ford and 15 million cars were manufactured in the 19 years that passed until 1927. Why 1927? 1927 is an important year, because it was the year in which I was born!”1 Can Kıraç had begun his speech with these words on the day of Fiat Tempra’s launch by Tofaş in 1990. As usual, his words were filled with wisdom and humor… Having been released early that year in Italy and European markets in 1990, Tempra’s production was now simultaneous at Tofaş in and Italy. The Turkey leg of production began only a few months after the car was introduced in the European markets. This was the first sign of the Turkish market’s increasing importance on a global scale. It was also a very important step for Tofaş, for the 1990s had witnessed important changes and developments in the automobile market from the first year onwards. Both in terms of its design and in terms of its technological improvements, Tempra was Tofaş’s first weapon to fight these changes. Can Kıraç’s comment on competition on the 15th anniversary celebrations was, perhaps, the harbinger of the news of the movement that began with Tempra.
1
“Kıraç kardeşlerle oto turu” (Auto tour with the Kıraç brothers), Cumhuriyet, May 19, 1990, 13.
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