Isuzu Philippines Maintains Truck Market Leadership in 2009

According to the combined official figures released by the Truck Manufacturers Association of the Philippines and the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc., Isuzu trucks again outsold the competition in 2009, as it had the previous 11 straight years.

Last year, Isuzu’s N-Series light-duty trucks sold a total of 996 units, or 56.8 percent of Category 3 of the commercial vehicle segment. Isuzu’s medium-duty trucks, including the Forward, were just as dominant, selling 232 units for 57.9 percent of Category 4. Read more

Lexus Manila Celebrates First Anniversary

Lexus Manila, Inc. marks its first year of doing business in the Philippine luxury automotive scene this month. Since its brand debut in January 2009, it did not take long for Lexus Manila to make good on Lexus global reputation for production quality and customer satisfaction.

During its first year, Lexus Manila has responded to market trends by offering its customer a fresh option of luxury car line-up. With the opening of its world-class showroom at the heart of Fort Bonifacio Global City last year, Lexus also launched its initial line-up composed of the flagship sedan LS460, ES350, GS460, IS300, and full-size SUV LX570. This was immediately followed by the March introduction of the global best-selling Lexus cross over SUV RX350, and the sporty convertible IS300c in September. By year end, 172 satisfied Lexus customers can attest to the understated elegance of its products and the warm hospitality of its associates. Lexus garnered 13 percent share of the market, quickly climbing to the fourth position. Read more

Review: 2010 Jeep Patriot deserves a second look

Filed under: Crossover, Chrysler, Jeep, Reviews

The year was 2006, and Chrysler was fresh off the successful launch of the gangsta 300 and the oddly well-received Dodge Charger. The future looked bright for the Pentastar, with a plethora of new products set to arrive for the 2007 model year. The Chrysler Sebring and Aspen, the Dodge Caliber and Nitro and the Jeep Compass and Patriot were all primed to turn the car-buying world on-end. Or not. The Aspen is now history, the Sebring and Nitro have been abject failures, and the Caliber, Compass and Patriot, all of which share the same platform, haven’t come close to meeting expectations.

But one vehicle almost had a shot: the Patriot. Despite mudding Jeep’s crystal-clear brand DNA by adding a front-wheel drive soft-roader to the mix, the Patriot’s all-four cylinder lineup and better-than-advertised fuel economy arrived just as gas prices rocketed into the stratosphere. So why did it flop? That’s a novel unto itself, but the key culprits included poor interior materials and questionable build quality that conspired with a lackluster ad campaign and the overarching sense that Chrysler was teetering on the brink.

But in spite of all of that, the crew from Auburn Hills didn’t leave the Patriot for dead. They upgraded the interior, made a host of hardware changes and reworked the rugged little crossover to be more competitive for 2010. We were keen to sample the fruits of their labors, so we picked up a fully-loaded 2010 Jeep Patriot Limited to see if the sum of its upgrades have made this front-drive stepchild a viable alternative in a crowded field of small crossovers.

Photos by Chris Shunk / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Review: 2010 Jeep Patriot deserves a second look

Review: 2010 Jeep Patriot deserves a second look originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 May 2010 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 Ford Transit Connect arrives ready for work

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Work, Ford, Reviews

If there were one undeniable business lesson to be learned from the auto industry during the past decade, it’s to keep a close eye on your sales and a closer eye on your capacity. As Ferrari executives have repeatedly said over the years, the supply of any model should always be exactly one less than the demand. Less supply and you’re leaving money on the table, more and you’ve got unused capacity.

This philosophy can be adapted to a wide array of businesses and is especially relevant to small businesses. Many small businesses need to deliver product or services to their customers. For many that operate locally, existing options like the Dodge Sprinter or Ford E-Series vans are simply too large, thirsty and unwieldy for their needs. Enter the Ford Transit Connect. Since being introduced last year in North America, an increasing number of businesses small and large have found the Transit Connect to be just the right size for their needs. We spent a week with a cargo van version to find out what it’s like to live with. Follow the jump to read on.

Photos by Sam Abuelsamid / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

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Review: 2010 Ford Transit Connect arrives ready for work originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 May 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Isuzu Philippines Corp Marks 1st Anniversary, Success of Auto Mechanic Training Center

The challenging year of 2009 is not entirely devoid of inspiring and positive stories. Isuzu Philippines Corp. and Isuzu Auto Parts Manufacturing Corp. helped celebrate the first anniversary of the TESDA Auto Mechanic training Center in Tacloban, Leyte, which Isuzu Motors Limited of Japan funded. The project — which is part of Isuzu Japan’s “Heart And Smile” corporate social responsibility campaign — formally opened in 2008 with the aim of providing expert and subsidized automotive training to select underprivileged youth.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority bestowed also in 2009 an award to Isuzu in recognition of its philanthropic contributions to the project. Acknowledging the award, Isuzu Motors Limited chairman Yoshinori Ida said, “Isuzu will continue its generous support of the project and work closely with TESDA in ensuring the progress of all scholars because the company believes in the young people being the foundation of a strong Philippine economy in the future.”

“It is our sincere hope that these bright and hardworking young people will be valuable members not just of the automotive industry but also of the Philippine society in the future,” said IPC president Keiji Takeda. “We expect nothing from them in return except their pledge to positively use the technical knowledge and expertise that they will get from the program.”

In photo, Isuzu chairman Yoshinori Ida (1st row, standing 7th from left) joins Plan Phils and TESDA officials together with the Isuzu scholars in celebrating the auto mechanic training center’s first anniversary.

Mitsubishi Philippines Banners 2009 with 33% Growth Industry Sales

The Philippine automotive industry defied threats of automotive slump due to global financial crisis as it registered a 6.4% growth in 2009. Total vehicle sales reached 132,444 units in 2009, exceeding the flat growth forecast for 2009 by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) or 125,000 units. In 2008, total vehicles sold were 124,449 units.

CAMPI and TMA credits this growth to the aggressiveness of automotive players in introducing new models and various promotion schemes as well as by banks/financial institutions to accept auto financing from loans especially from entry level buyers such as small to medium scale entrepreneurs and also Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). In addition, the strong typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng last October which brought heavy floods in Metro Manila and Luzon areas caused irreparable damaged to most vehicles, have partially contributed to the increase as it accelerated vehicle replacements especially in the last quarter. Read more

Review: 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid makes being green easy

Filed under: Hybrid, Crossover, Reviews

The Ford Escape Hybrid was the first mass-produced battery-assisted SUV on the market when it launched in 2004, and from day one it’s delivered on Ford’s promise of class-leading economy. It also offered similar performance and handling to its gas-powered counterparts with virtually no compromise. Sales have steadily risen each year and The Blue Oval even began eeking out some profit after trimming production costs by 30 percent. It’s now seven years later and the Ford Escape Hybrid is a well established product that seems to have risen above the hoopla of being a hybrid. It’s just a good CUV with great fuel economy. Even the president thinks so, having traded in his V8-powered Chrysler 300C for an Escape Hybrid during the run-up to the 2008 presidential election.

Ford gave the entire Escape line a visual makeover back in 2008. A year later it revamped each model’s drivetrain, giving the gas-powered models new or updated engines and transmissions while also upgrading the Escape Hybrid’s powertrain with a larger, more powerful 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and new nickel metal hydride battery pack that was 20-percent smaller and significantly lighter.

But for some reason, all of those changes haven’t translated into increased sales. In fact, sales have dropped each year since the redesign. A certain global financial meltdown is probably to blame, but newer entries in the small CUV segment have also given potential Escape buyers something to think about. We spent a week with a fully loaded 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid Limited 4WD model to find out if Ford’s top-of-the-line hybrid CUV is still a serious contender.

Photos by Chris Shunk/ Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Review: 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid makes being green easy

Review: 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid makes being green easy originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 May 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MINI Global City Opens

British United Automobiles, Inc., the authorized importer for MINI in the Philippines, opens the doors of MINI Global City at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig today, Jan. 15.

Designed by Architect Abraham F. Flores together with the BMW Group, the showroom will introduce a new world of motoring fun to MINI enthusiasts in the Philippines.

“After months of planning, we are excited to open our doors. The MINI Global City is something special, created on the basis of a car that is already very special. The interior is designed with exclusive style to reflect the sophisticated features of the MINI,” said Willy Q. Tee Ten, president of British United Automobiles, Inc.

“No other car has become the object of art and fashion as often and in the same diversity as the MINI. We are therefore pleased that MINI Global City is designed with exclusive style to reflect the sophisticated features of the MINI,” said Preecha Ninatkiattikul, MINI manager, Asia. Read more

RP Posts 6.4% Increase in Auto Sales Amid Regional Slump

Carmakers exceeded their expectations last year, selling 132,444 vehicles or 6.4 percent more than they did in 2008, and on the back of higher demand sustained by remittances and aggressive financing offers.

Elizabeth Lee, president of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc., said the strong December sales of 13,596 units, the industry’s highest monthly total in a decade, allowed carmakers to exceed their 4-percent growth forecast for 2009.

“Although December sales were expected to be seasonally higher, the stronger spike [that month] was a welcome result,’’ Lee said.

This augurs well for 2010.” Read more

Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation Tops 600,000 Unit Sales Level

Two years after hitting the half million units sold mark, Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP) has once again reached another milestone last December 7, 2009 with cumulative sales of 600,000 units since the start of its operations in 1988. TMP is the first car manufacturer in the Philippine automotive industry to bag this achievement.

For 21 years of being in the industry, TMP remained consistently focused on catering to diverse needs of Filipino consumers. It offers an extensive model line-up of fourteen vehicles distributed to 27 dealer outlets nationwide. By maintaining its strong commitment in providing high quality products and excellent services to its customers, TMP has made its way to being the market leader for eighteen years. TMP is also proud to reveal that despite the economic slowdown in 2009, it has garnered year-to-date sales of 46,193 units as of December 2009. Read more

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