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. With a dozen global multinationals and over 200 auto parts 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 in passenger vehicles, light and heavy commercial vehicles, trucks, motorcycles, and parts primarily to Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Central America. Given the popularity of light-duty trucks among Argentine consumers, Argentina is the world's fourth largest producer of pickup trucks; 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 and an additional 48,000 were employed by auto parts companies.

Two major industrial associations represent Argentine automotive manufacturers. The Asociación de Fábricas de Automotores (ADEFA) was founded in 1961 to represent motor vehicle manufacturers 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.

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