There seems to be a consensus among the top bosses of the country’s local auto industry: most car companies would want to put 2019 fast behind them and look at the future with a 2020 vision of recovery and a more stable year for the auto industry. It was quite obvious to put the blame on the tax man, when the TRAIN Law, also known as Republic Act No. 10963 adversely affected the pricing of vehicles specially those over the one-million- to four-million-peso price range.
“The year 2019 gave the auto industry an opportunity to recover from the effects of the excise tax change a year earlier. While 2020 remains to be a challenge, we are hopeful that such recovery will be sustained and the rate of growth continues to be positive,” said Atty. Rommel Gutierrez, President of CAMPI (Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc.).
While it seems that the road ahead might not be that bright yet, unlike the stellar years of 2017 and 2018, the market seems excited to welcome the year with more brands in the market, specially with the influx of Chinese auto brands. Year 2020 will also see EVs (electric vehicles) coming to the market, with the likes of Nissan Leaf, Porsche Taycan and the Audi’s e-tron SUV poised to be introduced soon.
Here’s what the industry’s top bosses have to say on how they fared this year and what’s the road ahead like in 2020.
Roberto Coyiuto III
PGA Cars (Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Porsche) President and CEO, Porsche Philippines and Lamborghini Philippines
As the first decade of the 21st century draws to a close, the start of a new year is auspicious for Porsche and Lamborghini in the Philippines.
In 2019, both these legendary marques continued to stoke the passion of enthusiasts with their brand of high-performance motoring. And this shows in their uptake. Porsche’s stellar mix of sports cars has been amply supported by the popularity of its SUV offerings. The same development can be seen in Lamborghini’s range, albeit catering to another set of devotees.
Now, both brands are set to start 2020 even more strongly.
Lamborghini will unveil the very special, utterly focused version of its super sports car—the Huracan Evo—in about a couple of weeks from now. Porsche, for its part, will take the lead in electric mobility through the introduction of the groundbreaking, fully electric four-door sports car, the Porsche Taycan. Taking a step past mere hybrid power, the Taycan is the world’s first fully electric sports car to go into volume production. It will spearhead the adoption of electric vehicles in the Philippines even as the model remains true to its sporting Porsche heritage.
Without question, mobility is on the cusp of a revolutionary change. And Porsche, through the Taycan, will blaze the trail for genuine electric mobility in the country just as a new decade dawns.
Benedicto T. Coyiuto
PGA Cars. Head, Audi Philippines and President, Bentley Philippines
The beginning of a new year—and decade—is promising for both Audi Philippines and Bentley Philippines, just as 2019 proves to be an exemplary year for these storied brands.
Bentley is now emerging from its centenary year packed with milestones, having been named as one of the best British luxury brands, as well as the Continental GT being crowned by Jeremy Clarkson as “Car of the Year.” Locally, the marque has seen its well-crafted, luxury-laden latest offerings finding favor among a clientele who settles for nothing but the very best. Next year, Bentley will continue to respond to its discerning customers by introducing fresh products, chief among which is the all-new Flying Spur. This car, which Bentley started producing only in mid-October, has already earned carwow’s (UK-based platform for buying cars) vote as “Luxury Car of the Year.” It will arrive in the Philippines sooner than you think.
Meanwhile, Audi has also seen its share of recognition last year as it secured top ratings from the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the European New Car Assessment Program and JD Power, among others. Plus, the brand is set to finish 2019 with record sales in the Philippines.
That said, Audi is not letting up with its accomplishments. In 2020, Audi will anticipate the wider, more mainstream adoption of electric vehicles in the country with the introduction of the Audi e-tron SUV.
Apparently, the Philippines is among the most receptive places when it comes to embracing fully electric vehicles—not just hybrids. While continuing to offer a diverse range of models addressing an equally varied mix of consumers, Audi will reciprocate the local market’s enthusiasm for such eco-friendly vehicles by initially releasing the e-tron. This, surely, will electrify the automotive industry’s eventual but inevitable shift to genuine voltage-driven propulsion.
Jose Maria Atienza
SVP, Toyota Motor Philippines
The modest growth of 2019 was a welcome development after the previous year’s market correction. This 2020, we will see a much-improved pace and we look forward to an even more exciting year for our customers and Toyota.
Atty. Albert Arcilla
President, Chevrolet Philippines and MG Philippines
We look forward to 2020 with much enthusiasm and excitement. We have prepared ourselves at The Covenant Car Company (TCCCI) to the great opportunities to offer the best cars and customer experience that the brands we represent can provide. As everyone prepare to plan the year 2020 having the premise that we should all have 20/20 vision, we at TCCCI look at the year 2020 with a sharper and more accurate vision than 20/20. We acknowledge that to have the same 20/20 vision as everyone else, will make us work harder and better. In the year 2020, TCCCI will look at our opportunities with our own definition of our 20/10 vision. For TCCCI to achieve in 10 years what other companies can do in 20 years. With more focus and intentional sharpness of vision, we will work in being the breakthrough company that can achieve that 20/10 vision. And we will do this by harnessing the support of our principals, dealer partners, bank supporters, colleagues in media and our strong community of vehicle owners and enthusiast. At Chevrolet, we will be expanding our model offers with more new variants of our current best-selling models, the Chevy Trailblazer and Colorado Pick-up. We will introduce new models that will be made available from our source plants at Bangkok, Seoul and Shanghai. The Chevy model line-up will be wider, new and exciting. For our breakout brand MG (Morris Garages) we will continue the aggressive introduction of new models as we establish MG as the brand of choice for the young and dynamic motoring public. With the best equipped, elegantly designed and most affordable vehicles in its class and segment in the market today, we look forward to more MG owners to be the new ambassadors of our brand and share the positive MG experience. With the 21 fully operating MG dealerships by the first quarter of 2020 offering new and exciting MG models at the most competitive offers available. All these exciting plans and the expected growing automotive market in both Metro Manila and Regional Hubs, will be our platform for growth and success for TCCCI in 2020.
Dennis Uy
Chairman, Udenna Corp.
We just got both Ferrari and Maserati dealerships late last year. We are very bullish on our segment given the existing lineup and with new models coming soon. I am looking forward to more Ferraristas and Maseristas to join our family.
PK Umashankar
Managing Director, Ford Philippines
Year 2020 is going to be an exciting one for Ford Philippines. Customers can expect new Ford vehicles in our showrooms this year. We will also continue to work with our Ford dealers to enhance the ownership experience, with increased focus on parts supply and availability. With these priorities, we can only look forward to strengthening the Ford brand in the country in 2020.
Wilbert Lim
CEO, GAC Philippines
Year 2019 was very challenging for the automotive industry in general. However, the Chinese brands (like GAC Motor) has risen to be the new market favorite with a much improve product, features and quality. And a very competitive price positioning.
For 2020, we forecast the industry to grow at least 5 percent versus 2019. SUV/Crossover will continue to be the major segment for growth.
Hajime Koso
President, Isuzu Philippines
Year 2019 has been very challenging for the automotive industry due different factors affecting consumer behavior. But in spite of this, Isuzu managed to maintain our No. 1 position in the truck category, solidifying 20 years of being the No. 1 Truck Brand in the country. Hence, we are optimistic to see growth next year especially with the introduction of the All-New Isuzu TRAVIZ which is set to compete strongly in the Category II cab-chassis segment. As always, Isuzu will continue to provide not just durable and fuel-efficient products, but valuable business solutions to our clients nationwide.
Rommel L. Sytin
President United Asia Automotive Group
Year 2019 has been challenging one, yet fruitful for United Asia Automotive Group, Inc. (UAAGI). The first two quarters of 2019 showed a sluggish move in the commercial vehicle segment due to the election period. Thankfully, we were able to catch up by the end of the year through our dealer network expansion and sales programs which helped us finish 2019 strong.
This year, FOTON has maintained its foothold as part of the top 10 automotive brands in the country. We craved for more, and went the extra mile by reintroducing another global brand under UAAGI’s name plate, Chery Auto Philippines. And to reinforce more of our success, we ended the year, and the decade with another promising attainment—the ISO certification of FOTON Motor Philippines, Inc. and UAAGI.
The Philippine economy is expected to be stronger on 2020 after the mid-term elections. Bank rates will remain the same, and will continue to be competitive until next year. We will continue to launch products and programs that will satisfy the transport needs of the Philippines.
It has been a tough competition, yet a great opportunity to open new doors. And with that, I congratulate the entire Philippine automotive industry for the impressive performance.
To a greater, more empowered, and clearer vision on 2020!
Manny Aligada
Kia Philippines
The auto industry was pretty much on “recovery” mode for 2019. For 2018, we were on adjustment mode since it was the year that the new legislation took effect. But with roughly a 2 percent growth for 2019, it signals a recovery which unlike in other neighboring countries which have not recovered yet.
We’re barely a year old and we were able to bring in what we committed to the PH market—the Soluto, Stinger and Selto—and have enhanced the line-up for the brand and it has been an exciting year for us. For 2020, the economic outlook is positive. Even the government and financial institutions have numbers that are quite encouraging for us. Our GDP is at 6 percent, inflation is stable at about 3 percent and in the ASEAN region, we’re one of the leaders and with FOREX also being stable, these factors bode well for the industry as a whole. In KIA, this coming year will be our first full year and that is why we are very excited and encouraged for the brand. We also will have a few more surprises in 2020. We have newly appointed dealers this year and will have more dealers coming up next year which will greatly contribute to our performance this coming year.
Steven Tan
President and CEO, Mazda Philippines
Year 2019 has been exciting one for Mazda Philippines. Our journey on Mazda Premium has gone full speed this year. We introduced five new models and three all-new nameplates showcasing 7th Generation technology and Evolved KODO design. This is perhaps the most comprehensive range of premium Cars and Crossovers in the automotive industry—from the Mazda2 to the Mazda6 and from the CX-3 to the CX-9.
In line with providing a rich and comprehensive customer experience, the Mazda Philippines Dealer Customer Service organization was honored to be awarded the Top JD Power Customer Service Index rating this year. This is the second time Mazda Philippines has been ranked No. 1 by this global consumer research firm. Along with the inauguration of our world-class Mazda Center of Excellence storage and training facility in Cabuyao, Laguna, we continue to commit and invest in Mazda’s future in the Philippines with the goal of providing our loyal clients superior service quality to match the premium Mazda product quality.
We look forward to an even more exciting 2020 as the automotive industry shows signs of recovery and growth.
Francis Ang
COO, Auto Nation Group (Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Dodge Jeep, Ram)
Year 2019 was a challenging one for the CATS Group. But we look forward to 2020 because of the new and anticipated cars to be launched as well as the new showroom concept that we will start to roll out. I feel very positive that 2020 will be another great year for our group.
Mutsuhiro Oshikiri
President and CEO, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp.
As we are about to close 2019, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to our customers for the support they have given to the brand. This year has been a challenging yet fruitful year for MMPC. We have successfully launched three new products: the New Strada, New Euro 4 L300, and the New Montero Sport. Each vehicle is uniquely designed to cater to specific needs and desires of its target customers. The warm reception of the public reflects the strong connection of Mitsubishi with the Filipino market. Come 2020, MMPC is once more geared to bring in new and innovative products and variants that will excite the automotive enthusiasts and buyers. MMPC is also poised to further expand the dealer network to increase our reach nationwide for the convenience of our customers. There is much to look forward to the New Year. We wish everyone Happy Holidays and a prosperous 2020!
Atsushi Najima
President and Managing Director, Nissan Philippines
We would like to thank the Philippine Daily Inquirer for helping Nissan tell our story for 2019. It was an eventful year for the brand as we made Nissan products and services more accessible to our customers. We did this by opening our biggest service center in Cebu, introducing Nissan Finance to provide more financing options, as well as expanding and improving our dealership network. Next year will be even more exciting for Nissan. We will introduce the 100 percent electric Nissan LEAF to the market soon, and this is just one of the ways that we will bring more innovative products and services to our customers in 2020. With the automotive sales growing 3.3 percent from last year, we are optimistic that Nissan and the rest of the industry will sustain this growth for 2020 onwards.
Glenn Tan
Managing Director, Tan Chong International Ltd. (Subaru Philippines)
We look forward to an even more exciting 2020 as the automotive industry shows signs of recovery and growth. Year 2019 was a challenging one for the Philippine automotive industry, but we have remained resilient and steadfast. We launched the all-new Forester and the XV GT Edition, both of which became popular in Manila and provincial areas. We expanded our network further, opening more showrooms across the nation to serve more customers.
In 2020, we will continue to be safety obsessed. There are exciting models lined up ahead, including the Forester GT Edition and Forester e-BOXER. They are equipped with Subaru’s four Core Technologies and have over 100 safety features.
With this, I wish everyone a prosperous 2020! Manigong Bagong Taon po sa inyong lahat!
Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo
President and CEO, Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI)
Year 2019 was characterized by highs and lows as the industry continued to recover from the previous year. Despite the challenges, there are strong indications that the automotive industry is poised to make a comeback in the new decade.
Intense competition, government programs such as jeepney modernization, and the rise of hybrid/electric vehicles to fight climate change has fueled Hyundai to introduce innovative models namely the Kona EV, give industry-first service offerings, and redefine vehicle ownership. These support our aim to give Filipinos smarter mobility options so they can live the way they want, in a meaningful manner.
Our optimistic outlook is backed by our aggressive network expansion as we laid strong foundations for 2020 and beyond. While others adopted a “wait-and-see” attitude, we went full speed ahead as we opened five dedicated dealerships in 2019 to support our rapidly growing Commercial Vehicle business. Based on current market demand and the untapped potential in key growth areas, there is a need to further solidify Hyundai’s presence to serve more customers while driving economic activity in local communities. To start the year, we are opening two Passenger Car (PC) dealerships in January alone. We have several facilities in various stages of completion with the goal of 50 PC and 20 CV locations by 2021.
Year 2020 promises to be a very exciting one for the industry as we are seeing unprecedented advances in technology, safety, and service offerings. With our full line-up and new vehicles to be launched in the coming months, you can be assured that Hyundai will be in the thick of these innovations even as we continue to bring our relevant products and services closer to more Filipinos.
Spencer Yu
President, BMW Philippines
I would say that BMW is closing 2019 on a strong note. With a number of exciting product introductions, we are posting a modest growth in both the car and motorcycle sides of the business.
SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp. has also established a strong team—with the support of the San Miguel network—that is now ready to further the brand in its second full year of operations as the official BMW importer and distributor.
Our valued customers may expect more exciting models along with a host of improved services to ensure that they are able to enjoy the best of BMW in 2020 and the years to come.
Timmy Limcaoco
President, Triesenburg Auto Corp. (JAC Auto)
The era of world class China made cars is upon us in the Philippines with major global brands selling them as well as major China brands now exploring our market. Triesenburg Auto Corp had a good 2019. Sales for JAC vehicles showed an upward trend the entire year. All our vehicles impressed our motoring media partners through the reviews done. Our media and bank partners have seen first-hand the technology behind all the vehicles. For 2020, TAC is looking at bringing in a sub-compact SUV which is the S4 for the 1st quarter, the T8 pick-up for 2nd quarter, the iEVS7 full electric car and the J7 sedan in the 2nd half of 2020. These vehicles will impress the market even more. We shall also be actively supporting the government’s efforts in PUV MODERNIZATION and build our dealer and service channels nationwide. We are confident that we will rise above the competition as JAC has always adhered to technological innovation and achieved breakthroughs on energy conservation, environmental protection, profession, intelligence, efficiency and safety. JAC aims to achieve 200 percent growth for Sales in 2020.
Chris Yu
Marketing Director, Volvo Philippines
Year 2019 has been an exciting one for Volvo. With the launch of the New XC40 and the T8 Plug-in Hybrid range, Volvo is bringing Swedish luxury to new markets, and offering the future of motoring today.
Volvo is primed for a strong performance in 2020 with its re-energized vehicle lineup. Volvo has been at the forefront of building Plug-in Hybrid and Electrified Vehicles, and we are excited by the strong reception of our T8 models that we will further expand our product offers with more models that provide comfort and safety not only to our customers but to the environment as well.
We will open the doors of our new dealership with the global design and features of the Volvo Retail Experience. We are excited to host our clients and colleagues in our new dealership in the first quarter.
With the enhanced focus of Volvo in the Philippine market and the energized model offers, we will plan for new service centers and dealerships in commercial hubs in 2020.
We invite everyone to experience and be part of our new and exciting Volvo.
Noriyuki Takakura
President, Honda Cars Philippines
Indeed, 2019 has been a fruitful year for Honda. Together, we were able to achieve several milestones. First, the launch of the New Civic, followed by the launch of All-New Brio. Next was the launch of the New BR-V. This was succeeded by the launch of the All-New Accord. None of these would have been possible without the support of our dear customers and their continuous patronage to Honda. We remain positive that 2020 will be another meaningful year and that we will be able to maintain our commitment of providing world-class customer service to every Filipino family.
George Blaylock
Managing Director, Dongfeng Philippines and Tata Motors Philippines
My thoughts are there will be growth but it will not be significant and it will be an even more competitive year. There are some major brands who will continue to jockey for market share and there are also now additional players in the market and there are low key brands that will surprise market leaders. Commercial vehicles, trucks in particular will continue to grow but most of this growth will not be noticed. And because of the price difference and more significantly the quality improvement of China trucks, they will continue to gain strongholds in specific markets despite financing challenges which will also create opportunities for alternative financing companies who are now taking on these markets and they are finding it lucrative. The year 2020 will be an exciting year, get ready for it!
Willy Tee Ten
President, Autohub Group: Mini, Lotus, Pagani, Rolls Royce, Shelby
2019 was quite a challenging year for the Autohub Group. On the Dealerships’ side like Nissan, Hyundai & Ford were positive while on the Distributorships’ side, Vespa and V-Kool gave us great numbers this year. Admittedly, it was tough for our other brands.
We look forward for a better 2020 for almost all brands not just for our group but for the entire automotive industry. We see the start of the resurgence of Chinese brands as well. We’re very optimistic about the Modernization Projects of the Government and hopeful that the e-vehicle law will be passed by next year.
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