Motor vehicle sales up 4.6% in Q1

Motor vehicle sales went up by 4.6 percent to 21,972 units in the first three months of the year from 21,005 units in the same period last year.

According to a joint statement of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA), the 4.6 percent increase in automotive sales for the first quarter this year was due to the introduction of new models.

CAMPI and the TMA expect a further increase in automotive sales in April and May.

Passenger car sales for the three-month period totaled 8,340 units, posting a 1.9 percent growth compared to the 8,186 units sold from January to March this year.

The growth in passenger car sales was attributed to the introduction of new models, coupled with sustained financing promos offered by major car assemblers.

Commercial vehicle sales for the same period amounted to 13,632 units, expanding by 6.3 percent compared to the 12,819 units sold for the comparable period last year.

According to the CAMPI and TMA, the growth in commercial vehicle sales is largely due to increased sales of new Asian utility vehicles and light commercial vehicles.

AUV sales from January to March this year amounted to 6,363 units, for a growth of 13.4 percent, as compared to only 5,611 units sold in the first three months of 2004.

LCV sales for the three month period amounted to 6,796 units or a growth of 2.9 percent compared to the 6,602 units sold for the comparable period last year.

Sales of light trucks, on the other hand, registered a 22.1 percent decline with only 371 units sold in the first quarter of this year as compared to the 476 units sold in the first three months of 2004.

Truck and bus sales, likewise, fell by 21.5 percent with only 102 units sold in the first quarter compared to the 130 units sold in the first quarter of 2004.

Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. still dominated the market with sales of 7,508 units from January to March this year, cornering 34.17 percent of the market.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. also retained its number two slot with sales of 3,394 units, while Honda Cars Philippines Inc. failed to improve it sales and stayed at the number four spot with sales of 2330 units.

Isuzu Motors Philippines managed to hang on to the number three spot with sales of 2,552 units.

At number five was Ford Motors Philippines with sales of 2,043 units followed by Nissan with sales of 1,025 units, while Columbian Autocar Corp., which distributes KIA vehicles, was at number seven with sales of 781 units.

General Motors Automobiles Phils. Inc. got the number eight spot with sales of 645 units.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. dropped to the ninth slot with sales of 632 units while Univesal Motors Corp., which sells Nissan pickup, trailed at number 10.