Mazda targets 10% sales growth despite expected slight drop in auto market
While the automobile market is expected to drop back slightly this year, Mazda expects to keep driving ahead by offering exciting new car models and attractive sales promotions.
“Mazda has set high targets for this year. We plan to achieve the highest sales figure since we entered the Thai market by selling 80,000 vehicles, an increase of 10 per cent” over last year, Choichi Yuki, president of Mazda Sales (Thailand) Co, told a news conference yesterday.
Last year the Japanese auto-maker set a record of 73,764 Mazdas sold in Thailand, up a dramatic 76 per cent over the previous year.
Mazda also plans to enter the crossover market with the introduction of the award-winning CX-5 in the third quarter. The CX-5 features Mazda’s lat
est SkyActiv technology that boasts good fuel economy and low exhaust emissions.
Last year, sales came largely from the Mazda2 subcompact that offered tax rebates of up to Bt100,000 under the government’s first-car-buyer scheme, with 39,577 such units sold, up 43 per cent.
The BT-50 PRO pickup truck surged 225 per cent to 28,433 units, followed by the Mazda3, up 5 per cent to 5,727 units despite the sluggish compact-car market, which saw customers cannibalised by subcompacts under the first-car scheme.
The company also sold 27 premium vehicles such as the MX-5 roadster and CX-9 crossover.
Yuki said 2013 would be a year of intense competition and overall sales were expected to pass the 1-million mark for the second straight year to reach between 1.2 million and 1.3 million units.
Mazda plans to raise its market share from 5 per cent last year to 6-7 per cent this year.
As of last month it still had 21,500 back orders, which are expected to be filled in two or three months, he said.
