PGA Automobile Inc. launched the Lamborghini Huracán on Wednesday and is upbeat on the reception of the sports vehicle.
Enrique Jarlego II, general sales manager of PGA Automobile Inc., said the Huracán already has 20 orders for 2015.
The Huracán replaced the Lamborghini Gallardo offering of the Italian carmaker.
“There has been 20 orders of the Lamborghini Huracán, which will be delivered in 2015. We’re now looking at sales for 2016, and targeting double-digit growth per annum,” said Jarlego, but did not cite a sales figure for 2016.
“We’re confident because, as far as the technical aspects, the improvements in this model is on the day-to-day usability of the car,” Jarlego said.
“The market for sports vehicle is growing slowly but surely,” Jarlego said.
Lamborghini is one of four vehicle brands carried by PGA Automobile Inc., along with Bentley, Porsche and Audi.
The Huracán is imported by the firm directly from Italy, and is priced higher than its predecessor, the Lamborghini Gallardo, which is at P15 million.
Amado del Rosario, PGA Automobile Inc. marketing and corporate affairs director, said brands under the PGA name takes up one-third of the luxury-vehicle segment.
“New segments are opening up. Porsche Macan was launched earlier in the year. Audi launched the A3 sedan, which is the first sedan in that segment. We recently started with Bentley middle of 2013, so this is our full year so we may exceed our targets for the year,” said del Rosario, but kept mum on exact figures.
Meanwhile, PGA Automobile Inc. is looking for an amicable settlement with the owner of the alleged “lemon” Audi, but said it is ready to face the owner in a higher court should talks fail.
“We stand by our statement that the vehicle is already fixed, and we’re ready to answer him in court, but we’re now looking for a middle ground in the issue,” said del Rosario in an interview at the launch of the Lamborghini Huracán in Fort Bonifacio.
Vehicle owner Ricardo L. Nolasco earlier in the year filed a complaint against Audi Motorcars Inc., a unit under PGA, for alleged defects on an Audi A6 TDI he purchased in May.
Nolasco sought redress under the Lemon law signed by the chief executive in July.
The complaint was brought before the trade office, which is now undertaking an alternative dispute resolution to the case. The case has been moved to the adjudication stage after mediation proceedings failed.
Should either party find the final ruling of the Department of Trade and Industry unfavorable, they may elevate the case to the Court of Appeals.
Nolasco, in his complaint, said the brand-new vehicle “showed signs of defects as erratic and/or random error messages appearing on the dashboard panel, which are alarming and misleading.”
After four attempts at repair, the defects were not resolved and have been further aggravated to the point of affecting the performance of the car, Nolasco said in his complaint.
Del Rosario said now that the vehicle has been fixed, Nolasco has refused to claim it and is no longer interested in taking ownership of the car.
The PGA official further said that the vehicle cannot be covered by the recently passed Philippine Lemon law as the vehicle was delivered months before the law was enacted, and by law, cannot be retroactively applied.
Moreover, del Rosario maintained that noted problems with the Audi were only peripheral issues and had no bearing on the performance of the car.
Undersecretary Victorio Mario A. Dimagiba was contacted for clarification but declined to comment as the case is undergoing adjudication, and specifics of the case are not readily available.
PGA officials said a formal settlement has not yet been reached and, likewise, deferred disclosing details of discussions on the settlement.