Otokar started production of Mercedes-Benz Conecto in Sakarya

Otokar, one of the leading companies of the Turkish automotive industry, took the first concrete step of the strategic production agreement it signed with Daimler Buses and Mercedes-Benz Türk in 2025. Within the scope of the collaboration to meet the increasing customer demand in the European market, mass production of the Mercedes-Benz Conecto city bus model started at Otokar's factory in Sakarya.

Otokar CEO Aykut Özüner, Daimler Buses CEO Till Oberwörder, Mercedes-Benz Türk Chief Executive Officer and CEO Heiko Selzam, as well as project teams, managers and factory employees attended the special ceremony held at the production facility in Arifiye district of Sakarya. Following the speeches of the leaders, the first fruit of the partnership, the mass production Mercedes-Benz Conecto, was rolled off the line and introduced.

In the full-capacity production phase following the successfully completed pre-series production process, all main components and special production equipment of the vehicle are supplied directly by Daimler Buses. In addition, Daimler Buses and Mercedes-Benz Turkish engineers personally support the production processes in the field to ensure that the vehicles fully comply with global quality standards.

Mercedes-Benz Conecto, designed to offer high passenger capacity and comfort in urban transportation; It comes to life in Sakarya with two different body types: three-door solo and four-door articulated.

Speaking at the ceremony, Otokar CEO Aykut Özüner stated that they are proud to bring Mercedes-Benz quality together with their deep-rooted expertise in bus production in their facilities. Özüner said, "Within the scope of this strategic partnership that further strengthens our global manufacturer identity, we will continue to produce vehicles that fully meet user expectations with the dedication of the entire team working on the project."

Emphasizing that the demand for buses remains strong throughout Europe, Daimler Buses CEO Till Oberwörder said, "By increasing our production capacity with a reputable and reliable partner like Otokar, we are strengthening our ability to provide uninterrupted service to our customers. Our partnership will make a great contribution to the profitable growth of our operations."

Drawing attention to the teamwork displayed in the production preparations, Mercedes-Benz Türk Chief Executive Officer and CEO Heiko Selzam stated that it was an important success that mass production started on time and at the targeted Mercedes-Benz quality standards. Selzam said, "While this project contributes to the flexibility of the Daimler Buses production network, it also paves the way for us to provide service to our customers in Europe with the reliability they expect."