Iran Khodro says it seeks to design a new car in partnership with a foreign firm

Fars News Agency (FNA) on October 20 featured an interview with the managing director of Iran’s flagship carmaker, Iran Khodro, on the automaker’s unofficial talks with a German designer on the possible joint production of a new car. The following is the translation of part of what he had to say to FNA:

Managing Director of Iran’s largest carmaker, Hashem Yekke Zare, said that a German designer is now in Iran to assess whether Iran Khodro possesses the [manufacturing] capabilities to enter partnership for joint car designing, adding the designer would release a report at the end of his two-week visit, based on which the talks are likely to continue.

He said that the German designer who arrived in Iran on Friday (October 17) is on a personal visit and does not officially represent any company.

The official went on to say that the German engineer has designed a top product of a German automotive juggernaut.

If these talks produce results, he said, Iran can design a joint automobile in the next 3-4 years drawing on consultations with the German designer and efforts by Iranian expert team.

Iranian experts will act as assistants to the German designer, he said, adding this way they could start to design cars on their own in a couple of years.

“We can gain a bargaining edge over foreign partners if we can speak from a position of power,” said the CEO of Iran Khodro, adding that cooperation with leading world companies would be helpful to that end.

Iran Khodro has plans to get closer to a point where it can produce cars on its own, he said, adding that for starters we should work on the development of our products. He also said that Iran Khodro has come to the conclusion that it needs to tap into the experience of those who have been active in the field for years.

Iran Khodro has decided to draw on consultations it receives from the world’s top carmakers, seeking to convince them to work with Iran Khodro for four years at the minimum, he underlined.