Motoring Today Column

Oct 11, 2017

January to August vehicle registration report

Continuing with this column's commitment to come up with regular documented reports of actual car registration all over the country as released by the Land Transportation Office and validated by STRADCOM, its longtime official IT provider, herewith is the list of 20 automobile companies and the number of their registered vehicles fromJanuary to August of 2017.

1 Toyota Motor Philippines 129,631
2 Mitsubishi Motors Philippines 36,242
3 Ford Philippines 25,151
4 Honda Cars Philippines 20,640
5 Hyundai Asia Resources 18,589
6 Nissan Philippines, Inc. 15,541
7 Isuzu Philippines Corporation 15,200
8 Suzuki Philippines 12,230
9 Covenant Car Company (Chevrolet PH) 4,332
10 Columbian Autocar Corp. (Kia PH) 3,650
11 Berjaya Auto Philippines (Mazda PH) 2,951
12 Motor Image Pilipinas (Subaru) 2,191
13 Auto Nation Group 1,749
14 Automobile Central Enterprise, Inc. (Volkswagen) 940
15 Lexus Manila, Inc. 878
16 Asian Carmakers Corp. (BMW PH) 726
17 PGA Cars, Inc. 369
18 Pilipinas Taj Autogroup Inc. (Tata Motors PH) 340
19 Eurobrands Distributor (Peugeot PH) 268
20 Bayan Auto (BAIC) 243

It is worthy of note that these figures represent actual nationwide car registration with the LTO of passenger cars - sedans, SUVs, pickups, sports cars, crossovers, etc. but excluding trucks, buses and the like.

Next week, if space permits we shall make a similar report centering on the specific vehicle categories (sedans, SUVs, sports cars, pickups, vans etc.) distinct between the Standard from those that are considered as Premium/Luxury models.

BYD celebrates 4 successful years in the country

"We are grateful to all of you most especially to our clients, bank partners and media friends for your unceasing support. BYD Philippines has been in the country for four years now and we are proud to say that our customers are very happy and satisfied," remarked the youngest top executive of the local auto industry,Mark Andrew Tieng, managing director of Solar Transport and Automotive Resources Corp. (STAR Corp.), the authorized distributor of BYD vehicles in the Philippines during celebrations marking its 4th year of successful operations in the country.

We also learned from the young left-handed golf enthusiast with a respectable handicap that BYD aside from introducing various technological advances in the world automotive industry in the last four years is now the world's top supplier of electric vehicles with a market share of13.2 percent, which is higher than Tesla's 9.9 percent.

Over the past 4 years of its existence in the country BYD Philippines has shown the local automobile market several technological advancements such as its remote controlled vehicle, the F5 Suri. There was alsoBYD's Hybrid sedan, theQin as well as it fully electric vehicle, the E6.

To mark its 4th anniversary and inspired by the auspicious event's theme, which is "Driving to the Future", STAR Corp. unveiled the All-new BYD S1 and the All-new BYD Lithium Ion Phospate Forklift.

Mark presents the S1 as a 5-seater, petrol-powered sub-compact SUV with a "Rebellious" look that offers advanced technologies such as an Android Multimedia system equipped with Bluetooth, USB ports and an eight-inch touch-screen.

On the other hand the All-new BYD forklift, arguably the only one of its kind available in the Philippines today is powered by BYD's Lithium Ion Phosphate battery, the smallest and most powerful available in the market. "This remarkable forklift's features include automatic speed reduction when cornering, forward tilting and overload protection, braking assist, a battery management system and a multi-function TFT screen to help the operator monitor its performance, which make operating it safe and convenient," stresses Mark.

There's still a mouthful to say and learn about these two new offerings from BYD, which I suggest you discover yourselves by dropping by the BYD Shaw Boulevard showroom located in Mandaluyong City.

We wish BYD Philippines more success in the years to come.

Robinson's Malls "on site" voting

For a couple of weekends Robinson's Malls located within the metro graciously played host to this year's search for the country's most popular Standard and Premium/Luxury automobiles by providing voting booths where the public could cast their votes for the models of their choice.

We would like to report here the top 5 models that garnered the most number of votes for 2017-2018 Auto Focus Automobile of the Year-People's Choice during those weekends.

Standard models

1. Honda Civic

2. Mitsubishi Montero Sport

3. Ford Ranger

4. Jeep Wrangler

5. Ford Mustang

Premium/Luxury models

1. Lamborghini Aventador

2. Audi R8

3. Lamborghini Huracan

4. Porsche Boxster

5. MINI Mini Cooper

Top models combined (Total votes)

1. Honda Civic

2. Lamborghini Aventador

3. Audi R8

4. Lamborghini Huracan

5. Porsche Boxster

6. Mitsubishi Montero Sport

7. Ford Ranger

8. Jeep Wrangler

9. MINI Mini Cooper
Ford Mustang

10. Ford Everest

These votes cast at Robinson's Malls shall be added to those cast online through the Auto Focus website ( www.autofocus.com.ph ).

Votes cast and actual sales registered untilOctober 31, 2017 shall be combined with weight values of80 percent for votes and 20 percent for sales to determine actual points for each model.

Based on the combined votes and sales tally, the top garners will be given awards of recognition for Automobile of the Year-People's Choice separate for Standard and for Premium/Luxury models. There will also be awards for 'most preferred models' for each vehicle category of sedans, SUVs, sports cars, etc. to be handed out during the awards night scheduled in early November.

The objective of the exercise is to give the car manufacturers and importers an idea of the public's preference as to the kind of vehicles that it wants to buy or just aspires to have.

During the same ceremonies, separate from the "people's choice" awards, distinguished members of the country's motoring media shall also bare their choices based on their actual test drives as this year's most outstanding automobile models in each of the 12 categories of theStandard and 10 of the Premium/Luxury groups in terms ofengine performance, design, safety and overallvalue for money via the Auto Focus Media's Choice Awards. The actual voting by motoring journalists is scheduled next week.

The motoring media's assessment would hopefully guide the industry players on the nitty-gritty or more detailed preferences among the present crop of models available in the country.

Public online voting, which can be done everyday is still up to the end of the month. And daily electronic raffles offering valuable giveaways (coffee mugs, clocks, t-shirts, etc.) are conducted among those who cast their votes. With the raffles being daily, winning prizes everyday is not remote.

TV streaming "on demand"

The best of both worlds for all motoring and car enthusiasts with any of these two websites, www.motoringtoday.ph or www.autofocus.com.ph

You can watch the 'streaming' of all the weekly past and present episodes of the TV showsMotoring Today and Auto Focus in their entirety.

Or if you don't have that much time you can just zero in on the latest news about transportation and traffic management, the auto industry or the latest car reviews and head-to-head comparisons of the latest models and other motoring or auto features selectively by its individual web page.

All those news and features-only a click away.

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments & inquiries (email) sunshine.television@yahoo.com

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ray Butch Gamboa graduated from the College of Arts and Letters of the University of Sto. Tomas. It was a course that should have been preparatory to a law degree, but the call of broadcasting aborted his plans.

At the age of 16, while still a student, Butch tried his hand at disc jockeying, landing a job at Mareco Broadcasting Network’s AM stations DZBM and DZLM. From there, Butch moved on with his illustrious career as a popular disc jockey, riding the airwaves of Bob Stewart’s middle-of-the-road music at DZXX, and ending his disc jockeying career at ABS-CBN’s DZYL and DZQL.

From there, he stayed on with ABS-CBN, covering live the proceedings at the Manila Stock Exchange and eventually entered into the world of television sales as an account manager for the premier channel of ABS-CBN Channel 2.

In the early 70’s, at the outbreak of Martial Law, Butch was one of the thousands of professionals who woke up jobless when then President Marcos declared the new status of the nation. With the closure of ABS-CBN, Butch ventured into different fields outside of broadcast. He tried his hand and with ease and success at export (Costume jewelry), real estate (brokerage), and restaurants (fast food).

In 1987, after the revolution, with the broadcast industry back to its free state, and with its irresistible call ringing in his ears, Butch made his inevitable comeback and pioneered in a local motoring show, producing Motoring Today on Channel 4 and co-hosting with local motor sports’ living legend Pocholo Ramirez.

After 4 years, he ventured into another pioneering format by producing and hosting Business & Leisure, which was originally aired on ABS-CBN’s Channel 2. The format eventually espoused similar ones in other different channels. But the clones in due course faded away leaving the original staying on airing on Channel 4 and eventually on Shop TV on Sky Cable’s Channel 13.

The following year, the pioneering spirit in Butch spurred him to produce another TV show, Race Weekend, also on Channel 4, covering circuit racing at the Subic International Raceway after the motor sport’s hiatus of 17 years. But when similar shows with duplicated formats sprouted, he decided to give way and ended the program after a year, although still enjoying unparalleled viewership.

In 1998, when the local automotive industry was in a slump, Butch contributed his share to help the ailing industry by producing another popular motoring-related show, this time exclusive to the automobile and its industry—Auto Focus, which became a vehicle for local automotive assemblers and importers to showcase their products and dwell on the industry’s latest technological developments.

In 2003, Butch teamed up with his brother, Rey Gamboa who was a former Shell executive and presently one Philippine Star’s business columnist to co-produce and co-host the TV show Breaking Barriers on Channel 13. It is a talk show that features guests who are in the news and in the middle of controversies. The program ventures to draw deeper insights into current issues to learn how they impact to our daily lives.

Today, Motoring Today on its 28th year of service to the general motoring public still enjoys its unprecedented loyal vierwership nationwide while Auto Focus, after 16 years has firmly established its niche viewership among automobile enthusiasts and on the other hand Business & Leisure is on its 24th year dishing out current business issues and lifestyle features.

Today, aside from writing weekly columns for the Philippine Star (Motoring Today on Wednesdays and Business & Leisure on Saturdays) and executive producer / host of weekly TV shows (Motoring Today, airs Sundays on Solar Sports Channel 70, Business & Leisure, airs Tuesdays on Shop TV, Sky Cable Channel 13 and Auto Focus airs Thursdays on Shop TV, Sky Cable Channel 13, Ray Butch Gamboa is currently the Chairman and CEO of Sunshine Television Production and Marketing Services Corp., President of Gamcor Management and Development Corp., Chairman of Asia-Pacific Realty Corporation, President and Chairman of Socio-Communication Foundation for Asia and Founding Chairman of the Society of Phil. Motoring Journalists (SPMJ)

 

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