Car sales up 16% in 2013

MANILA, Philippines - Sales of the country’s local vehicle assemblers rose 16 percent in 2013 from a year ago amid the positive sales performance of both passenger cars (PC) and commercial vehicles (CV).

In a statement, combined sales of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association Inc. (TMA) reached 181,283 units in 2013, up from 156,649 units in 2012.

The higher industry sales were driven largely by the strong demand for passenger cars which recorded a strong 26 percent sales hike to 61,083 units in 2013 from 48,488 units in 2012.

“This growth in the PC sales was largely fueled by the successful introduction of several new models and the entry of new players in the market,” CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez said.

Demand for commercial vehicles also helped boost the overall sales performance of CAMPI and TMA, growing 11 percent to 120,200 units in 2013 compared to 108,161 units a year ago.

For December alone, combined sales of the CAMPI and TMA climbed 12 percent to 17,185 units from 15,369 units in the same period in 2012.

This, as PC sales grew 13 percent to 6,117 units in December 2013 from 5,417 units in the same month in 2012 and as CV sales posted an 11 percent increase to 11,068 units in December from 9,952 units a year ago.

Adding the sales of non-members of the CAMPI and TMA, total vehicle sales hit 210,000 units last year, the first time the industry has breached the 200,000 mark.

Total vehicle sales reached 184,248 units in 2012, based on the reports of the CAMPI and the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors, Inc.