Mazda Sees 50 Percent Higher Sales in Thailand

Bangkok Post, Thailand

January 22, 2003

Jan. 22--Mazda Sales (Thailand) expects to boost its sales this year by nearly 50 percent to 15,500 units, with plans to launch new models and expand its dealership network.

According to David Grakul, the company's managing director, the expected high sales growth for Mazda this year would come on the heels of very satisfying results in 2003 in which sales climbed over 26 percent from the previous year to 10,374 vehicles.

Of that amount, 8,309 units were Fighter pickup trucks, 1,236 units were Tribute sport utility vehicles, 760 units were 323 Protege sedans and the remainder were the high performance and luxury vehicles which included 69 units of MPV multi-purpose vehicles, MX-5 and RX-8 sports cars.

Mr Grakul noted that last year's figures translated into sales growth of 168 percent from the 3,859 units sold in 1999 when the company began operating in Thailand.

During the course of 2004, the company plans to launch new models including the Mazda 3 sedan and offer revised versions of its Fighter pickup trucks and Tribute SUVs.

The car company also plans to continue expanding its dealerships throughout the country to a total of 84 outlets with the addition of 14 new outlets, five in Bangkok and nine upcountry.

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(c) 2004, Bangkok Post, Thailand. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News