We’re traveling back to a busy street in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1980. What car(s) can you identify in the picture below? What one(s) would you most like to have in your garage?
We’re pretty sure the taxi in the foreground is a Tofaş Murat so we’ll take that one.
Special thanks to reader Anil A. for sending us the picture.
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i see what look like fiat sedans. would they be locally built?
Yeah – the 131’s are likely to be Tofas – those R2’s are probably Dacia’s ?
Those “Fiat Sedans” are Tofaş Murat 131s. The taxi is a Murat 131 Şahin (low equipped version, like Miarfiori) and the car following it is Murat 131 Doğan (like supermiarfiori, high equipped version). And yeah, they’re locally built under fiat license.
The R12s are Oyak Built Renault 12s. Dacias were imported in very small numbers understandbly.
Apart from those, as far as I can see: a Ford Taunus station wagon closest to us, Otosan-Ford Transit (locally built) on the left-hand side, plenty of Murat 131s and two R12s.. A Mercedes-Otomarsan O302 (again, locally built under merc. license)
Is that a Mercedes W114 in front of the R12, left on the O302 ?
I think that’s a w114, the headrests are typically Mercedes!
Interesting about the locally-built Renaults, I knew about the Fiats but I didn’t know 12s were built in Turkey.
Yeah most probably it’s a W114.
Oh, they are extremely popular here, and still very common in the rural areas. From the early 90’s, R12s received a minor facelift which featured Plastic bumpers and the trim levels such as TX,GTS,TS or TL are abandoned with only trim level was the newly introduced “R12 Toros” (and “R12 STW Toros” for estate model) which is nothing but bare bones without any feature other than front headrests. After mid 90’s 5-speed gearbox was offered and eventually became the only option.