Election-related spending, promos to put more cars on the road

TOP OFFICIALS of Mitsubishi Philippines and special guest Hiroshi Masuoka at the Montero launch

CARMAGEDDON. That’s traffic of apocalyptic proportions, and it’s getting to become an everyday occurrence. Still, in spite of that, automotive observers don’t see any letup in the public’s car-buying sprees anytime soon. Filipinos will continue to buy cars like there’s no tomorrow, and the industry is expecting 350,000 more new cars to pack onto our groaning roads this year.

The ugly specter of even more monstrous traffic jams in the cities is far outweighed by the factors whetting the appetites of consumers. “[The forecast sales is] riding on the momentum of growth, election-related spending, the introduction of new models, [the continuous decline of] fuel prices, attractive financing packages and aggressive marketing promotions,” observes lawyer Rommel Gutierrez, Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. president.

Gutierrez said that, following the pattern of past national elections, many candidates are expected to purchase vehicles in the coming months to use for their campaign sorties.

Inquirer Motoring had previously pointed to the following reasons for a robust auto industry: the increase of the average Filipino’s purchasing power, the upswing in the local economy, healthy remittances by overseas Filipinos, and the worsening of the mass transport situation, especially in the country’s capital region.

With this in mind, auto manufacturers and importers are firing off their opening salvos for 2016 quite early. This January, some of them have put their best foot—rather, wheels—forward to gain a headstart in what promises to be another record-setting year.

Toyota Fortuner reiteration

Leading the charge in global auto giant Toyota’s product blitz is the full-model change of the midsize SUV Fortuner, which was unveiled to the media on Jan. 14.

The new Fortuner boasts of a new GD-series diesel engine that supposedly optimizes performance in the newly developed six-speed transmission, while increasing fuel efficiency and suppressing further vibrations and road noise, even on rough terrain. (Toyota Motor Philippines, however, clarified that the gasoline engine for the new Fortuner is unchanged, but with Dual VVT-I). The 2016 Fortuner is longer and wider, and has a thicker, larger front fascia.

Coinciding with TMP’s 28th year, the launch of the all-new Fortuner, according to TMP president Satoru Suzuki, couldn’t have come at a better time. “In 2015, TMP broke another sales record with more than 125,000 units sold. Because of this, Toyota Philippines has now improved its worldwide standing from the 16th to the 12th spot within the Toyota Global ranking.”

Mazda’s new Makati dealership

Mazda Makati, a product and service facility located at 2301 Don Chino Roces Avenue Extension, opened on Jan. 18. The flagship Mazda dealership houses a 2,233-sqm display area that can showcase 12 of Mazda’s latest SkyActiv-equipped and Kodo-Soul of Motion-inspired vehicles at any given time.

Mazda Makati also has 16 service bays to handle a full range of repairs from checkups and preventive maintenance services to body collision repair and repainting, and a SkyLounge facility.

Berjaya Auto Philippines, the exclusive distributor of Mazda vehicles in the country and Auto Zoom Zoom Inc., the proprietor of Mazda showrooms in Cavite, Iloilo and Sta. Rosa, Laguna, have collaborated to bring this all-new, full-showroom and service center.

“Mazda Makati embodies the new showroom experience Mazda wants its customers to feel and savor each time they enter a Mazda dealership,” said Steven Tan, president and CEO of Berjaya Auto Philippines. “This showroom and service facility has been designed from the ground up to adhere to the new Mazda-standard of welcoming our customers and establishing an emotional connection with them in the same way that Mazda vehicles have captured their hearts and minds.”

Mitsubishi Montero 2016

Despite the controversy hounding Mitsubishi’s flagship SUV in 2015, there was no stopping Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp.’s unveiling of the all-new version of its best-selling Montero Sport on Jan. 20 at the World Trade Center.

The all-new Montero Sport debuted in Thailand in August 2015 to a warm reception. The Philippines is the fourth country to see the release of the all-new Montero Sport in its four variants: the GT four-wheel-drive eight-speed automatic transmission; the GLS four-wheel-drive six-speed manual transmission; the GLS two-wheel-drive Premium eight-speed AT; and the base model GLS two-wheel-drive eight-speed AT.

Produced in Thailand, the all-new Montero Sport will be introduced in more than 90 countries.

Nissan takes the Juke north

On Jan. 21 and 22, the motoring public saw Nissan’s compact crossover Juke on the road for the first time when Nissan Philippines Inc. held a media ride-and-drive of 20 Juke units from the Nissan North Edsa dealership to the surfing capital of the north in San Juan, La Union.

The uniquely designed Juke had been awarded the Best Subcompact Crossover SUV during the Car Awards Group Inc.’s 2015 Car of the Year-Philippines.

Overseas, the new Nissan Juke was named 2015 Best Compact Utility Vehicle in the Middle East Car of the Year awards, and the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick in 2011.

VW jets forward

On Jan. 22, Volkswagen Philippines announced the launch of the new Jetta sedan in diesel and petrol automatic variants at its Bonifacio Global City showroom in Taguig. VW also announced upgrade and enhancements to the Polo Notch subcompact sedan and compact SUV Tiguan.

VW Philippines’ chief operating adviser Klaus Schadewald also announced that VW Philippines will introduce in 2016 the Golf Comfortline and Highline variants, and the R-Line of the Passat and Touareg, as well as the return of the original rugged version of the iconic Beetle, the Beetle Dune.

Also present during the event was president and chief executive officer John Philip Orbeta.