Nissan sees better sales next year

Nissan Motors Philippines Inc. (NMPI) is projecting better unit sales next year compared to this year’s projection of 5,500 units and the 5,600 units that were sold last year.

According to Leman Lee, president and chief executive officer of NMPI, "We expect sales to improve by next year due to the introduction of new models. The projected sales for this year is slightly down as buyers hold off purchases with the implementation of the Expanded Value Added Tax (EVAT), high gasoline prices as well as the political instability."

Lee added that in the Philippines, Nissan plans to sell 8,000 units by 2007.

NMPI, the sixth largest carmaker in the country in terms of sales, plans to launch three new models next year.

It did not introduce new models this year but launched three models last year.

"We’re now studying the next generation of Sentra and Cefiro. Between the Sentra and Cefiro, we plan to introduce the 1.8- to 2-liter models. We’re also looking at introducing a 1.8- to 2-liter multi-purpose vehicle," Lee said.

He added that NMPI may introduce to the Philippines next year the Murano, a sports utility vehicle that is popular in the United States and Europe.

"We have the Nissan Value-Up program in which we plan to sell 4.2 million vehicles globally by 2007. A total of 28 new models will be introduced globally from 2004 up to 2008. Ten new models will be launched for the Philippine market until 2008," Lee said.

Lee said the auto firm would assemble locally the 1.8- to 2-liter engine multi-purpose vehicle, but that the Cefiro and Sentra models would be imported starting next year.

NMPI hopes to post a net profit of P120 million this year over last year’s P70 million on savings from operational efficiencies as well as the strong sales of its X-TRAIL model.

"We have been incurring P1 billion in losses over the past four years but numbers have turned around and we recorded a net profit of P70 million last year. This year, profits are seen to hit P120 million on revenues of P4 billion," Lee said.