Indonesian carmakers set for new sales record high

Indonesian carmakers set for new sales record high

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

There is strong evidence that the Association of Indonesian
Automotive Manufacturers (Gaikindo) will surpass its 1997 sales
record, given the pace they are on through the third quarter of
2004.

Gaikindo records show that 348,635 vehicles were sold in the
first nine months of the year, with 45,354 units sold in
September.

The association expects hefty sales of about 420,000 units
this year, especially after the nation experienced a relatively
peaceful election period, with Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf
Kalla elected.

Most carmakers expect the new administration to quickly
improve Indonesia's infrastructure, as well as clear automotive
policies to allow even higher sales, especially under the ASEAN
Free Trade Agreement (AFTA).

Indonesia reached its sales peak in 1997 with 386,691 units
sold before the monetary crisis hit. Sales plummeted to just
58,000 in 1998.

The figure returned to 300,000 in 2000, although it had yet to
reach precrisis figures. Last year, 354,311 vehicles were sold,
an increase of 11.5 percent compared to 2002.

As of September, the local subsidiary of Japanese carmaker
Toyota, PT Toyota-Astra Motor (TAM), snatched the lion's share of
99,798 units, or 28.6 percent, compared with 76,591 units over
the same period last year.

In September, Toyota sold 11,414 units, fueled by the release
of the new Toyota Kijang Innova and Toyota Avanza multipurpose
vehicles (MPVs). Some 3,234 Innovas and 4,190 Avanzas were sold.

The company is hoping for total sales of 140,000, or 33
percent of market share this year.

Another Japanese subsidiary, PT Honda Prospect Motor (HPM),
reported its highest monthly sales in 30 years of operation in
Indonesia.

September saw 5,600 Hondas sold, including 3,795 of the Honda
Jazz. In total, 34,209 vehicles have been sold so far, a two-fold
increase compared to last year's figure of 16,274 in the January
to September period.

Meanwhile, American carmaker PT Ford Motor Indonesia (FMI)
sold on Oct. 14 its 10,000th car after returning to the
Indonesian market in 2002.

So far PT FMI has sold 4,630 units, an increase of 67 percent
compared to the same period last year. The company sold 801 units
in September, while it hoped to reach a total of 6,000 by the end
of this year.

In the premium segment, German carmaker PT BMW Indonesia
claimed a 42.4 percent market share of 1,393 vehicles, with 213
units delivered in September.

Another German carmaker, PT DaimlerChrysler Indonesia sold
1,695 units, delivering 247 in September.

The figures also include commercial vehicles such as buses and
trucks.