Volkswagen returns to Iran after 17 years, sales to begin in August

Volkswagen is to begin selling cars in Iran in August. Initially, the Tiguan and Passat models are to be imported under a contract with Iranian automotive company Mammut Khodro. With this, Volkswagen will mark its return to the  Iranian market after more than 17 years. Volkswagens were a familiar sight on Iranian roads back in the 1950s with the Beetle, which was followed by the Bulli (1960s) and Gol (1990s), before Volkswagen completely withdrew from Iran in 2000. The Iranian government estimates that there will be some 3 million new registrations in the overall passenger car market per year in the medium to long term.

The privately-owned local partner Mammut Khodro – also the official Iranian importer for the Group’s Scania brand – will import Volkswagen brand vehicles into Iran and initially distribute them through eight dealers, focusing on the Teheran region.

“By returning to Iran, the Volkswagen brand is filling in another blank spot on the global automotive map. We are thus strengthening our international presence still further. At the same time, we are taking our very latest models with premium features to our Iranian customers,” said Anders Sundt Jensen, project manager for the Iranian market at Volkswagen.

Mehrzad Ferdows, Board Member & Owner of Mammut Group: “The Iranian automotive market is currently undergoing changes based on customer expectations. Comfort, environmental friendliness, safety, fuel consumption and modern mobility services are becoming increasingly important for Iranians. This has led to rethinking in the automotive industry and consequently a shift towards more modern vehicles and mobility solutions.”