Car sales hit 13,332 units in January-February

Total vehicle sales reached 13,332 units in the first two months of the year, according to figures released yesterday by Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMPC).

Total automotive sales for January, according to Toyota, reached 6,452 units while sales for February reached 6,879 units.

Passenger car sales in January and February totaled 5,293 units with 2,634 sold in January and only 2,659 units sold in February.

Commercial vehicle sales, according to Toyota, reached 8,039 units with 3,819 units sold in January and 4,220 units sold in February.

The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) reported that total vehicle sales for January this year recorded a decline of 1.3 percent on a year- on- year comparison and a much higher decline of 18.6 percent compared on a month on month with sales in December 2004.

For the first month of the year, only 6,634 units were sold, down 90 units from the 6,724 units sold in January 2004.

However, compared to the 8,147 units sold in December last year, the January sales figures were lower by 1,513 units.

Toyota still dominated the market with sales of 4,349 for January and February this year, cornering 32.6 percent of the market.

Toyota boasted that it new model, Innova, in its first month in the market was a best seller with 658 units sold.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. also retained its number two slot with sales of 2,081 units, while Honda Cars Philippines Inc. fell to the No. 4 spot with sales of 1,439 units.

Isuzu Motors Philippines moved up to number four with sales of 1,600 units.

At the fifth slot was Ford Motors Philippines with sales of 1,397 units. Nissan managed to lodge on to the number six spot with sales of 846 units, while Hyundai just managed to edge GM out of the number seven spot with sales of 407 units. Trailing at number eight was General Motors with sales of 322 units.