In cooperation with Centro Manufacturing, Inc. Isuzu co-developed a vehicle for the mass market. Competing directly with those surplus and second hand remanufactured Isuzu elf type minibus from Cebu and Sobida Motors Corp.

[SIZE=4]Isuzu unveils microbus for public transport
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Saturday, 06 March 2010 00:00
BY BEN ARNOLD O. DE VERA Reporter
Manila Times

Isuzu Philippines Corp. unveiled on Thursday a “microbus” that could serve as a new means of public transportation for the country.

Arthur Balmadrid, Isuzu Philippines senior vice president, told reporters that the [SIZE=4][SIZE=2]16-seater Isuzu microbus could be registered as a “Philippine Brand Vehicle.”[/SIZE] [/SIZE]This new manufacturing category was included by the Board of Investments in the proposed updated Motor Vehicle Development Program.

[SIZE=2]The company executive said the microbus would be assembled locally, in partnership with Centro Manufacturing Corp.,and would be available by the second half of this year.[/SIZE]

With this microbus and four newly launched light-duty truck variants under its fifth-generation N-Series lineup, Isuzu expects sales this year to grow by a tenth to 10,500 units.

Latest industry data showed that the company sold 625 units in January, up by about a third year-on-year.

Last year, Isuzu sold 8.8 percent less, or 9,213 units in 2008, which is the fifth highest number of vehicles sold last year. However, its market share contracted 1.1 percent.

Keiji Takeda, Isuzu Philippines president, said the country’s stable economy would augur well with the company’s plan to ramp up domestic production to meet the potentially higher demand.

Isuzu manufactured about 8,000 units last year, about half of the plant’s maximum production capacity of 15,000 units annually.

[SIZE=4][SIZE=2]Its Biñan, Laguna plant churns out[/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=4][SIZE=2] [/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=4][SIZE=2]Crosswind, an Asian utility vehicle (AUV); D-Max pickups; and various passenger van and truck models for domestic sales.[/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=4][SIZE=2] [/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=4][SIZE=2]The Alterra units are imported from Thailand.[/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=4]
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[SIZE=2]Isuzu Autoparts Manufacturing Corp., an affiliate company, manufactures and distributes car components also in Laguna.[/SIZE]

Takeda said they used to export parts to Vietnam but recently stopped because the country jacked up excise taxes.

The company, however, hopes to export AUVs to Costa Rica and Guatemala since emission and safety regulations in those countries are similar to that of Philippine standards.