Iran July 2015: Full production figures now available

The locally-produced Brilliance H330 displays a Pars Khodro logo in Iran.

* See the Top 30 most produced cars and Top 10 pick-ups by clicking on the title *

For the first time in over a year, we resume sharing full production figures for Iran here at BSCB. We are adding bonus data: the very interesting and fast-moving pickup market. The next few months and years will be absolutely fascinating to follow in Iran with the opening of the market following the end of economic sanctions and you can read a summary of what’s to come in our Strategy report: What future for the Iranian new car market. July 2015 roughly corresponds to Tir, the 4th month of the year 1394 in the Persian calendar. Total production in Iran over the period, hits 92.457 units, down 10% year-on-year but this is mainly due to a handful of high profile nameplates still ramping up their production capacity whereas the ones they replace are winding down, such as the Saipa Tiba and Iran Khodro Arisun as we detail further down. Year-to-date, Iranian production is up a healthy 8% to 356.239 units.

The JAC S5 is the 10th most produced car in Iran this month.

The top of the production charts looks very familiar with the Saipa Pride back to pole position despite tumbling down 31% year-on-year to 17.140 units above the Peugeot Pars (+14%), 206 (+13%) and 405 (-1%). The Iran Khodro Samand continues to lose steam (-8%) as does the Runna (-57%), their combined fall (2.379 units) not quite compensated yet by the arrival of the Dena at 2.143 units and 8.437 year-to-date.

The Lifan X50 is already in Iran.

Having now access to a complete car production data sheet, the biggest change compared to 18 months ago is the increased number of Chinese models assembled locally: no less than 17 out of 30! Their combined 32.470 units year-to-date is up a whopping 50% on the same period a year ago and earn them just under 10% of the total Iranian car production so far this year… JAC brilliantly places two models in the Top 10: the J5 sedan at #9 and the S5 SUV at #10, Lifan has the X60 SUV at #12 and already kick-started local assembly of the X50 (145 units in July) only 8 months after its Chinese launch. Brilliance just inaugurated two new assembly lines in partnership with Saipa/Pars Khodro last May and already sees the H330 at #15 and the H230 at #20, totalling 1.502 units so far this year.

Over 6.000 Iran Khodro Arisun have rolled out assembly lines so far.

The Iranian pickups production charts is a fascinating find as virtually every nameplate is unknown outside the country. We are currently witnessing a once-in-three-decades change of guard as far as Iranian pickups go – no less! The first Iranian car, the Iran Khodro Paykan based on the 1967 Hillman Hunter, which stayed in productiopn from 1967 to 2005, had a pickup variant called the Bardo which survived until April this year. It was replaced by the Peugeot 405-based Arisun, of which 6.338 units have been assembled so far including 1.916 in July.

The Zamyad Z24, a 1970 Nissan Junior, is still in production in Iran…

This is not enough to snap the pickup pole position yet, an honour that goes to the Zamyad Z24/28. Zamyad is a manufacturer specialised in commercial vehicles founded in 1963 and part of Saipa since 1998. The Z24/28 is a license-built version of the 1970-1980 Nissan Junior. In third place we have the Saipa 151 which is none other than a mini pickup variant of the Saipa Pride – itself a 1986 Kia Pride.

…as is the Bahman Mazda 2000, a 1977 Mazda B-Series.

Another “tried-and-tested” design still in production in Iran is the Bahman-Mazda 2000, in fact the 1977-1985 Mazda B-Series… The Bahman Group, originally a transportation operator and customs clearance agent founded in 1952, started assembling Mazda three-wheeled pickups in 1959…

The Zamyad Padra is a rebadged Tianqi Meiya TM1020F…

In 4th place with a reasonable 930 units produced in July is the Bahman Capra. Under this mysterious appellation hides the ZX Auto Grand Tiger, made famous by its active role in the Libyan war. The Pars Khodro Rich (#5), Great Wall Wingle (#7) are two additional Chinese pickups currently assembled in Iran. They are all joined this month by the all-new Zamyad Padra – in fact a rebadged Tianqi Meiya TM1020F… Well, we hope you learn something today!

Previous post: STRATEGY: What future for the Iranian new car market

Previous monthly post: Iran May 2015: Saipa Tiba spectacularly shoots up to #1

Iranian imports exclusive: Iran 1st Quarter 2015: Exclusive imports data now available

Full July 2015 / Tir 1394 Top 30 cars and Top 10 pickups below.