What is an Islamic car?

Tehran, Iran, August 26 — “Islamic car” is an interesting term for the first time published by news agencies like AFP and Reuters, which encouraged our country's and Middle East people's and also Moslems' interest. Reuters was among the first news agencies which reported about Islamic Car from Kuala Lumpur.

“Iran, Malaysia and Turkey jointly will make a car that will come to market by 2011,” Manteghi, managing director of Iran’s biggest car maker (Iran Khodro) said.

“This car will come to the world market with latest car technologies and will be adapted with global standards” he told reporters.

Also Malaysian “Proton” chief Zeynal Abdin, whose company’s products are imported to Iran in large numbers, said: ”This car will have some options for Moslems like a compass to determine the direction of Mecca for prayers as well as compartments for storing holy Quran.”

But what is the important thing among this news? A misunderstanding.

“This car will be produced for developing industry cooperation between the D8 group and in our next meeting we must find a name for it and the group must decide about it,” Manteghi said.

Yes the point is here, he told us indirectly we should not be looking for an especial Islamic sign in this car. This is a usual car that has two options that may be canceled when it is exported to other non-Islamic countries. Choosing the name of “Islamic car” is a misunderstanding.

“Because this is a plan between three Islamic countries this name is chosen,” Iran Khodro chief said.

“Because this car is produced between Islamic countries is no reason not to use the west’s innovations and technologies” he told a press conference. This was an important point that reporters paid attention to and asked more questions about.

It seems this plan is not very new and these countries have worked on it for a long time because “Proton” and “Iran Kodro” are finishing their platforms for this car and will discus about it in their next meeting in mid-January.

This car will come to the world market and the price will be between 6,000 to 8,000 Euros.