CAMPI, TMP post record auto sales in March 

Philippine-based car assemblers posted record-high sales in March, lifting the first quarter figures by 23 percent from a year earlier.

Combined sales of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association Inc. (TMA) totaled 19,173 units in March, up 25 percent from 15,292 units a year earlier.

“March is generally considered as a strong sales month,” CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez said in an e-mailed statement.

“The summer season and pre-Holy Week rush drives customers to the showrooms. Despite this, the market is still more than our expectation, a positive sign of strong automotive industry," he added.

Both passenger cars and commercial vehicles boosted the sales performance of the assemblers. CAMPI sold 7,174 cars in March, up 40 percent from 5,121 in the same comparable period, while TMA sold 11,999 commercial vehicles, up 18 percent from 10,171.

Total sales of CAMPI and TMA reached 51,643 units from 42,034.

Passenger car sales totaled 18,092 units as of end-March, up 30 percent from 13,929.

Commercial vehicle sales went up by 19.4 percent to 33,551 units from 28,105.

Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. was again the top seller for the first quarter, with an overall market share of 44.2 percent. 

Second was Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. with a 23.6 percent market share.

Ford Motor Co. Philippines Inc. accounted for a 7.2 percent share of the Philippine market.

CAMPI expects total sales of 230,000 units for 2014, compared with 212,000 last year. – VS, GMA News