Isuzu breaks 2014 sales record in 8 months

MANILA, Philippines - Isuzu Philippines Corp. has already surpassed its record sales last year in the first eight months of the year with sales growing 69 percent, strengthening its position as one of  the top three automotive brands in the country.

Based on the report released by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippine, Isuzu Philippines sold 14,213 units from January to August, exceeding the 14,134 units sold for the whole of 2014. The number of units sold during the period accounted for a 7.9 percent market share.

“Despite the known ghost month wherein sales are usually lean, Isuzu has still shown progress and has gained momentum towards the end of the year,” Isuzu Philippines president Hajime Koso said.

“While the automotive industry in the country has experienced an 11 percent drop in the commercial vehicle segment last month, Isuzu remained strong and showed a positive outcome in terms of sales,” Koso added.

In August alone, Isuzu Philippines sold a total of 1,896 units, 880 of which were Isuzu mu-X.

Crosswind AUV and D-MAX pick-up, meanwhile, showed steady growth selling 330 and 291 units, respectively.

Isuzu Philippines said it also maintained its leading position in the Category III light-duty trucks with total sales of 261 units.

Category IV and V medium to heavy-duty trucks sold 134 units, largely due to the company’s strong fleet sales.

Koso said the company expects to sustain its strong performance for the remainder of the year.

“With continued confidence from our customers, Isuzu Philippines is set to reach another milestone this year. We believe that the mu-X will continue to be our bestseller although we are eyeing additional positive inputs from our trucks and buses segment.” he said.