Mitsubishi Philippines to Launch 4 Models in 2009
Despite the uncertainties in the local automotive market, the country’s second biggest car assembler Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. will continue to perk up the market with the launch of four net models next year.
Froilan Dytianquin, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. assistant vice-president for marketing services, revealed this to reporters even as he said that the company is setting a flat growth target in 2009 of only 18,500 units from this year’s expected 18,000 unit sales.
“The company has difficulty coming up with a sales forecast whether it is a growth or a decline because of the uncertainties in the local market as a result of the automotive crisis in the US,” Dytianquin said.
Reeling from the impact of the financial crisis, the American automotive industry is asking for billion bailout from the US government but Congress is hesitant to approve a bailout unless industry workers agree to a huge pay cut.
“But we will be launching four new models next year,” he said.
The new launches include a new passenger car model, sports utility vehicle and upgrades of existing models.
“We will have four launches next year including a car, an SUV model including model upgrades. There will be two launches in the first quarter,” he said.
Its most popular models now are Adventure, L300, Strada and Montero.
“Adventure sells for OFWs,” Dytianquin noted.
MMPC is also staging a comeback this year as the country’s second biggest automotive player displacing Honda Cars Philippines.
“We captured this second place after two years of being in the third place,” Dytianquin said.
As of November this year, MMPC sold a total of 15,984 units from 13,366 units in the same January-November period last year and grabbing 14 percent market share from 12.4 percent last year.
Overall, Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. remained the most popular with sales reaching 41,997 units for a modest 5.4 percent increase over 39,843 units in the same period last year.
On the third slot was Honda Cars Philippines Inc. with 13,557 units sold posting a sharp 16 percent decline from 16,138 units sold in the same period last year.
Korean car company Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. is the only non-Japanese carmaker that made it to the top five.
Hyundai maintained its position with sales of 9,502 units or 27.9 percent more than the 7,432 units sold in the same period last year.
All commercial vehicle assembler Isuzu Philippines Corp. completed the top five players with sales of 9,129 units or 4.6 percent increase from 8,728 units in the same period last year.
By BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT, Manila Bulletin
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