The Middle East’s largest automaker, Iran Khodro, has signed a 73-million-dollar contract with Azerbaijan on the export of Samand.
“The deal on the export of completely knocked down (CKD) kits for 10,000 Samand sedans, set to be manufactured in Azerbaijan, was signed between Iran Khodro Company (IKCO), Azerbaijan’s Elite Industrial and Trade Group, and the Export Development Bank of Iran,” said IKCO deputy export director Keivan Khojasteh.
IKCO launched a Samand assembly line in 2006 in Shamaki, 120 kilometers west of the Azerbaijani capital of Baku.
The factory in Azerbaijan has an annual production capacity of 5,000 units and manufactures the sedans under the name, AzSamand.
Boasting a complete lineup of buses, cars, trucks and pick-ups, Iran Khodro produces 1 million vehicles per year.
Samand is referred to as Iran’s national vehicle and has been exported to various countries, including Russia, Syria, Tajikistan and Turkey.