12 ways Toyota had fun in 2012
By Tessa R. Salazar
Was 2012 a year like no other for Toyota in the Philippines? Toyota Motor Philippines replied a resounding “yes,” and gave Inquirer Motoring 12 reasons.
Was 2012 a year like no other for Toyota in the Philippines? Toyota Motor Philippines replied a resounding “yes,” and gave Inquirer Motoring 12 reasons.
As the year comes to a close, Asian Carmakers Corp. (ACC), the official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines, is expected to dominate the luxury automotive segment once again with record sales of its 3 Series and 5 Series which w ere both introduced to the market in 2012.
Despite the tsunami in Japan and flooding in Bangkok, which greatly affected car production of Japanese car makers, Honda Cars Philippines made 2012 memorable by the introduction of car models that boast of innovation and fuel efficiency along with strong vehicle sales and overall optimism.
It is interesting to note that despite the few and diesel-powered only models it offers—Alterra SUV, Crosswind AUV, D-Max pickup, N-Series light-duty multi-purpose truck—Isuzu Philippines Corp. ended up fourth in the domestic automotive industry with the most number of products sold from January to November 2012.
The year 2012 is when Mercedes-Benz celebrated its two decades of partnership with CATS Motors Inc., the Philippines’ premier luxury vehicle importer and Benz brand exclusive distributor in the country.
The year 2012 was a solid one for Chevrolet—the company introduced three new car models that catered to an increasing demand from major segments; sold some 3,200 units; and achieved double digit growth.
In November, a fleet of flashy Nissan Teana sedans were seen traversing the streets of Cebu carrying Asean dignitaries and European officials for an international meeting. The luxury sedan, boasting of a design similar to modern executive European cars, while ably transporting these officials, did a better job of royally pampering these VIPs.
Talk about busy. While other car companies launch one or two vehicle models in a year, Ford Group Philippines introduced four all-new car models that drove impressive sales in the country for the global car maker.
Suzuki, for so long, had been known for its motorcycles. Then recently, it showed just how much desirable its small svelte cars are. Lately, it’s been making inroads in the mid-sized sedan market, notably with the entry of Kizashi.
From January to November this year, passenger car (PC) models drove the sales growth of Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., (HARI), the official Hyundai distributor in the Philippines, to 20,491 units, representing an 8-percent growth from 18,922 units sold in the same year-ago period. PC sales rose by 27 percent from 9,913 to 12,631 this year. Hyundai’s best-selling models during the period were the Accent with 5,845 units sold, Elantra with 2,744 units sold and Eon with 2,336 units sold.
Lexus convention once more this year when its dealership in Manila improved sales compared to 2011, despite a slump in the luxury vehicle category in the country.
Low interest rates on car loans are putting brand new vehicles within easier reach of most Filipinos. Combined with an increased selection of new vehicle models in the market, the automotive industry is poised to achieve record-breaking sales in 2012.
