The figure marks a sharp hike from 2001, when the company produced 225,723 cars, less than a third of production a decade later.
According to the statement, IKCO’s domestic market share has increased from 46.5 percent in 2008 (when it was hounded by stories of some of its cars erupting in flames) to 48.8 percent in 2009 and 49.5 percent in 2010.
Iran Khodro has recently said it will emphasize export sales now. It said Iraq was the biggest market for IKCO cars, particularly the Samand sedan. IKCO exported 22,743 cars to Iraq in the 10-month period after March 21, 2010. Syria and Venezuela were second and third, buying 2,481 and 1,873 of IKCO cars respectively.
The vice president of Belarus recently said the Samand was a poor quality vehicle that sold in Belarus only because he had forced government agencies to buy them. He said he wanted nothing more to do with IKCO.
Total worldwide vehicle production last year was 77.6 million, giving Iran Khodro 1.0 percent of the global market.
