Mazda unveils flagship model

Mazda Philippines introduced yesterday its flagship vehicle that will hopefully allow it to gain a modest two-percent share of the compact car market.

According to David Macasadia, managing director of Mazda Philippines, the Mazda3 brings in a fresh and more exciting breath to the market’s conventional C-segment.

The Philippines, Macasadia disclosed, was the first to launch the locally-assembled Mazda3 which will be sold both domestically and abroad to at least three ASEAN countries, namely Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Vietnam will launch its own production of the Mazda3 today.

With only five months left, Macasadia is even optimistic that Mazda will be able to sell domestically 1,200 units of the new Mazda3.

The Mazda3’s primary competitor, according to Macasadia are the Toyota Altis, the Honda Civic, the Nissan Sentra and the Mitsubishi Lancer.

The Mazda3 is priced at P719,000 for its 1.6 liter S variant; P780,000 for its 1.6 L V and P915,000 for its 2.0 L R model.

With the introduction of the Mazda3, Macasadia said, Mazda now has three models to offer to the market.

Mazda earlier launched its Mazda6 model and Tribute sports utility vehicle. Thus, for this year, Macasadia said, Mazda is hoping to sell a total of 1,800 units of its three models.

By next year, Macasadia even optimistically projects Mazda’s sales to double to 3,600 units.

Mazda, which is part of the Ford Group, is expected to boost further the Ford Group’s overall automobile exports.

The Ford plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Macasadia said, already assembles the Ford Lynx, Escape and Protégé.

A total of 21,000 units of the three models, Macasadia said, have been exported by Ford since it started assembly operations for export in the fourth quarter of 2002.

However, Macasadia admitted that the Sta. Rosa plant’s production utilization is still a low 30 percent with a capacity utilization of only 25,000 units so far.