Cars overtake pickup sales in Thailand

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Cars overtake pickup sales in Thailand 
Bangkok Post: 15 Oct 2010
Cars 'overtake' pickups

Motorists in Thailand write a new chapter, thanks to their acceptance and positive attitude towards small cars

Sales of passenger cars pipped those of pickups for the first time in years, thanks to an expanded choice of small cars and aging product lifecycles of light trucks.

According to a monthly sales report by Toyota Motor Thailand, a total of 241,574 passengers cars were sold in the first three quarters of this year against 240,585 pickups; in September alone, the figures were 31,401 and 28,113 respectively.

According to analysts, buyers are demanding more cars with good fuel efficiency in the guise of Ecocars and B-segment saloons and hatchbacks, as well as those equipped with compressed natural gas (CNG) systems.

While Toyota sold a total of 27,598 cars and pickups in September, passenger car-oriented brand Honda posted a haul of 10,012 units - just 1,799 behind pickup specialist Isuzu.

Passenger cars

As ever, Toyota took the lion's share in September by selling 12,606 untis for a 40.1% market share, followed by Honda (9,317), Nissan (3,482) and Mazda (2,179).

While Toyota and Honda relied on complete model lineups ranging from cars like the Vios/City up to Camry/Accord, Nissan continued to make inroads with the country's first Ecocar called March.

Backorders of Nissan's baby hatchback still stretch back many months as its factory is busy supplying both the domestic and exports markets.

Nissan this week formally announced that its new global sedan will be shown at the 8th China (Guangzhou) International Automobile Exhibition in December. Pundits expect it to be the saloon version of the March that will go on sale in Thailand next year.

Meanwhile, Motoring has learned that Honda's forthcoming Ecocar will initially come in hatchback form. It is scheduled to go on sale early next year. An initial glimpse of the production-ready car could be available to the public at the year-ending Motor Expo.

Although saloon body is still widely preferred in Thailand, Honda sources say the five-door would help create an impact and hopefully pave the way for the bigger-selling variant.

Sales of Mazda passenger cars continued to outpace those of Ford, despite the latter's introduction of the Fiesta B-segment car. Both brands now offer a two-pronged attack in this growing segment with a hatchback and saloon bodystyle.

Pickups

The main players in this segment continued their rivalry, with Toyota leading on sales of 11,520 units last month to Isuzu's 10,506. Isuzu managed to put some sheen in its aging D-max with the Super Platinum edition.

Several other players are also set to expire, well past their life cycles, and these include the Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50. Both their all-new replacements make their world debut at the Sydney motor show today and should arrive in Thai showrooms at the end of this year or early next year.

Mitsubishi is seeing steady increase in Triton sales, thanks to a CNG/petrol bi-fuel version launched earlier this year. At the year's end, Mitsubishi will launch the facelifted double-cab equipped with the market's first Euro 4 compatible engine.

The advanced diesel engine, armed with a particulate filter to trap harmful emissions, will eventually follow in other Triton models before Euro 4 becomes fully effective in 2012.

The all-new models for the D-Max and Chevrolet Colorado are also due next year with upgraded diesel engines.

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