Various very famous Ukrainian artists performed astonishing during the AutoBest ceremony, held in Kiev, Ukraine. Following the tradition, AUTOBEST International Jury grants the awards in different country every year. Last year, the awards festivity was held in Bucharest, Romania.
The Kiev ceremony definitively placed AUTOBEST as the second largest event of the European automotive media. Each award was introduced by a special play, emphasizing the core features and the essence of the prize. Whether it was mime symbolizing richness of the inner world and value of the personality, or equilibrists expressing safety and trust, or ballet and acrobatics standing for team spirit, trust and mutual support, the entire event captured the interest of everyone present at the exquisite Lyubava Restaurant.

For his continuous and sustained endeavor in developing the Fiat Auto Company in the region, Mr. Alfredo Altavilla was declared MANBEST of 2005. “It is probably the European jury with the most impressive development in the last years, its importance for the European industry and for the car client growing constantly. It is a great honor to me to receive this award”, Mr. Alfredo Altavilla, Tofas CEO, stated.

“AutoBest is the expression of new Europe that we are all building. Today, the emerging countries represent hundreds of millions of consumers that need mobility and specific criteria in the decision for buying a car. AutoBest is a fair contest, both to the automotive industry and the car buyer. It is a real best buy guide. The consumer is the king and has the right to know what he is buying”, Mr. Dan Vardie, Jury Chairman, concluded.

AUTOBEST organization is the only international independent jury focusing on the emerging markets countries. AUTOBEST members of the Jury come from 12 countries in the region, and represent a virtual market with more than 200 million people. Each member of the Jury is an outstanding motoring journalist, a respected voice in his country. AUTOBEST is the second largest independent motoring Jury of Europe.

Today, Fiat Doblo Cargo was chosen to be THE BEST INTERNATIONAL VAN OF THE YEAR 2006 by a jury of the journalists specialized in commercial vehicles.

The award was presented by Peter Wieman from the jury to Lorenzo Sistino, who is in charge of Fiat Commercial Vehicle Series in the opening ceremony of European Road Transport Show 2005 organization.

This award especially rewards the many important innovations of the new vehicle displayed in the Netherlands Hall before the opening: The features from the new design to the increased load capacity and volume, from new versions to long-life and successful multi jet diesel engines and moreover Natural Power quality, which is a special version and has a minimum level of hazard to environment were rewarded. As for the other innovations, they have been included in the program for the next year.

For example, the turbo-compressor multi jet engines with successful variable geometry. They will be the first elements to equip a commercial vehicle. Fiat Doblo Cargo was manufactures in approximately 310 thousand pieces. And with respect to the easiness of opening its load part, its profitability, largeness of its volume, moreover its high level security equipment, its comfort, ergonomics, consumption and usage expenses, it is at the top in its category. All these features have a competitive price on the international level. The jury also underlined the professionalism of the sales network and also praised the Fiat services which are considered to be one of the best of Europe.

Alfredo ALTAVILLA has been assigned as the new CEO, in the last board meeting of our company.

Diego AVESANI who has been working in this position from February 2004, returning to Fiat Auto in order to take new responsibilities.

Alfredo ALTAVILLA, the new CEO of Tofaş, was born in 1963, in Taranto, Italy. He joined Fiat Auto as an analyst to the department of International Partnership Development in 1990. Between 1992 – 1995, he had taken responsibilities in the areas of strategic planning and product development.

Alfredo ALTAVILLA was in charge in many projects such as the representative of Fiat Auto in People’s Republic of China in 1995, the manager of the Asian Countries in 1999, the responsible in the establishment and development of partnerships especially of General Motors and Peugeot Citroen between the years 2000 – 2004, as the Business Development Vice President and Fiat-GM Powertrain as the Chairman of the Board of Directors in September 2004.

Alfredo ALTAVILLA, was graduated from Economy Department of Milano University.

Mr. Mustafa V. Koç, who is the Board Chairman of Tofaş, has made these comments on the new assignment: “We tender our thanks to Mr. Diego Avesani, for the successful period we shared. In this consistent and successful period, Tofaş had a nice acceleration both in investment and market share. On behalf of myself and the Board of Directors, we wish Mr.Avesani good luck in his new position in Fiat Auto. I congratulate the new CEO of Tofaş, Mr. Alfredo Altavilla on his new position and believe that he will carry the current acceleration further.”

We wish that the decision of the board of directors, would be beneficial for our company.

Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat, Jean-Martin Folz, CEO of PSA Peugeot Citroën, Mustafa V. Koc, Chairman of Koc Holding and Tofas, and Diego Avesani, CEO of Tofas, signed today a cooperation agreement to jointly develop and produce small entry-level light commercial vehicles for the European market.

Scheduled for rollout in 2008, the new vehicles will extend the current Fiat, Peugeot and Citroën product ranges.

In response to anticipated changes in the entry level segment of the European light commercial vehicle market, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Fiat and Tofas are introducing an innovative small vehicle concept to extend their current commercial vehicle lineups.

The three partners’ objective is to design a compact, economical, multi-purpose commercial vehicle that will be modern, sturdy and attractive.

Powered by especially fuel-efficient engines, it will enable the partners to proactively meet the expected growth in the entry-level segment with a range of particularly affordable vehicles. The new models will deliver effective environmental and mobility solutions for business use in metropolitan areas, as well as excellent highway performance.

With the active support of PSA Peugeot Citroën and Fiat, Tofas will be in charge of coordinating the development and production of the future models based on a new platform. The vehicles will be produced at Tofas’ plant in Bursa, Turkey. The annual production capacity will be of 135,000 units, of which two-thirds for PSA Peugeot Citroën and one-third for Fiat including Tofas.

Total investment, including research and developmet and production start-up costs, is estimated at roughly 350 million euro.

Istanbul, March 31, 2005

Tofaş Bridge Team became the champion in the bridge tournament between clubs organized in Pamukkale resort of Denizli between the dates 27-31 August. There was a cutthroat competition among 24 clubs in the final of the championship in which 110 teams participated this year. While Anatolian Bridge Club came the second following Tofaş, MESKİ Mersin Water and Sewage team became the third.

Consisting of 9 people, the Tofaş bridge teams includes sports players like Nafiz Zorlu, Salvador Assael, Yalçın Atabey, Süleyman Kolata, Özcan Pehlivan, Doğan Üzüm, Özgür Şakrak, who have national and international achievements, as well as Tofaş employees like Body Production Manager Ahmet Demirezer working in Tofaş factory, Suspension Production Division Supervisor Kemal Sınal.

With this success that it achieved, Tofaş bridge team became entitled to represent Turkey in the Champion Clubs Coupe, where the best 10 bridge clubs of Europe are invited, which is to be organized this year in Barcelona between the dates 7-10 October.

6 of the 9 sports players in the Tofaş bridge team also make up the Turkish National Bridge team. The Turkish National Bridge team of 6 people includes Nafiz Zorlu, Salvador Assael, Yalçın Atabey, Süleyman Kolata, Özcan Pehlivan and Doğan Üzüm from the Tofaş team. The Turkish National Bridge Team TOTALLY MADE UP OF BRIDGE PLAYERS FROM TOFAŞ shall fight for Turkey in the 12. Global Bridge Olympic Games to be organized by the World Bridge Federation for the first time in Istanbul between the dates 23 October-6 November.

here are around 5 thousand licensed bridge players in 227 bridge clubs scattered in the entire Turkey. There is a paramount interest in this intellectual sport, which is known to have derived its name from the Galata Bridge in Istanbul. The bridge sport shall be taught as an elective course in Ankara Political Sciences, METU, Samsun 19 Mayıs, Çanakkale 18 Mart and Eskişehir Anadolu Universities in this academic year.

In the Family Reunion activity of TOFAŞ, which has now become a classic, all the employees and families came together. Once again, there was enjoyment, enthusiasm and excitement in the meeting in the factory.

In the Family Reunion, which has been regularly organized every year since the year 1997, not only the employees found the chance to have fun after a period of hard work but their families and children also had the chance to the atmosphere in the factory closely. The Family Reunion organized by the Human Resources Directorate with the aim of enabling the employees and their families to join with Tofaş along with the participation of 6 thousand people in the garden of the factory in Bursa on 11 July Sunday.

The press, paint, body and assembly lines as well as the FGP Powertrain and Part Exportation enterprises were introduced via small trips. While the families had the chance to see the working environment of their family members or relatives, the children adorned the ‘Memory Wall’ specifically prepared in the FGP Powertrain Enterprise with their paintings.

The Family Reunion proved really interesting and beneficial experience especially for the children of Tofaş employees. Seeing closely the divisions where their parents worked, the children could not hide their awe not only in the face of the magnitude of the factory but also the robots in the assembly line.

In addition to the exhibition consisting of the paintings done by Tofaş employees within the scope of cultural activities in memory of the Environment Day, they also received information from Tofaş Sports Club, Bursa Anatolian Card Museum, Bursa Birmot and Fiat Abarth Motorsports promotion stands. The show from different regions staged by the folk dances group consisting of the employees received a lot of attention.

In the glass processing stand set up by the Glass Incinerator Foundation, the show of making beads out of glass, which is among the oldest techniques in glass manufacturing, was demonstrated. In the show which received a lot of attention, the willing people from among the Tofaş employees and families had practical applications with the help of masters.

Following the banquet made in each division, people came together in the ceremony hall located in the mechanical workshop. In the ceremony which was also attended by Giorgio Margiaria, Tofaş Industrial Group Director, a cake was served and songs were sung in memory of the day.

Tofaş sets and example for the business world with the Family Reunion activity which it organized for the 8. time this year.

TOFAŞ Strategic Communication Coordination

Developed within the scope of the Tofaş social responsibility projecy, Tofaşball Basketball Fest ended with the young basketball players from Van becoming the winner.

The 4. ‘Tofaşball’, which has become a traditional activity of Tofaş Sports Club that earned several young people to this sport with the attention it has paid to the basketball infrastructure, ended with joyous celebration. In the breath-taking final game, the Van team came up as the winner after a 37-29 superiority over the Ankara team. The third rank belonged to the basketball players from Konya beating the Istanbul team. The sports fest, which started on Sunday in Bursa, was attended by 12 schools of Tofaş Sports Club located in various cities of Turkey. The tournament in which 120 young athletes fought is aimed at earning new talents to the Turkish basketball.The tournament organized in Karacaali Scouts Camp located in the Gemlik district is attended by athletes not only from cities like Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir but also from economically less developed cities like Van, Mardin. Remarking that the fest which was organized for the fourth time this year ensures that basic concepts like sports culture, team work, friendship and discipline are inoculated in young people, Efe Aydan, Chairman of Tofaş Sports Club, said that they reached one thousand five hundred children up to today in the ‘Tofaş Basketball School Project’ applied as a leg of ‘Tofaşball’ project and the ‘Basketball Volunteers Project’ they organized with the Turkish Foundation for Educational Volunteers.

MEDALS FOR EVERYONE
Stating that the fest was participated by athletes who were 15 year old at most from Antalya, Adana, Ankara, Eskişehir, İzmir, İstanbul, Mardin, Konya, Samsun, Mersin, Sivas and Van, Efe Aydan said: ‘We wanted to encourage friendship and fraternity by giving the same medal and certificate of success to each team and athlete participating the tournament’. Underlining that this activity does not consist solely in basketball games, Efe Aydan remarked that the 4 days spent by the athletes taking part in the camp would have great effect on their social lives, too.

SPORTS CULTURE ENTRENCHED
The young people, who were their rivals in the games that started on Sunday, participated the cultural activities organized by Tofaş Sports Club for them in the evening. After going to Sertab Erener concert on Monday evening, all the teams visited the TOFAŞ factory and the Anatolian Cars Museum on Tuesday. The Administrative Coordinator of TOFAŞ Sports Club, Coşkun Teziç said that their project set an example for the ’12 Gigantic Man Basketball Schools’ by emphasizing that thy aimed at contributing to the formation of identity and character of the children through the sports culture in regions that have not completed their socio-economic development.

Fiat supports the activities organized under the name ‘The Traffic Year’ through the communication campaign ‘A small break when you are tired can save lives’.

On the occasion of The Traffic Year 2004 ‘Set an example yourself first in traffic’! You will see that others have changed’ is the motto around which various communication campaigns have been organized by the security institution, which launched a new campaign with support from Fiat in order to draw attention to the traffic accidents stemming from fatigue and insomnia. The press conference held today in Rahmi M. Koç Museum for the promotion of the campaign was attended by Tofaş CEO Diego Avesani and the senior executives of General Administration for Security.

The main message of Fiat traffic campaign is to warn the drivers, who want to reach their destination as soon as possible in long travels, about driving cars when tired and to emphasize the need for taking a break in order to eliminate the fatigue. The campaign is geared towards drawing attention to the fact that the fatigue and distraction are at their peak especially towards the end of the journey and the need for taking a break even if there is short distance to reach the destination.

Remarking that they handled the creation of a new sensitivity in the issue of insomnia and fatigue in traffic as a social responsibility project, Tofaş CEO Diego Avesani said that the drivers had to control themselves. Emphasizing the importance of raising the awareness of drivers for expanding the auto-control mechanism, Diego Avesani stated the satisfaction they felt for the support given by the General Administration of Security in this campaign.

Participating the meeting, Abdullah Bolcu, Assistant General Director of Security, stated that there was positive correlation between the insomnia, the level of fatigue and the rate of being involved in an accident, that there was a delay in the perception and reflexes of the drivers due to fatigue, therefore the concentration decreased and all these negativities resulted in accidents.

Specifying that this was the reason why they determined the 3. campaign theme of the year 2004 as ‘the effect of fatigue on driving security’, Abdullah Bolcu related that the Traffic Security campaigns would provide positive contributions to the traffic environment of our country and that he thanked the Driving Techniques Training Center for the training agency support they gave for this campaign.

Fiat created a communication concept for the campaign which shall continue under the motto ‘A small break when you’re tired can save lives’ for a month. It prepared and submitted to the General Administration for Security 500 thousand flyers, 150 thousand leaflets, 100 thousand posters, 50 thousand stickers. The printed material shall be distributed to the entire Turkey by traffic control teams ensuring that the awareness of drivers is raised. Besides, the promotional movie prepared for this campaign shall be shown at various points throughout the country. The campaign posters have also taken their place in 1000 billboards in the entirety of Turkey.

Fiat supports the activities performed within the scope of Traffic Year via the communication campaign ’A small break when you’re tired can save lives’.

On the occasion of The Traffic Year 2004 ‘Set an example yourself first in traffic’! You will see that others have changed’ is the motto around which various communication campaigns have been organized by the security institution, which launched a new campaign with support from Fiat in order to draw attention to the traffic accidents stemming from fatigue and insomnia. The press conference held today in Rahmi M. Koç Museum for the promotion of the campaign was attended by Tofaş CEO Diego Avesani and the senior executives of General Administration for Security.

The main message of Fiat traffic campaign is to warn the drivers, who want to reach their destination as soon as possible in long travels, about driving cars when tired and to emphasize the need for taking a break in order to eliminate the fatigue. The campaign is geared towards drawing attention to the fact that the fatigue and distraction are at their peak especially towards the end of the journey and the need for taking a break even if there is short distance to reach the destination.

Remarking that they handled the creation of a new sensitivity in the issue of insomnia and fatigue in traffic as a social responsibility project, Tofaş CEO Diego Avesani said that the drivers had to control themselves. Emphasizing the importance of raising the awareness of drivers for expanding the auto-control mechanism, Diego Avesani stated the satisfaction they felt for the support given by the General Administration of Security in this campaign.

Participating the meeting, Abdullah Bolcu, Assistant General Director of Security, stated that there was positive correlation between the insomnia, the level of fatigue and the rate of being involved in an accident, that there was a delay in the perception and reflexes of the drivers due to fatigue, therefore the concentration decreased and all these negativities resulted in accidents.

Specifying that this was the reason why they determined the 3. campaign theme of the year 2004 as ‘the effect of fatigue on driving security’, Abdullah Bolcu related that the Traffic Security campaigns would provide positive contributions to the traffic environment of our country and that he thanked the Driving Techniques Training Center for the training agency support they gave for this campaign.

Fiat created a communication concept for the campaign which shall continue under the motto ‘A small break when you’re tired can save lives’ for a month. It prepared and submitted to the General Administration for Security 500 thousand flyers, 150 thousand leaflets, 100 thousand posters, 50 thousand stickers. The printed material shall be distributed to the entire Turkey by traffic control teams ensuring that the awareness of drivers is raised. Besides, the promotional movie prepared for this campaign shall be shown at various points throughout the country. The campaign posters have also taken their place in 1000 billboards in the entirety of Turkey.