Automotive industry in Argentina

The automotive industry in Argentina is the third largest in Latin America, driving 3% of Argentina’s GDP, 10% of industrial production, and 10% of exports in 2023.^[1] With a dozen global multinationals^[2] and over 200 auto parts^[3] companies operating in the country, Argentina's automotive sector is a sophisticated and technologically advanced industry. Automakers rely on Argentina as a regional production hub for Latin America and export over USD $8 billion annually^[4] in passenger vehicles, light and heavy commercial vehicles, trucks, motorcycles, and parts primarily to Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Central America.^[5] Given the popularity of light-duty trucks among Argentine consumers, Argentina is the world's fourth largest producer of pickup trucks;^[6] top pickup brands produced in Argentina include the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier, and Volkswagen Amarok.

Motor vehicle and auto parts manufacturers are major employers in a country that has struggled to create registered private sector employment. In 2023, over 25,000 Argentines were employed by motor vehicle manufacturers ^[7] and an additional 48,000 were employed by auto parts companies.^[2]

Two major industrial associations represent Argentine automotive manufacturers. The Asociación de Fábricas de Automotores (ADEFA) was founded in 1961 to represent motor vehicle manufacturers^[8] and is a member of the International Automobile Manufacturers Association (OICA) based in Paris. Auto parts manufacturers are represented by the Asociación de Fábricas Argentinas de Componentes (AFAC), which was founded in 1939.^[9]

In addition to multinational automakers, several Argentine-owned auto manufacturers operate in the country, including Materfer,^[10] ТАТ SA,^[11] Helvetica,^[12] Crespi, and PurSang,^[13] primarily as producers of replicas of classic cars.