The two new models Maxus G50 and T60 are expected to become the growth drivers of the Maxus brand in the Philippines, accounting for 25 percent of total sales.
Felipe Estrella, president of Automobile Central Enterprise, Inc., said this at the virtual launch of Maxus G50, the company’s 8-seater new multi-purpose vehicle model.
“About 25% contribution split equally between the T60 and the G50 moving forward,” Estrella said without giving away the sales volume target for the two models and the company’s overall sales.
He, however, said they are keeping their aspirations realistic given some headwinds faced by the industry due to the still evolving global pandemic.
But he also expressed optimism for their performance stressing “These new products are really mainstream and the ones that consumers all across the country will gravitate towards.”
“We are still quite optimistic that once this volatility passes and things sort of normalize, we can look forward to better days and that's part of the reason why we've decided to bring the G50 at this period of time,” said Estrella.
The three variants of Maxus G50 are 1.5 Turbo DCT Pro (P1.088 Million); the 1.5 Turbo DCT Elite (P1.168 million), and; the 1.5 Turbo DCT Premium (P1.288 million).
The G50 epitomizes the “do-it-all” attitude of multi-purpose vehicles, and is infused with Maxus’ 124 years of British-bred heritage, global expertise and experience in LCVs, making the G50 the MPV that can do “Max more”.
Estrella described how the G50 further enhances the role which Maxus’ line-up of LCVs plays in Filipinos’ lives.
“We have recognized the importance of families since we launched our flagship model, the G10 multi-purpose vehicle in 2019. Our other models, the V80 van as well as our pick-up, the T60, match the continuously evolving needs and wants of Filipino families. We likewise appreciate the hard work of micro, small and medium enterprise owners. The reliability, efficiency, power and versatility of our products make them ideal for businesses and even essential, life-saving purposes. The G50 is our latest vehicle that caters, again, to the Filipino family,” he said.
Maxus Philippines General Manager Reginald See said the G50 is an MPV that can take in even your extended family members since it’s an 8-seater. It’s ideal for long road trips and family picnics. The great thing about this is that it has the price of a sub-compact MPV.”
The Maxus G50 splashes in with the coolest colors. The G50 1.5 Turbo DCT Pro comes in Warm White, Warm Argent, Metal Black and Water Blue. For the G50 1.5 Turbo DCT Elite, there’s Roland Purple, Polar Ash, and Warm White, plus the Deep Golden exclusive to the variant. The G50 1.5 Turbo DCT Premium is also available in Roland Purple, Polar Ash, and Warm White.
Produced by SAIC Motor of China, Estrella cited Maxus’ 124 years of British heritage, British expertise and British excellence in the global commercial vehicle category. SAIC Motor was ranked among the top 10 automakers globally selling more than 7 million units in 2018.
“This is a testament to the global scale and acceptance of SAIC,” said Estrella.
Meantime, the T60 is classified as a midsize pickup, and is the longest and widest in its class allowing varied requirements of cargo and passenger transport. The T60 is powered by a 2.8-liter diesel engine with Variable Geometry Turbocharger and Drive Mode Select that is mated to a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission generating maximum power of 150Ps at 3,400rpm and maximum torque of 360Nm at 1,600-2,800rpm-- sufficient push and pull for a pickup.
Standard features of the T60 include an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Mirrorlink, rear camera and rear sensors, rain sensing wipers, cruise control, rear air conditioning vents plus a wading depth of 800mm. The 4x4 Elite comes with the following additional features: LED headlamps and DRLs, Electronic Stabilization Program, power driver seat adjustments, push start ignition, a larger 10-inch monitor for its infotainment system and automatic air conditioning.