Isuzu Philippines Corporation President Keiji Takeda poses beside the 20-seater Isuzu Microbus which was unveiled before the media and government authorities on March 4, 2010 at the Esplanade in Pasay City. (Photo by ANJO PEREZ)

Isuzu Philippines Corp. unveils two major projects this year: Resumption of exports of its Asian utility vehicle Crosswind to Central America and local assembly of an entrepreneurial vehicle called “Microbus” – as the company anticipates as much as 15 percent growth in sales this year.

Keiji Takeda, IPC president, told reporters at the launch of its latest Isuzu N-Series light-duty trucks that they are still negotiating with distributors in Guatemala and Costa Rica for completely built-up exports of Crosswind after exports were halted last year due to price issues.

In 2006 to 2008, IPC exported 60 units of Crosswind to these countries, Takeda said.

Overall exports of IPC including exports of some parts and components of Crosswind to Vietnam still account for a measly 1 percent of its total business in the country.

For its CKD line-up, the all-truck assembler also unveiled a new CKD model dubbed “Microbus,” which is intended for entrepreneurial purposes.

Takeda said that “Microbus”, which is a co-development between IPC as provider of brand new power train and Filipino firm Centro Manufacturing Corp. as body builder, is a 16-seater mini-bus that is expected to compete head on with existing vans being used as shuttle buses, school buses and tourist buses. The power train and the chassis would be imported from Indonesia.

Takeda said the “Microbus” would be custom-built depending on the specifications of the customer but would have a price range of P1.2 million to P1.5 million a unit.

Microbus would be launched in the market in the second semester this year.

Takeda expects to sell between 40 to 50 units a month of Microbuses out of an annual full capacity of 1,000 units a year. IPC senior vice-president Art Balmadrid said they intend to register “Microbus” as its entry in the planned Philippine Brand Vehicle program under the new Motor Vehicle Development Program of the Board of Investments.