Isuzu expects to sell 4,000 Crosswind units in 2015

MANILA, Philippines - Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) aims to sell 4,000 units of the 2015 Crosswind Asian utility vehicle (AUV) this year.

IPC president Nobuo Izumina said during the launch of the 2015 Crosswind the firm decided to introduce an upgrade to the model to make it even more attractive to customers.

“Isuzu believes in continuously improving its products, so we have decided to give it an upgrade, keep it up to the existing market trends to make our customers’ everyday drive more special,” he said.

The 2015 Crosswind is available in five variants and offers a new set of 15’’ multi-spoke all-terrain silver alloy wheels suitable either for city setting or out-of-town; safety features such as Spoiler integrated reverse camera, sturdy side impact beams, reverse sensor and alarm systems; as well as a superior suspension system to allow carrying heavy payload.

The AUV is being sold at a price range of P750,000 to P1.195 million.

IPC is targeting customers that are looking for a durable and fuel-efficient vehicle that they can use everyday.

At present, the Crosswind’s biggest customers are overseas Filipino workers.

While the Crosswind was given an upgrade, the targeted sales volume for the vehicle model this year is lower than last year’s sales of 4,900 units.

A lower sales target was set for the Crosswind this year as the company expects higher demand for the mu-X sports utility vehicle (SUV) launched in September last year.

“Last year, (bestseller) was Crosswind. This year, we are expecting it will be the mu-X,” IPC marketing head Joseph Bautista said, adding that there has been strong demand for the SUV with 2,000 orders on the waiting list.

For this year, IPC aims to sell a total of 18,000 vehicles, up from 14,134 units sold in 2014.

Of the total vehicles to be sold this year, IPC executive vice president Takashi Tomita said 12,000 units would be locally assembled, while the rest would be imported.

IPC’s plant in Laguna assembles the Crosswind, D-Max and some trucks.

The mu-X and bigger trucks are imported.

While IPC would continue local assembly operations, Izumina said the company may consider imports for new vehicle models to be launched depending on the government support to be extended to manufacturers under the automotive industry road map.

“We will continue to produce the current models in the Philippines, but (for) new models… maybe we will not invest anymore in new models without any support from government,” he said.

To support the automotive industry and position the Philippines as a regional manufacturing hub for vehicles, the government is crafting a Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy Program.

Under the program, the government could provide fiscal and non-fiscal support amounting to $600 million from its national budget to industry players that meet certain production levels.

The Department of Trade and Industry said earlier the government may provide incentives to firms which are able to produce a total of 200,000 units of a particular vehicle model over a period of five years.