|
By Katrina Mennen A. Valdez, Reporter
Auto sales posted double-digit growth at
end-February with commercial vehicles registering the biggest
volume, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines
Inc. said Friday.
Campi records showed that car sales increased by
14 percent last month, with a total of 9,472 units sold during the
period.
Commercial vehicles continued to corner the
market at 67 percent with 6,956 units sold, and growing 12 percent.
Passenger cars registered 3,123 sales in February, and showed an
increase of 19 percent over the same period last year.
“Continued growth is still expected in the
coming months amidst political noise tempered by relatively stable
economic numbers coupled with the strength of the peso,” said
Elizabeth Lee, president of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers
of the Philippines Inc.
Lee said robust growth is seen to continue in
the passenger car segment as “promotional activities of the
dealers and the sales of new models introduced last year” showed
“more positive results translated into sales in the first two
months of the year.”
Toyota Motors Philippines Corp. maintained its
position as the top selling brand, with year-to-date sales of 6,201
units, followed by Honda Cars Philippines Inc. with 2,660 units and
Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Inc. with 2, 380 cars. On the other
hand, Isuzu Philippines Corp. displaced Hyundai Asia Resources as
No. 4 selling 1,394 units, followed by Ford Group Philippines, which
sold 1,249 units.
Lee said the month-on-month sales were boosted
by the new models introduced last year, which registered 8.6 percent
growth in February with total sales of 6,349 units over the previous
month.
The month-to-date sales of the Asian utility
vehicles in February posted an increase of 11 percent, while
year-to-date sales went up by 3.5 percent over the same period last
year due to the sustained sales of new models.
“Strong sales of pickup trucks, vans, and
c-wagon vehicles sustain the momentum of this segment,” Lee said.
Sales of light commercial vehicles, comprising
of pickups, vans, compact and full-size sport utility vehicles,
showed an overall growth of 21 percent over the same period last
year.
The February sales of LCVs posted a 5.6 percent
growth, supported by robust sales of vans and pickups that account
for the 57 percent of the segment.
Meanwhile, light trucks sales decreased by 15
percent compared with the same period last year, but continued its
strong growth in February with 45 percent increased compared with
January.
|
