[OPINION] The great, dangerous (and unhappy) concerning the subsequent gen Toyota Tamaraw

First, the excellent news. Toyota Motors Philippines (TMP) invested P5.5 billion to have the ability to produce the following technology Tamaraw within the Philippines, particularly in its Santa Rosa plant in Laguna, south of the capital. 

That can translate to extra jobs, greater tax collections, extra exports and foreign exchange earnings, and different financial advantages. 

Now, the dangerous. 

First, the design. 

Many Filipinos are upset over the design of the the following technology Toyota Tamaraw, which was proven by Toyota Motors Philippines (TMP) President Masando Hashimoto to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. final Friday, October 25. 

As many netizens have identified, the brand new Tamaraw is in contrast to the previous one which Filipinos have come to like — it’s basically a pickup truck, not a wagon like what’s popularly often known as the Toyota Tamaraw FX. In reality, in Thailand, the Tamaraw is known as Toyota Hilux Champ, in reference to the Japanese carmaker’s Hilux pickup.

When the motoring character James Deakin, after posting a photograph of the following gen Tamaraw, requested his 1.1 million Fb followers in August 22, 2023, “What do you consider the brand new technology Tamaraw? This child can be constructed proper right here within the Philippines!” he received over 700 feedback, and most of them have been upset. 

Listed below are a number of the responses:

“That’s not a Tamaraw FX, that’s a truck!” mentioned Alex Miguel.

“I desire the SUV kind. Para naman hindi Tamaraw FX sa itsura (That doesn’t seem like the Tamaraw FX). Please, Toyota, make a 4×4 model of the previous FX,” mentioned Knowell Poly’Paul.

“Ayos po sana pag-naka porma, kaso ba’t ganun yung model ng katawan, ‘di po katulad ng dati na parang MPV [multi-purpose vehicle],” mentioned James Magdaraog. (It seems trendy however why is the model of the physique like that, it’s not just like the previous one which’s like an MPV.)

“Ang layo nga e, syempre gusto natin medyo malapit sa itsura nung dati (It’s very completely different, in fact what we would like is one thing near the one earlier than),” mentioned RY Adriano.

“Parang pasadya look, para sa akin the look failed (It seems custom-made, I feel the look failed),” mentioned Jack Pineda.

There have been solely a handful of constructive feedback, with some noting that the Tamaraw could be extra highly effective than the previous, in a position to carry heavier load.

“I see a whole lot of enchancment there. Seems prefer it has a little bit of a LEGO theme, however nonetheless good trying,” mentioned JB Balatian.

“Quick and the livid look,” mentioned Cornelio Cruz. 

After I used to work within the Manila workplace of a Japanese information group, certainly one of my bureau chiefs truly purchased a light-weight blue Toyota Tamaraw FX (just like the above picture) within the mid-Nineties, and since it was a wagon, he used it to carry him to formal capabilities, used it for his non-public household travels, and we used it for information protection. 

He was proud to have owned a Toyota made within the Philippines and generally utilized by peculiar Filipinos. In reality, he even needed to carry it (or a jeepney) to Japan besides that it wouldn’t go their emission requirements and different transport rules. 

The Toyota Tamaraw FX might sit (although not comfortably) 11 individuals: three in entrance (together with the motive force); 4 within the center; and 4 on the again. That’s the explanation why it was used as a daily taxi and later as point-to-point UV Categorical. It grew to become so widespread that folks used the time period “FX” — even when it was a Mitsubishi Journey or an Isuzu Hilander —  to imply taking a taxi to commute to work or college and again. 

When Toyota Motors Philippines was increase shopper curiosity within the subsequent technology Tamaraw, it launched supplies that confirmed how individuals beloved its design as a wagon, corresponding to on this video beneath:

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A number of issues come out from these movies of Tamaraw FX house owners: the car’s reliability, “good at carrying,” availability of components (thus straightforward to keep up), and most of all, affordability. 

As President Marcos Jr. mentioned in his speech in Malacañang: “It’s a car that has transported lots of our individuals from residence to their locations, to high school, to work. It offered our individuals a snug but inexpensive means to commute. For small entrepreneurs and drivers, it served as a reliable companion in bettering their livelihood and their companies.” 

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Tamaraw FX proprietor Nelan Aten-an, a vegetable provider within the northern Philippine province of Benguet, mentioned it greatest: “Even when it used for enterprise, we nonetheless should preserve the unit [clean] since we additionally use this unit for our household errands and leisure…Eto, pwede papuntang SM (We will use this to go to SM malls)…. I also can go it on to my kids.”

TMP inspired previous technology Tamaraw FX house owners to ship photographs of their much-loved vehicles and lots of did, proudly displaying the mileage the car had reached via the years.

Glenn Serrano’s Tamaraw FX GL 1996 mannequin had notched a whopping 814,00 kilometers, whereas Perez Lou Aldrick’s Toyota Revo DLX Diesel 2003 mannequin had traveled 402,239 kilometers. 

On Fb, there are fairly quite a lot of Tamaraw FX communities who showcase their well-used vehicles, with some on the lookout for consumers of their beloved wagon.

Jeffrey Baylon shared a picture of his 1996 Toyota Tamaraw FX Deluxe with a 2.0 liter diesel engine. He mentioned he had taken the automobile from Kawit, Cavite in Southern Tagalog area to Sipocot, Camarines Sur in Bicol. The 718-kilometer drive took round 10 hours one-way with a diesel consumption price of P3,600, he mentioned.

One other Fb put up (beneath) by Lumang Oto Outdated Automotive Junkies confirmed a 1977 Toyota Tamaraw KF10 pickup owned by Dennis Soriente.

“This truck has been utilized by the Manila Resort Laundry Service Division. It was finally auctioned in 1983 and was acquired by its present proprietor’s uncle. It then grew to become a piece truck for his or her LPG enterprise from 1985 to 2012. It was finally parked and sat for the following 7 years till it was lately revived.  The truck immediately began after 7 years of hibernation,” the netizen mentioned.

This specific mannequin is identical because the orange jeepneys used within the Vito Cruz/Taft to Philippine Worldwide Conference/Cultural Middle of the Philippines route in Pasay Metropolis, which went on for maybe over 3 a long time because the eighties.

Conversion fashions

In equity to TMP, it has given consumers many choices that may enable them to do many of the issues they’ve finished with the previous technology Toyota Tamaraw. The brand new Tamaraw can transformed right into a patrol van, an ambulance, college bus, and repair van. The Tamaraw dropside may be transformed right into a meals truck, camper van, and cellular retailer.

TMP showcased a few of these within the lately concluded ninth Philippine Worldwide Motor Present final week.

However conversion brings out the opposite disappointment with the following technology Tamaraw: price. 

As lamented by netizen Florentino Santos, “Mas maganda yung dati pang masa, ‘di pang mayaman lang makakabili nyan.” (The previous one was for the lots, solely the wealthy will be capable of purchase that.)

“Toyota Tamaraw with racing specs? Final time I heard, the Toyota Tamaraws have been the inexpensive workhorse again within the day,” mentioned Alan Trinanes. 

The brand new Toyota Tamaraw is predicted to price round P900,000, principally the identical as its retail worth in Thailand. Thus, if you wish to convert the brand new Tamaraw FX for household use, you’d need to spend maybe from P50,000 to P200,000 to spruce up (e.g. bettering the inside and altering the tires to magazine wheels) the Toyota Tamaraw Utility Van, which may have a rear air-conditioning system.

Many Tamaraw FX house owners had hoped for a worth vary of round P600,000 to P700,000 if TMP needed it to be a car of the lots just like the previous technology Tamaraw FX. Presently, solely Suzuki Philippines sells a brand new wagon, the Suzuki APV. Its least expensive mannequin, the 1.6 GA handbook transmission, retails for P743,000, whereas the premium mannequin — 1.6 GLX handbook transmission — sells for P955,000.

Happily, TMP’s new technology Toyota Lite Ace panel van, is cheaper than the Suzuki APV, at P695,000.

Nonetheless, in contrast to its counterpart in Japan, Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu’s Gran Max Cargo GL, the Lite Ace panel van doesn’t include facet rear home windows, rear seats, and rear air-conditioning. Patrons would have thus need to spend not less than P20,000, relying on what equipment so as to add. This has turn out to be enterprise alternative for these within the automobile accent enterprise, corresponding to Atoy Customs, which has upgraded a Lite Ace panel van for P46,000.

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The anticipated excessive price of the brand new technology Tamaraw FX means extra enterprise for the second-hand automobile market. These within the center to upper-lower revenue teams must purchase the previous technology Tamaraw FX or the Toyota Revo FX if they need an inexpensive Tamaraw that’s additionally “pang SM.” 

The Japanese are identified for carefully listening to prospects, so I’m shocked why the corporate has not been in a position to meet buyer’s expectations with respect to the Toyota Tamaraw’s design and value.

When Toyota Motors chairman Akio Toyoda visited the Philippines in 2023 for TMP’s thirty fifth annniversary, he mentioned he didn’t care if Toyota was nonetheless primary in gross sales. “My biggest want is just to be primary within the hearts of our prospects right here within the Philippines,” he added. 

Toyoda-san, the following gen Tamaraw FX simply doesn’t minimize it. Why not import extra Daihatsu kei (gentle)vehicles right here, Filipinos are going to like them! – Rappler.com