TOYOTA INTRODUCES BUV IN THE PHILIPPINES

TOKYO―Toyota Motor Company, Ltd., and Toyota Motor Sales Company, Ltd., have announced the introduction in the Philippines of its newly developed multi-purpose BUV (Basic Utility Vehicle). The vehicle will go on sale in the Philippines beginning December 2nd through Delta Motor Corporation, importer, assembler and distributor of Toyota products in that country.

Toyota will watch developments regarding the BUV in Southeast Asia carefully and in the future may introduce the BUV in other countries in the region. As the Toyota BUV is introduced to other countries its name will be changed to fit the particular market. The name used in the Philippines for the Toyota BUV is the Tamaraw, the Tagalog name for a small sturdily built buffalo native to Mindoro Island.

In the development of the BUV, Toyota made comprehensive studies in the Philippines of the transport situation, of Government policy on local participation in automobile manufacturing, of Philippine consumer buying preferences, and of other aspects of the Philippine automobile market, and a design objective was set of developing an automobile that meets the market's requirements as closely as possible. In the development of the BUV, Delta Motor Corporation cooperated closely with Toyota to reflect in the new product the needs of the Philippine market. As a result of that cooperative effort, the Toyota BUV Tamaraw was developed as a multi-purpose, low-priced vehicle with great utility. Moreover, the new vehicle's design enables a higher percentage of local content.

The Toyota BUV Tamaraw that will go on sale in early December in the Philippines will be available in two basic models, both of which are fitted with 1,166cc, 3K-H type engines. One is a jeepney model that will serve as a mini-bus for carrying up to 15 passengers, and the other is a high-side pickup truck with roof (carries either 3 persons and 600 kilograms of freight, or 15 persons). A chassis fitted with a cab is also available on which various types of decks can be fixed depending on particular demands.

Delta Motor Corporation will be responsible for assembling the Tamaraw, and although its engines, transmissions, chassis and other components will be supplied from Japan, a large number of components such as bodies, frames, tires, batteries and so forth will be used that are produced in the Philippines. Local content from the start of this project will be more than 50 per cent, a high percentage.

Delta Motor Corporation, Toyota Motor Company and Toyota Motor Sales Company are tentatively anticipating monthly sales of about 400 Tamaraw vehicles. Standard prices in Manila and main specifications of the Toyota BUV Tamaraw are as per the attached sheet.

PRICES AND SPECIFICATIONS OF THE TOYOTA BUV TAMARAW