In 1961, Turkey decided to produce its first domestic car as part of its industrialization drive. Produced in a short period of 129 days at the Eskişehir Railway Factory under the instructions of President Cemal Gürsel, this car went down in history under the name Devrim (Revolution). However, the story of the Devrim was full of misfortunes and the vehicle never went into mass production.
The birth and production process of Devrim
In 1961 Turkey, President Cemal Gürsel emphasized the importance of industrialization and stressed the need to produce a domestic automobile. On May 15, 1961, at the Automotive Industry Congress, Gürsel stated that the country should produce its own means of transportation. Immediately after the congress, 24 engineers working at the Eskişehir Railway Factory rolled up their sleeves to produce an automobile with a completely domestic design in 129 days.
The production process of the automobile was quite challenging. At a time when there was not even sheet metal production in Turkey yet, many parts of the Devrim, from the body to the engine, were produced with domestic facilities. Despite various difficulties, engineers managed to complete four prototypes: One was black, the others were cream-colored. However, since this process was carried out in a short period of only four and a half months, many problems were encountered.
The Devrim’s ill-fated debut on Republic Day
Devrim was sent to Ankara to be introduced on the Republic Day on October 29, 1961. However, during the train journey, the fuel tanks of the cars were emptied for security reasons, and only enough gasoline to maneuver the cars was provided. At that time, high-octane gasoline was only available in Ankara. On the day of the ceremony, President Cemal Gürsel got into the black Devrim, but the car stopped after traveling about a hundred meters. The vehicle ran out of gasoline, causing great disappointment, and the newspapers appeared the next day with the headline “Devrim went 100 meters and stopped”.
This misfortune overshadowed Devrim’s success and the vehicle became a subject of ridicule for many years. Gürsel’s words, “You built an automobile with a Western mindset but forgot to refuel it with an Eastern mindset,” summarized this situation. After this incident, Devrim could not find enough support from the public and could not go into mass production.
Why didn’t Devrim go into mass production?
There were many reasons why the first domestic automobile could not go into mass production. First of all, the demand for automobiles in Turkey was quite limited at the time. The requirements for mass production, distribution, dealership services and spare parts production for a new automobile brand were a major economic and technical challenge. In addition, the production process was not well documented and prototypes were lacking.
On the other hand, the Otosan factory, established in 1961, began producing Turkey’s first mass-produced automobile, the Anadol, as a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Koç Holding. The mass production of the Anadol A1 in 1966 led to the continuation of the domestic automobile project under another brand.
The legacy of the Devrim and its place today
Devrim is remembered as a symbol of Turkey’s industrialization efforts. This historic vehicle, produced in 1961, is now preserved and waiting for its visitors at TÜLOMSAŞ facilities in Eskişehir. The equipment and visuals used in the production process of Devrim are also on display in the museum.
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Even though Devrim did not go into mass production, it has an important place in Turkey’s engineering history. This project showed that Turkish engineers could achieve great success in a short time and inspired future projects. Devrim, Turkey’s first domestic automobile, is still revered by many and seen as the symbol of the domestic automobile.
