Motor Image Pilipinas, the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in the Philippines has made a bold prediction regarding its sales this year. They project that thanks to a slew of new product introductions, sales will increase by 30 percent compared to 2019 levels.
At the sidelines of the Singapore Motor Show 2020, where the Subaru Forester e-BOXER, Forester GT Edition, and refreshed Impreza were showcased, Mr. Glenn Tan, Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Motor Image’s parent company, Tan Chong International says 2020 will be a strong year for the Japanese car brand.
More GT Edition Models on the Way
Mr. Tan says that he expects sales to be stronger this year thanks to the introduction of more GT Edition models such as the Forester GT Edition. A sportier variant of their most popular model, the Forester, it joins the Subaru XV GT Edition in getting a body kit specifically designed for Motor Image by former Subaru designer, Masahiko “Jack” Kobayashi.
“The introduction of the GT Edition to our Subaru XV has boosted our sales by around 30 percent,” reveals Mr. Tan. “We expect the same effect with the introduction of the GT Edition for the Forester as well as the Levorg GT Edition which will soon follow.”
The Forester GT Edition will launch this April for the Philippine market at the Manila International Auto Show.
7-Seater Subaru Ascent Arriving with a Different Name
Another interesting tidbit shared by Mr. Tan has to do with the 7-seater Subaru Ascent. Apparently, it will arrive in the country with a different name.
“The Subaru Ascent will carry the name Evoltis,” says Mr. Tan. “The Ascent name cannot be used for our market due to issues with its name. However, it will be the same vehicle—the same 7-seater SUV made at Subaru of Indiana using the turbocharged 2.4-liter Boxer engine.”
This makes perfect sense since Subaru Corporation has actually filed a trademark for the name, Evoltis way back in 2018. Previously though it was rumored to have been the name of the brand’s upcoming plug-in hybrid vehicle; apparently, that’s not the case. Instead, it’s going to be the Subaru Ascent’s export name for markets such as the Philippines.
It’s understood that several units of the Subaru Ascent / Evoltis have already made it into the Philippines for evaluative purposes. The launch date is slated around the third quarter of 2020 and may launch side-by-side with the Subaru Forester e-BOXER.
No Subaru Impreza Hatchback
Finally, in a last piece of rather sad news, Mr. Tan also confirmed that the refreshed Impreza won’t be arriving as a 5-door hatchback after all.
“As much as we wanted to bring the 5-door hatchback to the Philippine market, no suitable specification exists from Subaru,” reveals Mr. Tan. “While there is a 5-door hatchback available for left-hand drive markets, it’s more of an entry-level model, unsuitable for our positioning in the Philippines.”
That being said, despite being difficult to sell, Motor Image says they will continue to sell the Impreza as a 4-door sedan. With that, they remain committed to the nameplate, with plans to bring in the refreshed 2020 model as soon as possible.
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