HABAŞ Prepares Türkiye’s Second Domestic Car
🚗 Türkiye may soon have its second domestically produced mass-market passenger car. Industrial group HABAŞ is preparing to launch a new automotive brand, with the first model expected to be unveiled by the end of 2026.
🇹🇷 HABAŞ prepares a new automotive brand
HABAŞ, one of Türkiye’s leading industrial groups, is preparing to introduce a new vehicle for the domestic market as it celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.
According to industry sources, the project’s designer is renowned automotive designer Frank Stephenson, who has worked on iconic models for BMW, Ferrari and McLaren.
If the project is completed as planned, it would become the second fully Turkish mass-produced passenger car after TOGG.
The company is considering several body styles and powertrain options. Current plans include a sedan and crossover, with three engine options:
- hybrid;
- plug-in hybrid;
- petrol.
🎨 Frank Stephenson has a connection to Türkiye
Frank Stephenson’s involvement is one of the most notable aspects of the project. The designer was born in Morocco in 1959 to an American father and Spanish mother. He lived in Istanbul from the age of 11 to 16 because of his father’s work.
During this period, Stephenson became familiar with Turkish culture and learned Turkish. He later moved to Madrid with his family, where he continued his education.
Stephenson’s official website also states that his design company is working on a new Turkish automotive brand. The name of the future manufacturer has not yet been officially revealed.
Frank Stephenson Design has been appointed as the main design bureau and centre for a major new Turkish automotive manufacturer. The work includes creating a new automotive brand and design language from the ground up. The initial target segments are sedans, crossovers, SUVs and light commercial vehicles. The project is currently underway.
🏭 HABAŞ is working on several models
According to recent statements from HABAŞ representatives, the company plans to invest around €1 billion in passenger and commercial vehicle production.
At the former Honda plant in Gebze, the company is working on two separate passenger car models — a sedan and a crossover.
The vehicles are expected to be offered in three versions:
- hybrid;
- plug-in hybrid;
- petrol.
The company aims to increase the former Honda plant’s production capacity to 75,000 passenger vehicles per year.
🔧 HABAŞ acquired Honda’s plant in Gebze
The new automotive project is based at Honda’s former facility in Gebze. The plant produced the Honda Civic Sedan in Türkiye for 24 years before production ended in 2021.
After acquiring the facility, HABAŞ also purchased equipment from Honda’s closed plant in the United Kingdom and transported it to Türkiye. This allowed the company to use existing production infrastructure for its own automotive project.
HABAŞ owner Mehmet Rüştü Başaran is known for his passion for cars and motorcycles. After acquiring the Honda plant, he began work on creating a new Turkish automotive brand that could become one of the country’s major domestic automotive projects.
🚛 Commercial vehicles are already being produced in Manisa
HABAŞ’s automotive activities are not limited to passenger cars. While passenger vehicle production is being developed in Gebze, commercial vehicles are being manufactured at the company’s new plant in Manisa’s organised industrial zone.
The company has already completed the development and production of diesel and fully electric tractor units and heavy-duty trucks under the SteelPower brand.
A significant share of the components is produced within the HABAŞ group itself. Chassis and structural components are manufactured at the company’s own steelmaking facilities. Electric versions use HABAŞ’s own battery-pack integration technology.
🚌 HABAŞ develops diesel, electric and hydrogen buses
The company also produces buses for urban and intercity transportation. Its lineup includes diesel-powered models, fully electric buses and buses equipped with hydrogen fuel cells.
The first HABAŞ buses have already entered service and begun carrying passengers in Istanbul.
HABAŞ is also continuing to expand its automotive operations and is working on products in the van and light commercial vehicle segments.
🏁 Türkiye’s second domestic car could arrive in 2026
HABAŞ is gradually building a complete automotive production ecosystem, covering everything from steel and components to commercial vehicles, buses and passenger cars.
If the company’s plans are realised, the new HABAŞ sedan or crossover could become Türkiye’s second fully domestic mass-produced passenger car after TOGG.
The project has attracted particular attention because of Frank Stephenson’s involvement. The designer behind the styling of vehicles from BMW, Ferrari and McLaren is now tasked with creating the design language of a new Turkish automotive brand from scratch.
Further details about the new models, their design, technical specifications and launch timeline are expected to be revealed closer to the end of 2026.
