WHOEVER SAID THAT THE PHILIPPINE automotive industry was dying? If you were one of those of the more than 68,000 who attended the inaugural Manila Motor Show that would certainly be the last thing on your mind. The 10,000 square-meter area of the World Trade Center was filled with over a hundred cars including a couple of concepts, racing cars and special models. More than that though, it’s proof that the Philippine automotive industry is alive and kicking.
Elizabeth Lee, president of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers (CAMPI) and Louie Dy Buncio, the president of the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed their full support and endorsement to the Worldbex Services International event by officially opening the show last April 28. They were visibility happy and excited to finally see an industry-centered exhibition in the lines of regional shows such as Bangkok and Tokyo. A lavish opening number greeted exhibitors, special government guests and international media outfits from Japan and China. The main highlight was the revealing of the category winners of the Car of the Year Awards – Philippines (CoTY-Phil). CoTY-Phil’s organizing group, Car Awards Group (CAGI) composed of more than 23 media outfits, entered into a memorandum of agreement with Worldbex to be official partners in future Manila Motor Show events in the years or even decades to come.
When the gates opened for the general public, they weren’t disappointed with a large exhibit featuring both mainstay brands such as Kia, Hyundai, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan (Universal Motors Corporation) and Toyota as well as luxury brands like BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot and Volvo. Independent brands such as Hummer and SsyangYong were given attention as well. New cars aside, the Manila Motor Show called on selected car clubs to exhibit pristine rolling works of art. For the first time ever in a motor show, the Mitsubishi Evolution series (III to VIII MR) and its predecessor, the Galant VR-4 was displayed side-by-side. The same goes for the BMW 3 Series, from the venerable 2002 Turbo to the latest E90 model. Not to be outdone, Ford had a display of the Model A and two 1960’s Mustangs.
Sneak peeks of upcoming local models made a great impact at the show. The Ford Focus sedan and hatchback generated more than 480 inquiries, while Toyota’s rolling surprise of their Fortuner stirred the people (and some exhibitors) to flock to the driveway of the World Trade Center for a closer look at the Japanese company’s bid for the mid-size SUV market. Some seriously considered buying one on the spot!
It was no surprise to the organizers that there was such serious sales activity at the show. The 68,000 visitors came from a well-targeted market segment composed of car clubs, golf clubs, bank executives, businessmen and exclusive villages. As a result, all of the exhibitors made good business at the trade hall. Peugeot sold five cars; Volvo, eight; BMW two bikes and a handful of 3 Series; Mercedes-Benz rolled off the P 6.5-million CLS350 to a proud owner; Ford listed more than 480 inquiries for its new Focus. With both on-road and off-road test drives around the World Trade Center, about a thousand serious inquiries were gathered by Ford, Hyundai, Isuzu, Jaguar, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan (Universal Motors Corporation) and Toyota. The same goes for the other exhibitors such as expert tuners, Options Unlimited, tire maker Pirelli and audio/video supplier Audiovox. Wives, girlfriends or those not interested in anything with wheels were equally entertained with a mini shopping bazaar that included the likes of Adidas, LA Gear and Kickers, all reporting huge sales.
Not wanting to rest on the laurels of the Manila Motor Show, Worldbex International has given the go signal for 2006 with an even bigger show, set around April once more. With the full support of the CAMPI, TMA and CAGI behind them, Worldbex International hopes to propel the show to higher levels featuring more concept cars, more public debut and certainly a much longer duration from the current three days.
By Ulysses Ang | Photos By Ulysses Ang and Jason Ang
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