Mighty-Mite for Mini-Cash

Remember the Chevrolet El Camino and the Ford Ranchero? Half car, half pickup, these were the original hybrids manufactured in the mid-50’s to meet the mobility needs of America’s small business owners and gentlemen-ranchers. The Ranchero lasted until the seventies while the El Camino lingered on until the early nineties. Meanwhile in Australia, the car-pickup hybrid, known down under as the "ute", started a few years after the USA and remained a strong market segment, which is currently dominated by Holden, a General Motors subsidiary, and Ford.

In 1994, Nissan came out with the AD Resort, a 1600cc car-pickup hybrid based on the mechanicals of the Sentra B13. Nissan marketed it as an all-around vehicle for small business entrepreneurs and even came out with a diesel-powered enclosed roof panel van version they called the AD Max. The model met with only moderate success in the Philippines because local businessmen contended that at the price of the front-wheel-drive AD Resort/Max, they can get a used or remanufactured diesel-powered rear-drive light truck or aluminum van.

Norkis may have taken all of these into account when they decided to introduce their latest product, the Legacy First. A car-pickup hybrid grafted from a 660cc Japanese kei (small) car, the Legacy First is a bold undertaking for the Filipino-owned manufacturing and distribution giant. Not only will they be offering a decidedly small car-pickup hybrid to a market that is accustomed to conventional diesel-powered full-size commercial vehicles, but they will also be offering a remanufactured vehicle in the wake of the safety concerns regarding imported used vehicles.

But Norkis is no stranger to the remanufacturing business. Using their patented Norkis 5R System, the factory re-designs and re-engineers the body, re-conditions the engine, re-manufactures the parts, and re-builds the vehicle into what the company claims as an "almost new" quality and appearance. With the 5R, they have produced the successful Multicab and Filcab mini utility vehicles, which now dominate the landscape of Cebu and some provinces of the Vizayas and Mindanao. These remanufactured mini utility vehicles have developed quite a following, in guises ranging from a highly-modified two-passenger single cab 4X4 pick-up to a stretched multi-passenger jeepney. These vehicles are highly regarded by small and middle commercial enterprises, hauling supplies, delivering mineral water, LPG tanks and other necessities, while some mini-utilities are being used as their owner’s personal vehicle.

The Legacy First is aimed at the latter. Norkis is marketing the vehicle as a second or even third car to the more affluent and as a first car to the middle-income bracket. At an attractive and affordable price of P175,000, Norkis is confident that buyers will take to the Legacy First as they did with the Multicabs. The factory claims a top speed of 110kph for the Legacy First and an average fuel consumption of 15 kilometers per liter with the aircon on. They have reportedly conducted two test runs, one from Manila to Baguio then to Tuguegarao, and another from Manila to Naga then to Legaspi, and came back with satisfactory results.

According to Norkis founder and chairman, Norberto Quisumbing, the Legacy First is proof of the company’s commitment to its employees and to its customers. He stated that the influx of cheap Chinese motorcycles and the WTO negated his company’s expansion program and spelled the reduction of 2,000 jobs. He rallied his managers to come up with a plan to salvage those jobs which resulted in the remanufacture of these vehicles. Like the Multicab and the Filcab, the Legacy First is imported into the country with sections cut-up in predetermined areas. Norkis then employs its 5R System during the remanufacturing process and churns the car-pickup hybrid out with a 6-month or 80,000-km limited warranty to show their confidence in their products. The company likewise provides after-sales and spare parts support, as well as training for its technicians to ensure continuous safe vehicle operation and to ensure customer satisfaction.

Besides inviting customers to use the car as their personal vehicle and business tool, Norkis is likewise inviting entrepreneurs to make it the car as their business: as Franchised Dealers. Interested parties may inquire at their Luzon head office at San Joaquin corner Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong while those outside Luzon may visit their Viz-Min head office at Fortuna Street in Mandaue City. In line with Quisumbing’s vision, both the customer and the employees benefit from these activities.

While it remains to be seen if the A-list would be seen driving around in this hybrid, the attractively low price merits a double take. In our next report, we’ll take the Legacy First for a week-long test drive and tell you how the P175,000 car-pickup hybrid performs.