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IT IS
WORTH noting that the automotive industry scored big in
the first two months of the year.
Who said
there’s a recession?
What
slump are we talking about?
Where’s
the negative growth?
Recession in the
US,
yes. Slump, too, and negative growth, if I may say so.
Blame it on Bush, the Iraq War or even Osama bin Laden.
But here
in the
Philippines?
Think
again, fellas.
Despite
all the brouhaha over who is evil and who is not, about
J-Lo suddenly being a shoo-in for president in 2010 or
not, or why Ate Glow isn’t losing her glow, if not grip,
on the reins of power, the car industry is alive and
kicking.
Unassailable are the data always being provided by the
Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) and the Chamber of
Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (Campi), so
that when they recently released facts and figures about
robust vehicle sales in January and February, we simply
had to stop, reflect and, next, believe in them.
Why,
according to the data provided by TMA and Campi,
everything looks hunky-dory on the automotive front.
In
February, the industry sold 9,472 vehicles, with
commercial-vehicle sales making up 68 percent of sales.
The remaining 32 percent were sales for passenger cars.
“Continued growth is still expected in the coming months
amid political noise, tempered by relatively stable
economic numbers coupled with the strength of the peso,”
said Elizabeth H. Lee, Campi president, in a statement.
Lee said
that passenger-car sales increased 19 percent in
February, and added that she expected bigger sales in
the coming months.
She
attributed the upward trend in sales to the promotional
activities of dealers and rapid sales of new models
introduced last year.
I’d say
that contributory to this almost unabated desire to buy
cars is the penchant of our wealthy, especially the
Chinese block, to dip their hands into almost any moving
thing that is brand-new.
The X
factor has always been our infatuation with new cars.
Once a new model has been unleashed, it almost
automatically whets the appetite of the moneyed—and
there are lots of them in this country.
Who said
the rich are misers in this corner of the globe?
Lee said
new models introduced last year boosted sales for
February with sales totaling 6,349 units, or an
8.6-percent growth compared to January.
“We
forecast sales to continue to be strong in the coming
months,” said Lee. “Strong sales of pickup trucks, vans
and c-wagon vehicles sustain the momentum of this
segment.”
As
usual, Toyota captured the biggest share of total auto
sales with a 39.54-percent market share.
Coming
in second was Honda with a 13.04-percent share, while
Mitsubishi placed third with 12.98 percent.
I have
to give it to
Toyota.
Besides
consistently grabbing the big numbers on the local
front, it also has not wavered one bit in its campaign
for global supremacy. Its sight on motor racing has
been that rabid as it can be.
Maintaining its position as the world’s most dynamic car
company, Toyota has restated its formidable position to
compete in four major global races this year—Formula
One, Nascar, Super GT and Formula Nippon.
Toyota,
competing in its seventh year of F1, will employ its new
aerodynamically stable TF108 racecar. Timo Glock has
been signed as a new driver and, together with veteran
driver Jarno Trulli, the team will aim for Toyota’s
first victory.
Trulli
has been a Formula One fixture, but who is Glock again?
“Timo
Glock is a 26-year-old German tyro,” said Vernon B.
Sarne, my editor in chief at Top Gear Magazine. “He is
the current GP2 series champion.”
Anjo
Perez, the son of my great kumpadre Louie, said,
“Glock’s first try in Formula One was in 2004 for
Jordan. He stood in for Giorgio Pantano before he ran
into contract snafu and had only one race—the Canadian
Grand Prix, where he scored two points. In 2005, he
transferred to the European series and reached second
for his highest finish. He became a rookie of the year
in the 2006 to 2007 GP2 series. In December 2006, he
became test driver of BMW Sauber, before crowning
himself GP2 champion in 2007. He will replace Ralf
Schumacher for Toyota’s 2008 F1 campaign.”
And,
finally, from Raymond Rodriguez, a top gun at Toyota
Motor Philippines Inc.: “Timo was born on March 18,
1982, in Lindendfels, Germany. His car is marked No.
12. He drives a Lexus IS F. His favorite F1 drivers are
Ayrton Senna and Mike Schumacher.”
Timo’s
only 26 and already a GP2 winner. Wasn’t Lewis
Hamilton, the upstart but sorry loser in the 2007 F1, a
former GP2 winner, too?
I guess
we will be seeing a battle of former GP2 champions in
the 2008 F1 battle between Glock and Hamilton.
Aside
from F1, Toyota, with its best-selling entry Camry, is
also entered in the Sprint Cup Series, the pinnacle of
NASCAR racing, as well as in the Nationwide Series.
Toyota
will also continue to compete in the Craftsman Truck
Series with the Toyota Tundra after having won the
manufacturers’ title last year.
My hat’s
off to Toyota, truly a global giant not only in vehicle
sales, but also in motor racing. |
