BMW Motorrad showroom to open in Davao City

MANILA: From the year 2016 to 2017, BMW Motorrad Philippines achieved 68% year-on-year sales growth. This was indeed an overwhelming feat in motorcycle sales. To maintain such an amazing sales figures, SMC Asia Car Distributors Corporation (SMACDC) is opening a new BMW Motorrad showroom in Davao City.

The groundbreaking ceremony held last weekend and was attended by the outgoing SMACDC president Maricar Parco. For BMW Motorrad, it will be the first standalone dealership in its 15-year of history in the Philippines market. For the new showroom, the SMACDC has selected 1,200 square meters of land along Buhangin Avenue in Davao city.

The ceremony was held alongside the 24th BOSS Ironman Motorcycle Challenge (IMC), Mindanao leg. According to the SMACDC incoming president Spencer Yu, a total of 602 participants were drawn by the IMC Mindanao leg; out of which 30-40% ride the BMW motorbikes.

The BMW Owners Society of Safe Riders (BOSS) organized the event and it was staged for the first time in southern Philippines. The 1,200 km fortitude challenge is traditionally held in Central and Northern Luzon.

The event was graced by Yu’s predecessor Maricar Parco along with the BOSS president, Tey Usis and Lito Flores, BOSS’s IMC organizing committee chairman. The guest of honour for the ceremony was the president's daughter and the spouse of Davao City mayor, Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Parco revealed that due to underperformance in sales, the BMW showroom in Cagayan de Oro will eventually be closed by the end of this year. Now, the all-new BMW dealer partners are ready to welcome the new showroom in Davao City.

The historic dealership was done following the partnership between Wilson Lu, owner of the upcoming showroom facility and Alexander Roleda, owner of the BMW dealership in Bacolod City. Lu disclosed that to open a showroom in Davao City, he patiently waited for at least 10 years before he got the permission from BMW Philippines.

Lu said that to put up the BMW Motorrad showroom is not just about the business interest but his dedicated passion for the two-wheelers. For more than 30 years, he has been riding motorbikes, 12 of which were with BMW motorcycles. Lu said,“I want the riders to enjoy what I’m enjoying, especially BMW bikes,”. Being the global trend among BMW dealerships, the BMW Motorrad will be accorded its own facility.

The 10-storey showroom facility is expected to be completed within one year and will have a high-tech service area. Once the BMW Motorrad showroom becomes operational at Davao City, it will make its entire model lineup available for the buyers. The soon to be available model lineup will include the entry-level G 310 R, G 310 GS, R 1200 GS adventure, and R 1000 RR race bikes.

The next standalone BMW Motorrad showrooms would be expected to be opened up in Muntinlupa, Autohaus, and Alabang in Quezon, Libis City in the coming future. Whereas, for a BMW vehicle showroom in the area, the SMACDC is still looking for a local partner.