CAMPI: Sales of New Commercial Vehicles Grow by 7.7% in 2009
Notorious for their tonnage and insatiable thirst for petrol, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) have never been the picture of efficient motoring, but with the Filipinos’ penchant for dual purpose vehicles—particularly after the high floods caused by tropical storm Ondoy last year—it seems that motorists are still giving these gas-guzzlers a second look.
Data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) show that sales of commercial vehicles–which include SUVs, Asian utility vehicles, pick-up trucks, vans and compact wagons–continued to surpass sales of passenger vehicles last year.
According to CAMPI, commercial vehicles grew by 7.7% to 86,216 units in 2009. Passenger cars or sedans, on the other hand, sold 46,228 units, rising slower at 4.1% from the previous year. Based on sales figures recorded particularly during the final months of 2009, more motorists may have replaced their damaged cars with taller vehicles, which have a better chance of wading through flood and mud.
Extreme SUVs
Experts, however, refuse to pin the SUVs’ continued popularity on the recent calamities that hit the country, insisting that even if prices of petrol soar, SUVs will still manage squeeze into people’s garages, particularly those of enthusiasts and performance-oriented drivers.
SUVs are typically fitted with a powerful engine, four wheel-drive for on- and off-road ability and towing capacity, big wheels and a roomy interior. But some claim to be created better than others. The so-called “high-performance” SUVs are touted to deliver more power than other vehicles in its segment, thanks to their greater horsepower-to-weight ratio.
“A sedan that weighs 1,500 kgs will usually have a 150hp engine. Meanwhile, a high performance car that weighs 1,500kgs will have over 300hp,” said BusinessWorld motoring columnist Tito Hermoso. The latter, he added, comes with a stronger body, better suspension systems, and tires and brakes that allow it to sustain “very fast driving and repeated braking from high speed.”
But Ferman Lao of Speedlab noted that fundamentally, a high-performance SUV must come equipped with the capability to use its high energy. “Everything else about high performance vehicles are all add-ons to maximize the use of the available power. This most often includes a high level of luxury features.”
Wheel gallery’s Sam Liuson, for his part, says high performance SUVs must also be able to “articulate extreme angles, cross rivers or flood without konking out, and those that have anti-slip or traction control at all wheels at any given time.”
A powerful SUV can be quite easy to spot. Telltale signs, said Mr. Hermoso, are sports seats, big exhaust pipes, special paint jobs and aggressive graphics, blacked-out trims, and a body that is usually lower than the standard SUV. The vehicle’s highly tuned engine also rumbles differently from its less powerful siblings.
These motoring experts consider the Porsche Cayenne; Jeep Commander SRT and Cherokee SRT; Range Rover Sport; BMW X5, X5M, X6, and X6M; and Mercedes Benz ML with AMG-tuned engines as some of the best in the segment.
The right shoes
Driving these mighty machines can be an exhilarating experience, but it is also often the case that the person at the wheel may have to give up absolute driving comfort. The stiff suspension, designed for high speed handling, does indeed result in some sacrifice in ride softness.
The right set of wheels and tires may be able to offset the bouncy ride. According to Mr. Liuson, these affect 40% of a vehicle’s overall comfort, so it woudn’t hurt for motorists to learn the right wheels and tires for a particular vehicle.
“As in shoes, you ought not wear flat soles [highway tread] on mud, sand, or gravel because you will just keep on slipping and losing traction. On the other hand, mud tires are not ideal for high speeds because they do not have the right tread design for cornering or hard braking,” Mr. Liuson explained, adding that these spinning parts could change as much as 50% of the vehicle’s aesthetics.
The remaining 60% of a vehicle’s overall comfort relies on its suspension system. “An SUV fitted with 16-inch factory spec wheels and a rear leaf-spring suspension would be a lot bumpier than one with the same wheel size but has an airbag suspension,” said Mr. Liuson.
Many of today’s SUVs and crossover utility vehicles come equipped with all-purpose tires that prioritize a smooth, quiet highway ride and good all-weather traction. These can be changed to sport truck tires that are also built to handle heavy duty suspension and a bigger load-carrying capacities.
Mr. Hermoso clarified that the extreme SUV’s high power-to-weight ratio could work in favor of fuel economy if the driver can restrain himself from stepping too hard on the gas pedal. “But most driver-owners don’t drive [their high performance SUVs] gently…I guess they’re prepared to pay for the increased fuel consumption in exchange for the power they enjoy,” he said, noting that if more diesel versions could be introduced in the market, SUV owners could have fun behind the wheel without paying too much at the gas pumps.
Business World
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