Subaru’s Big Splash

Here’s a fact: we’ve been aching to write about the highlights of the recently concluded 3rd Manila International Auto Show since it opened its doors to the public roughly three weeks ago. However, due to the unique circumstances that surrounded the show and its surprise highlight, we decided to forego the immediate coverage in order to focus on a very specific angle that is of particular editorial interest. Allow us to expound.

First off, what exactly is it that we refer to when we say "highlight"? Those who were wise and fortunate enough to attend the show know that the place was agog with talk of Guinness World Records holder Russ Swift, a British Autotest champion and England’s Autotest Team Captain, who drove not a few people up the wall with his fantastic display of precision driving prowess. Swift was easily the talk of the town during and immediately after the show as he starred in a series of stunt driving shows using three Subaru Imprezas (two WRX and an STI) that many will not soon forget.

Which brings us to fact number two. Subaru’s participation in Swift’s series of shows turned out to be a stroke of genius as people who witnessed the stunt shows suddenly realized what these well-balanced four wheel drive speed demons are actually capable of. Naturally, the place was abuzz with Subaru speak.

We chatted with Motor Image Group chief executive Glenn Tan (who flew in from Singapore just to witness the show’s launch) during the show’s opening day and we realized then that his decision to lend the three cars to Swift was one he simply could not say "no" to. Back in 2004, you see, when Subaru was trying desperately to make a name for itself in Singapore, Tan brought in Swift to conduct a similar display of driving prowess using a bunch of Subarus at the annual Singapore Motor Show. Swift, of course, blew the crowds away, paving the way for a cult following for both himself and the Subarus he drove. After Swift’s appearance, Subaru’s Singapore sales numbers increased by 80 percent. In 2006, when Motor Image was already averaging 173 units of Subaru vehicle sales a month through the months of January through October, Tan once again brought in Russ Swift to conduct another series of stunt shows. The result of the effort? The last two months of 2006 saw Singapore Subaru sales double in number.

Which in turn brings us to the angle of our story. This writer sat with Motor Image Pilipinas’ general manager Nicky Mariano during the show and we agreed then to give some maturing time for our little experiment to hatch. We would wait until the week after the show to see if Swift’s dazzling display would create a similar buzz among Filipino car enthusiasts. Which is really quite unfair since Holy Week was just right around the corner. In essence, we would allot a total of just one working week – with holidays squeezed in between – to see if Swift’s presence in the show would generate added interest in what we had already known to be some pretty well engineered vehicles.

Surprise, surprise! In just seven working days, Motor Image Pilipinas had hit half of its monthly sales quota. That’s at half the time, mind you. Or, if you look at it from another perspective, that’s double the sales in the same amount of time. Granted, Subaru’s sales quotas cannot compare with that of automotive giants like Toyota Motor Philippines or Honda Cars Philippines, but you really have to be amazed at how well the boys and girls of Motor Image Pilipinas have been able to tap that market niche that they’ve targeted.

We’ve always argued that car purchases are of the emotional kind. One has to find that unique connection with a vehicle before one actually decides to part ways with some hard-earned money. And though there are sales incentives that help one make decisions, nothing can tug at the strings of the hearts of car buyers than seeing what his future purchase is really capable of. It’s like watching the girl of your dreams walk past you and getting a whiff of her intoxicating scent. The moment that happens, no other woman matters. The way Russ Swift paraded those Imprezas at the 3rd Manila International Auto Show, and judging from the subsequent reaction of car buyers, more than just a few hearts were tugged. And to many, perhaps no other cars matter.

At this exact moment, despite being blessed with the chance to drive some faster, more expensive and more luxurious cars on a weekly basis, even I want a Subaru Impreza. Now if only I could convince my wife that we need one so that I can learn how to parallel park without using the reverse gear...