The BMC TM 25 was the first series of light commercial vehicles produced by BMC in Turkey. It was assembled at the company’s Bornova plant in Izmir, built from 1967 and offered to Turkish buyers and some European export markets from 1970.
BMC TM 25 at a glance
| Maker | BMC, Bornova plant, Izmir, Turkey |
|---|---|
| Type | light commercial vehicle series |
| Built from | 1967 |
| On sale | from 1970 in Turkey; also exported to some European countries |
| Bodies | pickup, panel van, minibus |
| Construction | truck chassis with minibus or panel-van body |
| Engine | 1,600 cc petrol |
| Engine position | under the front floor |
| Also badged | Austin and Morris |
| Replaced by | BMC Levend |
Based on the Turkish Wikipedia article; one source and a short one, so this page is shorter than usual.
History of the BMC TM 25
The TM 25 was the first light commercial range built by BMC in Turkey, and it was made at the company’s factories in Bornova, Izmir. Production started in 1967, but the vehicle reached the Turkish market and export customers in some European countries only in 1970. It was also marketed under the Austin and Morris brands.
The vehicle was built in the simple way typical of light commercials of the period: a truck chassis carried either a pickup body, a panel van body or a minibus body, so one mechanical package could serve several trades. The engine sat under the front floor rather than in a separate bonnet, and every TM 25 used a 1,600 cc petrol engine.
The TM 25 was eventually succeeded in the BMC range by the Levend, a light commercial and minibus series that was introduced as the Leyland TM 30 in 1980 and took the Levend name in 1990.
Design and features
- First of its kind: the first light commercial series assembled by BMC in Turkey.
- One chassis, several bodies: pickup, panel van and minibus versions shared the same truck chassis.
- Petrol power only: every TM 25 had a 1,600 cc petrol engine mounted under the front floor.
- Local and export sales: offered in Turkey from 1970 and exported to some European countries.
BMC TM 25 versions
- Pickup: truck chassis with an open load bed.
- Panel van: closed body for delivery work.
- Minibus: passenger body on the same chassis.
- Austin and Morris versions: the same vehicle sold under the two British BMC marques.
The TM 25 was replaced in the range by the BMC Levend, and BMC’s heavier Turkish trucks are covered in the Profesyonel article. More models are in the BMC collection.
Sources
- BMC TM 25, Turkish Wikipedia: production, bodies, engine, export
