Game changer

Toyota Motor Philippines, Inc. has  launched its newest entry to the fast and dynamic market of sports car category.

Company president Satoru Suzuki said the all new Supra is an iconic vehicle that has had its last make-over in about 2 decades.

“From the last make-over, we noticed that the preference of customer has changed. It has been 2 decades. Supra then was known as a practical model and there was no strong demand for this kind of model. Now, we’re trying to change the ball game by approaching the customer,” he said during the launch last Tuesday.

With the help of Toyota Gazoo Racing and Toyota’s new global direction for the company, a fifth generation model was developed.

The Supra launched  marked the  very first time that the model will be retailed in the Philippines.

With the entry of Supra, Toyota now has 2 sports car line-up including the AT6.

Since  Toyota sales will not be impacted by the premium sports car segmen, Toyota is bringing the Supra to create the demand bearing a most favored nation tariff rate of 30 percent.

For the first six months of June 2019, Toyota sales reached 73,454 units,  almost the same level of sales  as that  in 2018.

The company is  targetting a  limited sales volume as it waits for the industry to mature and accommodate pricey cars like the Supra.

Premium Supra units cost a little more than P5 million per unit for intentional market of those earning P450,000 monthly salary at an age bracket of between 25 to 39 years.

Among Toyota’s network of 70 dealers, only 16 certified GR Performance Dealerships were authorized to sell Supra and were given the technical capability to provide parts management and services to Supra owners.